East Evergreen Historic District of Phoenix

East Evergreen Historic District

Period of significance 1909 – 1930

The East Evergreen Historic District contains just 25 properties within an irregular boundary drawn to include properties along Lynwood, Willetta and Fifth Streets, the historic homes along Willetta Street, Townsend Park and McDowell Road. Craftsman-style homes dominate East Evergreen with a mix of styles in modest one-story and elaborate two-story examples.

The District began as part of Central Place, an 1887 addition to Phoenix, platted by J.T. Simms, a wealthy farmer. Central Place included a quarter section of land, ½ mile north of the original Phoenix townsite.

By 1900, Central Place had new owners, Lloyd B. and Mary Emma Christy, who renamed it the Evans Addition. That same year, the Evans Addition received streetcar service. The line followed First Street north to Roosevelt Street, Roosevelt east to Third Street and Third Street north to Indian School Road. It was the first line to be built by the Phoenix Railway Company using subsidies from property owners.

In 1909, the East Evergreen subdivision was platted. It encompassed the entire eastern half of the Evans Addition, bounded by Third, Roosevelt and Seventh street and McDowell Road. One hundred fifty-two lots were created, most of which measured 70 x 190 feet or 95 x 140 feet, with eight much larger lots at the northern edge of the neighborhood.

By the 1920’s, nearly all of the lots in East Evergreen had homes built on them. Townsend Park, at 5^th Street and McDowell Road was also created, although it is unclear exactly when this took place. Early city maps show the park as early as 1930 but it did not become an official city park until 1945.

Several notable individuals are associated with East Evergreen.

Lloyd B. Christy served as mayor of Phoenix from 1909 to 1914. He organized the Phoenix Citizen Street Paving Association and by the end of his term, all the streets in the original townsite were paved for the first time. The Christy’s never lived in East Evergreen, but they owned the property for many years and were responsible for its early development.

Fred B. Townsend was a prominent attorney, and one of the first planning commissioners of Phoenix. His home at 504 E. McDowell Road, was just to the north of East Evergreen, directly across from the park named in his honor.

Col. James H. McClintock was a journalist and publisher, officer with Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, scout involved with the site selection for Roosevelt Dam, and noted historian, best noted for his three-volume history of Arizona published in 1916. His wife, Dorothy Bacon, was a botanist and a founding member of the Phoenix Library Association. The McClintock’s owned a home in East Evergreen, at 323 E. Willetta Street and lived there from 1914 to 1934.