Winterhaven Neighborhood HALS

Winterhaven Neighborhood Tucson, AZ Historic American Landscape Survey Project Historians: Cody Bonnet, Paige Gniffke, Erica LeClaire, and Ali Wysopal Work overseen by Professor Gina Chorover, at the University of Arizona

Location: Bounded by Ft. Lowell Road to the south, Prince Road to the north, Tucson Boulevard on the west, and Country Club on the east. Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. 32.268922, -110.931565 (Intersection of Christmas Avenue and Kleindale Road, Google Earth, WGS84)

Significance: The neighborhood of Winterhaven is significant as a reflection of prominent economic and social values of the mid-20th century. Built in 1949, this planned subdivision features distinct, nonnative landscaping, and modern ranch architecture reminiscent of the Midwest to attract those residents to life in Arizona. During the time of its construction, Arizona was experiencing an exponential growth in population, expanding at a rate second only to California. While most metropolitan areas within the state were affected by this growth, Tucson’s population alone grew by 368%. Due to this rapid increase, the City commenced efforts to expand Tucson’s boundaries. However, at the same time many developers were purposefully building outside of the municipality to take advantage of a lack of regulatory oversight. Between 1945 and 1952, it is estimated that 125 of these subdivisions were built, with many lacking necessary infrastructure. Compared to these subpar subdivisions, Winterhaven was conceptualized with both a range of amenities and services meant to provide its residents with a comfortable life. The subdivision’s layout was designed by Tony Blanton and C.B. Richards and included elements such as wide, tree-lined roads, plots meant for single-family residences, and a private water system. In addition to lauding modern amenities desirable to the booming middle-class, Winterhaven’s design was meant to promote a sense of community in a new suburban development. Aspects of this plan can be seen in elements of the landscape. Large, green, contiguous lawns with mailboxes located at the front edge of properties all encourage use and interaction between neighbors. Additional aspects such as shaded streets and traffic control give the neighborhood its park-like atmosphere. Thanks to the continued work of the Winterhaven Water and Development Company’s Board of Directors, much of the original Midwest-style and sense of community essential to the significance of this neighborhood has been maintained. Due to its sustained character, Winterhaven was designated as a National Register of Historic Places district in 2005.

LANDSCAPE: The neighborhood’s developer, C.B. Richards, wanted to emulate a typical Midwestern environment, one with expansive swaths of lawn and large shade trees. The overall impression is that of a lush nonnative landscape, with large Aleppo pine street trees and wide swaths of green lawn space in front of each residence.

STREETSCAPE: The streets are winding, a reference to the nearby affluent neighborhoods of El Encanto and Colonia Solana, and wide to accommodate the rise in automobile use. The neighborhood’s curvilinear roads and culs-de-sac also contribute to the areas park-like atmosphere.

ARCHITECTURE: The Winterhaven historic district is defined by its planned community landscape and midcentury, Midwestern design. The residences are generally single family, mid-century modern ranch style buildings, and are rectilinear in shape with low roofs. A majority of properties include carports and are set back from the street to allow for large contiguous front lawns.

STREETSCAPE: The importance of the car as the intended mode of transportation is likewise reflected in the inclusion of streetfacing carports, rolled curbs, and lack of sidewalks. The lack of four-point intersections and preference instead for T-shaped junctions were chosen intentionally to slow traffic.

ARCHITECTURE: Winterhaven contains a large concentration of residences designed by Anne Jackson Rysdale. One of the first practicing women architects in Tucson, Rysdale worked in Tucson in the 1940’s, ‘50s, and ‘60s. Known widely for her commercial design projects, Winterhaven contains twenty-two examples of Ryesdale’s equally innovative ranch-style homes.

IRRIGATION: C.B. Richards oversaw the installation of the neighborhood's first irrigation system. This was to ensure the residents could maintain the required landscaping. The irrigation is composed of in-ground sprinklers in front of each home that water both personal lawns and street trees. During the first few years after development, residents would welcome new owners by installing a sprinkler system along their curbs. This was how the residents made it clear to newcomers the importance that they placed on their lawns and each lawn's contribution to the character of the neighborhood.

WELLS: C.B. Richards established the Winterhaven Water and Development Company, Inc. in 1948 in order to ensure the quality and upkeep of the neighborhood’s plant material. Currently, a portion of the residents maintain their lawns with in-ground sprinkler systems connected to the neighborhood's three wells. The company continues to own and operate the three private wells that together form a self-contained system for the neighborhood that is independent from the city of Tucson.

SOCIAL AND INTANGIBLE HISTORY: An annual event that encapsulates the identity of this resident managed community is the Festival of Lights, which has happened each Christmas season since the neighborhood’s founding. The festival, inspired by a similar happening in Beverly Hills, California, is a full neighborhood effort. Each home plans their Christmas light displays months in advance, often working with or playing off of their immediate neighbors.

CHANGES OVER TIME: The significance and character of the neighborhood has been preserved due to the creation of the Winterhaven Water and Development Company’s Board of Directors. First established by C.B. Richards to ensure that his intended landscape could be maintained, the Board of Directors acts as a neighborhood association, working to retain the character of the subdivision.

Efforts to reach a compromise between integrity and environmental issues can be seen in updated ordinances. Now the minimum amount of lawn allowed in each yard is 50% of available area.

You may also like