History

Honored as the first officially designated historic neighborhood in the City of Phoenix, the Roosevelt Historic District has a rich and storied past. From its enduring architectural landmarks and role in Phoenix’s early tourism boom, to its origins as one of the city’s first “streetcar suburbs,” Roosevelt has remained an important part of Phoenix’s past, present, and future.

Explore the neighborhood’s evolution through the timeline below.

Special thanks to Jon Talton, Marshall Shore, and other community contributors for their research and support in helping document Roosevelt’s history.

1867

The story of Phoenix traditionally begins in 1867, when John William Swilling and a group of settlers from Wickenburg established a settlement along the lower Salt River. Swilling organized the Swilling Irrigating Canal Company, which re-excavated ancient Hohokam canals to create a new irrigation system that supported farming in the Valley. The effort helped cultivate hay and other crops for sale to the U.S. Army at Fort McDowell and laid the foundation for the future growth of Phoenix.

1871

In 1871, the original townsite of Phoenix was surveyed and plotted by William Hancock. The new settlement covered approximately 320 acres, measuring one mile long and one-half mile wide, and was laid out in a north-south grid pattern. The townsite was bounded by Van Buren Street to the north, Harrison Street to the south, and by Seventh Street and Seventh Avenue to the east and west respectively — forming the foundation of what would become downtown Phoenix.

1884

The arrival of the transcontinental railroad through Arizona in 1884 accelerated the growth of the young city by making processed building materials more affordable and readily available. Finished lumber, plate glass, stone, prefabricated components, and pressed and cast metal quickly became common features in Phoenix’s early buildings. Following the establishment of a local brick kiln in 1878, builders also began constructing more permanent brick homes and commercial buildings, helping shape the architectural character of early Phoenix.

1891

The devastating floods of 1880 and 1891 dramatically reshaped the growth pattern of early Phoenix. In February 1891, the Salt River overflowed its banks, flooding large portions of the Valley and forcing many families to evacuate to higher ground. Floodwaters reached as far north as Jackson Street and as far west as 1st Avenue, threatening homes in the Collins, Murphy, and Linville additions.

In the aftermath of the floods, many residents moved away from the lower-lying southern portions of the city and began settling northward along Central Avenue, west along Washington Street, and near the Grand Avenue corridor. This migration became a major catalyst for the development of the residential neighborhoods that would eventually form today’s Roosevelt Historic District.

1920

By the early 20th century, the Roosevelt Historic District had become a reflection of the broader development patterns shaping Phoenix. As one of the city’s earliest northward expansions, the neighborhood helped establish a growth trend that continues today. Its development was driven in large part by the proximity of Central Avenue — Phoenix’s primary north-south corridor — and the expansion of the Phoenix Railway Line, which gave rise to some of the city’s first “streetcar suburbs.”

Before the arrival of streetcars, most residents lived within walking distance of their workplaces. By 1920, however, the growing popularity of the automobile began transforming how Phoenix expanded and how residents moved throughout the city. The construction of Kenilworth School in 1920, one of Phoenix’s major early elementary schools, also helped spur residential growth in the area.

Following World War I, Phoenix experienced a surge in new residents and winter visitors, increasing demand for housing and accommodations. In response, a number of apartment buildings were constructed throughout Roosevelt, particularly along Roosevelt Street. At the same time, the rise of automobile tourism brought thousands of visitors to the Southwest, fueling the city’s hospitality industry. The iconic Hotel Westward Ho was among the first major resort hotels built to serve this growing market for upscale tourist accommodations. Tourism would go on to become one of Phoenix’s defining industries — and remains a major economic driver today.

1925–1960

From the 1920s through the 1960s, downtown Phoenix emerged as the cultural, entertainment, and commercial heart of the city. Residents and visitors flocked to shopping destinations like Hanny's and Woolworth’s, while grand movie palaces such as The Fox Theatre and the Orpheum Theatre Phoenix drew crowds from across the Valley.

Phoenix also gained national recognition as a health and vacation destination. Its dry climate, clean air, cool evenings, and lack of today’s urban heat island effect attracted winter visitors from around the country, including Hollywood celebrities seeking relaxation and sunshine.

To serve the growing residential population and seasonal visitors, developers introduced innovative commercial projects such as the Gold Spot Marketing Center at 3rd Avenue and Roosevelt Street — one of Phoenix’s earliest neighborhood shopping centers designed specifically to serve nearby residents. This model of localized commercial development would later influence shopping patterns throughout the city.

Architecturally, the Roosevelt Historic District became home to some of Phoenix’s finest examples of early 20th-century residential design. While California bungalows defined much of the neighborhood, Roosevelt also featured beautifully detailed Craftsman homes and a wide range of Period Revival styles, including Mission Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Italian Villa Revival, French Provincial Revival, and English Cottage Revival. Many remain among the city’s most distinguished examples of their architectural styles.

The neighborhood also included notable collections of Neoclassical Revival cottages and Prairie School buildings, along with landmark civic structures such as Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Kenilworth School, and the iconic Hotel Westward Ho. Roosevelt was further enhanced by two celebrated examples of the City Beautiful Movement — Moreland Parkway and Portland Parkway — lush, tree-lined corridors framed by apartments and historic homes.

Beyond its architectural importance, Roosevelt was also home to many of Phoenix’s civic and business leaders during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including governors, mayors, judges, doctors, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. Future Arizona political figures Barry Goldwater and Paul Fannin both attended Kenilworth School.

By the mid-20th century, however, the automobile had begun reshaping Phoenix. Streetcars were replaced by buses in 1948 after the trolley warehouse was destroyed by fire, while inexpensive gasoline and rapidly growing car ownership pushed development farther north along Central Avenue. As suburban growth accelerated, downtown gradually lost prominence, and many of the grand homes that once lined Central gave way to commercial redevelopment. A few historic residences still survive today, including those incorporated into landmarks such as The Old Spaghetti Factory and the Ellis-Shackelford House — reminders of Roosevelt’s influential place in Phoenix history.

1960–1983

Beginning in the 1960s, the Roosevelt Historic District and surrounding downtown neighborhoods entered a prolonged period of decline following the release of the Wilbur Smith & Associates freeway plan. The proposal called for a massive elevated freeway cutting directly through parts of the neighborhood, creating uncertainty for residents and property owners alike. As concerns grew over potential demolition, banks became hesitant to finance homes in the area, accelerating middle-class migration away from downtown and contributing to Phoenix’s outward suburban expansion.

The neighborhood’s challenges deepened through the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s as many of the area’s large historic homes were subdivided or repurposed for institutional and social service uses. While the defeat of the proposed Papago Freeway inner loop in 1973 spared portions of the neighborhood from destruction, downtown Phoenix continued to struggle with disinvestment, declining residential density, and limited economic activity.

As development spread farther into suburban areas, downtown increasingly became viewed primarily as a center for government offices and court functions rather than a destination for everyday city life. By the early 1980s, few residents had regular reasons to visit the urban core, and many historic neighborhoods faced an uncertain future.

1983 – Present Day

With the completion of the freeway system, more than 3,000 homes across central Phoenix — many of them historic — were demolished. Entire streets, including Latham and Moreland, disappeared along with countless irreplaceable bungalows and early neighborhood fabric. The survival of the Roosevelt Historic District was due in large part to preservation advocates, urban pioneers, and civic leadership, including efforts championed during the administration of Terry Goddard. Institutions such as Trinity Episcopal Cathedral also played an important role by maintaining a continued presence and stewardship within the neighborhood.

In November 1983, Roosevelt’s historic significance was formally recognized through its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Arizona further strengthened preservation efforts in 1986 with the establishment of Historic Preservation Overlay Zoning protections for the neighborhood.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, artists and creatives began transforming vacant buildings and overlooked spaces into studios and galleries, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Roosevelt Row. In 1994, the first First-Friday art walk was launched, helping spark a broader wave of downtown revitalization and renewed interest in Phoenix’s historic neighborhoods.

The arrival of the Valley Metro Rail in 2008 reconnected downtown Phoenix to its historic “streetcar suburb” roots. Running through the heart of downtown along Central Avenue and 1st Avenue, the light rail linked Phoenix with Tempe and Mesa, helping drive new investment, residential growth, and walkability throughout the urban core.

Today, downtown Phoenix continues to experience a remarkable resurgence. Roosevelt remains one of the city’s most distinctive and desirable urban neighborhoods, valued for its historic architecture, strong sense of community, local businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, galleries, and proximity to some of downtown’s most important public spaces. As the city continues to grow, Roosevelt’s blend of history, culture, and neighborhood identity remains central to its enduring appeal.