History of the Phoenix Area-Part IX
The advent of the automobile had a major impact on the way Phoenix developed. Ever since the introduction of the streetcar system in 1887, real estate development had traditionally taken place mostly in proximity to the railway tracks. In fact, real estate owners and investors mostly financed the expansion of the railway, since it was such a proven value adder to their properties.The arrival of the automobile, however, allowed infill development within the city, away from railway tracks, and development beyond the city limits.
WWI had boosted manufacturing in the Phoenix area, and towns continued to grow during the 20’s and 30’s..Agriculture, cattle ranching, and mining also grew, and the Phoenix area population rose rapidly. Tourism was well established with many visitors coming from all over, but predominantly the Midwest. Once having visited, they often wanted a permanent place to stay.
All of these influences worked to move boundaries outward. The boom in the area did not escape the attention of investors and developers, primarily from California, an area where larger subdivision development was coming into fashion. The developers bought larger tracts, mostly outside city limits, and put in all the utilities and roads, landscaping and parks, and built the homes with a place to park the car! The Midwestern visitors also tended to build homes on the edges of the city, where they could have larger properties.
And then came the Depression…