WILLO HISTORIC DISTRICT

Nestled in the very heart of urban Phoenix, Willo was once the epitome of suburbia – a collection of subdivisions on the outskirts of the small, but thriving metropolis of Phoenix. The Willo neighborhood between 7th and Central Avenues is bounded by McDowell Road and Thomas Road.  For the next 20 years or so, the land was primarily for agricultural purposes and lay on the outskirts of town. In the early 1920’s, Home Builders, a residential construction firm, built 41 homes in the Bungalow style. During the mid to late 1920’s Phoenix, like the rest of the West, experienced tremendous growth and a building boom.

During the 1930’s the Period Revival movement brought tremendous variety in architectural styles, including Tudor Revival, Greek Revival, American Colonial Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival and Pueblo Revival. However, the Depression brought construction to a near standstill. The mid to late 1930s and the development of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) brought construction back to Willo. Construction from this period and later years often featured French Provincial and Monterey styles, with an architectural design that would eventually become what we know today as the Ranch Style house. Construction was also more standardized due to the influence of the FHA and other government-imposed standards. Most of these newer homes are found in the northern section of Willo. In all, 22 separate subdivisions were platted and developed in Willo Historic District by various entrepreneurs from the turn of the century up to the beginning of WWII. Eventually, with the growth of Phoenix over the last century, the individual subdivisions platted by early developers were forgotten and the area blended into one cohesive whole.

Information courtesy of www.willophx.com

Explore Willo Historic District