East Evergreen
Historical District Maps,
Information & Homes For Sale
East
Evergreen Historic
District
The East Evergreen Historic District was largely
developed as a Streetcar Subdivision (1887-1925). In the
late 19th and early 20th centuries, land owners beyond
the city limits enticed streetcar companies to build
lines to their new additions in an effort to promote
sales. Developers typically subdivided their land in a
grid pattern of perpendicular streets and rectangular
blocks that yielded the maximum number of deep, narrow
lots within walking distance of the nearest streetcar
stop. Development in East Evergreen can be directly
attributed to the extension of the streetcar line north
of the city along Third Street to the Phoenix Indian
School in 1909. In the same year, the East Evergreen
Addition to the city of Phoenix was platted so that no
house lay more than a few blocks from the streetcar stop
at 3rd St. & McDowell Rd. Ready access to reliable
transportation inspired growth in the district and
within a few years, numerous houses – most of them
exhibiting Craftsman stylistic qualities – appeared on
the district’s main streets of Willetta, Lynwood, and
5th Street. In addition to East Evergreen, the
Garfield,
North Garfield,
Coronado, and Kenilworth districts are
examples of late 19th and early 20th century streetcar
subdivisions.
The East Evergreen Historic
District streetscape is characterized by large front
yard setbacks, mature palm tree-lined streets and
pedestrian-friendly sidewalks. Despite minor variations
in the size of lots and setbacks, the district retains
this common character. There are two basic lot sizes in
East Evergreen. Lots along Willetta Street are
approximately 70’ wide by 225’ deep, which was the
historic neighborhood standard. Between 1915 and 1918,
Lynwood Street was cut through a section of a
preexisting larger block. Lots along Lynwood are
approximately 65’ wide x 50’ deep, dramatically smaller
than those along Willetta Street. Because most of the
reduction came from the rear yard, the Lynwood Street
lots appear similar in size and setback from the street.
The largest lot in the district is found at 1422 N.
5th St. Originally, the large, deep lot held one of the
oldest and most substantial single family houses in the
neighborhood. It appeared on both the 1915 and 1949
Sanborn maps and was replaced with the present apartment
complex about 1965.
Most residences in the
district are 1-1 1/2 stories. Almost all the
residences have front porches, most of which span the
width of the façade.
Landscaping and street
furniture further contribute to the character of the
district. Mature palm trees line the streets. These are
regularly spaced approximately 35’ apart, in the area
between the sidewalk and Willetta Street and around
Townsend Park. Some mature palm trees are present on 5th
Street and Lynwood Street, but not with the same
regularity. Many lots have broad front lawns. Lampposts
are located both at street corners, on residential
blocks between the street and sidewalk, and throughout
the park. The lamp posts are replicas of historic lamp
posts.
The earliest residences in the district
were constructed along Willetta Street, and by 1915,
seven of the twelve lots contained within the district
on this street were developed; the residences on these
lots are extant. With the exception of the house at the
northeast lot at Willetta and 5th Streets, all other
lots on Willetta were developed with single-family
residences by 1929. Perhaps Willetta’s success inspired
the developers to open Lynwood Street between 1915 and
1918 where all of the extant residences along Lynwood
were constructed by 1929. Willetta and Lynwood streets
are the most uniform in house size, age, type,
materials, rhythm and style. Fifth Street features a mix
of older and newer resources and different types of
housing; it has two 1949 duplexes, a 1945 Early Ranch
style house, and a large, c. 1965 apartment complex.
Victorian, Craftsman and Ranch styles are all
present within the East Evergreen Historic District
although Craftsman influences dominate the streetscapes.
All have medium-pitched gable roofs, in front-gabled,
side-gabled, and cross-gabled configurations. Nearly
half of these residences feature dormers with either a
pitched or shed roof. Most have the exposed rafters
typical of the Craftsman style.
Another notable resource in the East Evergreen Historic
District is Townsend Park, a neighborhood park located
at the northeast corner of Lynwood and 5th Streets. It
is approximately 1.5 acres in size and has a lighted
basketball court, volleyball court, playground and
picnic area.
Information, maps and photographs provided courtesy:
Historic Preservation Office of the City of Phoenix
Neighborhood Services Department 200 West Washington
Street Phoenix, Arizona 85003 (602) 261-8699
|
Laura Boyajian
Mobile: 602.400.0008
HistoricCentralPhoenix@cox.net
|