Estrella Mountains from Laveen, January
2004.
Laveen is an historically rural community situated in Maricopa
County, Arizona, United States. It lies eight
miles southwest of downtown Phoenix.
Geography
Location of Laveen in Maricopa County, within boundaries of Phoenix planning area
Laveen consists mainly of agricultural land and residential housing. After several annexations from the mid-1990s to the
present, much of the community now lies within the city limits of Phoenix.
Demographics
Agriculture is a major industry in Laveen, where farmers raise cotton and corn. Laveen is also famous in Arizona for its dairies. A popular bumper sticker among the locals reads: "Come to
Laveen and smell our 'Dairy-Air'".
The 2000 population was 9,049. The area is bounded on the north by the Salt River, on the south by South Mountain Park and
the Gila River Indian Community and on the East by 27th Ave. Much of Laveen
is part of the city of Phoenix.
Climate
Snow on the
Estrella Mountains south of Laveen on
March
12,
2006.
High temperatures in the summer season can average over 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
On the hottest days temperatures over 115 degrees can be expected. January high temperatures are typically about 65 degrees.
Although Laveen is quite arid, there are 2 "rainy seasons", in spring and late summer. Sometimes-powerful monsoon
thunderstorms roar through the area in late summer.[1] Occasionally, a winter storm will leave snow on the
nearby Estrella Mountains, as happened between March
11 and 12, 2006[2] (see photo nearby).
History
The Laveen area was settled by farmers and dairymen in the 1870s. Despite its proximity to
Phoenix, Laveen was isolated by the continuously-running Salt River. Up until 1911, when the Salt
River Project built the Roosevelt Dam upstream, Central Avenue was the only
bridged crossing of the Salt. Because of its isolation, early Laveen became relatively self-sufficient, boasting a country store,
barber shop, repair garage, pool hall, and even a women's club building.[3]
After the dam was built, the family of the area's first postmaster, Walter E. Laveen, donated land for a school, which was
built in 1913. Later, in about 1918, the area was named for Walter
Laveen.
In the 1980s, the Arizona Department of
Transportation (ADOT) proposed building part of the Loop 202 freeway
through a portion of Laveen. ADOT later shelved these plans due to funding problems. However, plans for this freeway are back on
track and the freeway is planned to pass through most of Laveen at about 59th Avenue.[4]
In 2000, Trend Homes broke ground on a massive residential development in what, at the time, was
a rural Laveen. Since that time, Laveen has experienced explosive residential growth. That growth has been tempered, however, by
the determined participation of more-established residents in community activist groups. These groups have put pressure on
developers to include equestrian trails, open
spaces, and other bucolic elements in new developments.
Although some dairies and farms have sold out to developers, many remain. These contribute to the continued rural feel of the
area.
Education
Laveen Elementary School District, consisting of Laveen Elementary School, serves elementary
and middle school students.
High school students are zoned to Betty H. Fairfax High School of the
Phoenix Union High School District.
References
- ^ "Basics of the
Arizona Monsoon & Desert Meteorology". Arizona State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. http://geography.asu.edu/aztc/monsoon.html.
Accessed 21 April 2006.
- ^ Cronin, Mike. "Snow
draws hundreds to northeast Valley". Arizona Republic. 13 March 2006. See also http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/0313weather0313-CP.html.
- ^ History section of
http://www.laveen.org. Accessed 21 April 2006.
- ^ South Mountain
Corridor Study. http://www.southmountainfreeway.com/southmtn/index.htm. Accessed 21 April 2006.
External links
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