Billy Moore's Homestead
southwest of Dysart Rd. & Riley Dr.
(Coldwater crossing at Aqua Fria River)
Courtesy T.J.'s Restraurant

Welcome to the City of Avondale

BILLY MOORE

When Billy Moore left his footprints along the banks of the Agua Fria River he had no idea what a lasting impression they would make.

William Graham Moore was born in Cheraw, South Carolina in 1842, the son of the owner of an iron foundry. It was probably there that he learned the art of blacksmithing.

After running away from home at the age of 16 Billy joined up with the infamous Quantrell’s Raiders. Most historians agree that he joined, or was drafted into the gang because of his skill as a blacksmith.

When Quantrell died Moore headed for the Territory of Arizona. Using the names Jack Graham and William Graham, Billy didn’t revert to using of his own name until after Missouri’s governor issued pardons to lesser members of the gang.

In 1867 records show Moore in Chloride, Arizona. From there he drifted south to Rock Springs where he operated a bar in the early ’70. A canyon along I-10 still bears his name. Later, he became a Justice of the Peace at Agua Fria. Moore was always ready to move on, looking for a place to call home.

In 1880 Billy found his illusive Lorelei. He homesteaded 280 acres along the banks of the Agua Fria River and built himself a ranch that grew into a stage stop, general store, post office, blacksmith shop and saloon. Soon others began to settle in the area, adopting the ranch name of Coldwater for the community growing up around it. Soon Billy Moore became Uncle Billy to many of the residents.

Billy was postmaster of Coldwater from March 13, 1901 until July 31, 1905. His tenure as postmaster ended when the postal inspector heard that there was more going on at the post office than the distribution of mail. “Home brew” was being made and dispensed. The post office was moved further west to the Avondale Ranch when, after being confronted by a postal inspector Billy told him, in his own direct manner, exactly what he could do with their post office.

Conflicting pictures have emerged of Billy Moore. He was a man who loved children. Not just because of the little girl he and his wife adopted. The child died after being kicked by a horse. Stories tell of him bouncing youngsters on his knee when they came into the store or slipping them a piece of candy. There are other stories that indicated he only asked “who’s there” once when someone knocked on his door in the night as one after hours hay buyer discovered. He knocked on the door but failed to respond to Billy’s question. Moore picked up his shotgun and blasted a hole through the door.

Avondale’s favorite uncle died in 1934 at the age of 92 but his name and his legend live on in the hearts of those who have followed in his footsteps.

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City of Avondale
11465 W Civic Center Dr,
Ste 280
Avondale, AZ 85323
Ph: (623) 333-1600
Avondale.org

Naval Air Station, Goodyear AZ
(Site of the now Goodyear Airport)
Source Unknown

Welcome to the City of Goodyear

Goodyear

Recently named an All American City, Goodyear was founded in 1942 within the Goodyear Farm’s cotton fields to provide housing for workers at the new Goodyear Aircraft Corporation and the Litchfield Naval Air facility.

In its early days there were two small communities – Casaba, which means melon in Spanish, had a railway station on the Chandler branch of the Arizona Eastern Railroad which ran through the Goodyear Farms property. Another community, the main town, was a mile and a half to the north. It was briefly called Egypt because of the long-stem Egyptian cotton grown there. The two eventually became Goodyear.

Goodyear thrived until the bottom dropped out of the cotton market but World War II brought a new prosperity to the community. In the early 1940s the Litchfield Naval Air Facility and Goodyear Aircraft Corporation opened at what is now the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport. They brought with them approximately 7,500 jobs.

Reductions were made at the facility in late 1945. From 1946 through 1968 the airport's primary purpose was to preserve and reactivate military aircraft as needed. At its peak over 5500 planes were parked on the surrounding 800 acres. During the Korean War many of those planes were sent back into service.

In 1946 the Chief of Naval Operations called for the creation of the elite Blue Angels Demonstration Team to showcase Naval aviation. The team used the Naval Air Facility as their winter training station, often doing demonstrations and holding open houses for the residents while they were there.

Goodyear incorporated in 1946. In 1949 Goodyear Aerospace Corporation replaced Goodyear Aircraft Corporation. The city’s association with aviation/aerospace has continued with Loral Defense System and later Lockheed Martin.

Today Goodyear is a fast growing city with the population of 55,954.

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Mules clearing farmland for Goodyear Farms 1916
Courtesy City of Litchfield Park

Welcome to the City of Litchfield Park

Litchfield Park

You could say that the picturesque city of Litchfield Park grew from a cotton seed.

The story started during World War I when the supply of long staple cotton needed to manufacture Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company's new cord tires was drying up. The war made acquiring cotton from the Nile Valley almost impossible. At the same time, a boll weevil infestation virtually destroyed the crop on the Sea Islands off Georgia’s coast. The company was desperate for a new source of the fiber. Experiments conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated that conditions in the Salt River Valley of Arizona could provide a viable option for growing the much-needed plant.

A young company executive named Paul W. Litchfield, for whom the city is named, was sent to Phoenix in 1916 with the objective of turning the desert into a huge cotton farm. Litchfield's project received a less than enthusiastic welcome from local farmers so he, acting in the company’s interest, established the Southwest Cotton Company to handle Goodyear's farming interests.

In the early days Goodyear owned three ranches. In addition to the Litchfield Ranch, they acquired the 8,000 Goodyear Ranch south of Chandler. The 10,000 plus acre Marinette Ranch (where much of Sun City now stands) was acquired in 1921. The Goodyear and Marinette Ranches were sold off in the '40s.

The Litchfield Ranch housed the general offices of the company. With Goodyear officials visiting the operation and housing in short supply, Organization House was built during the winter of 1918-19. It was so popular with visiting officials and sales representatives that it opened to the public on Thanksgiving Day of 1929, evolving into the prestigious Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa through the ensuing years.

Today Litchfield Park is a thriving city of 5,055 residents.

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Courtesy City of Tollson

Welcome to the City of Tolleson

Tolleson can trace its roots back to a stage stop store at 91st Avenue and Van Buren.

In 1908 Walter C. Tolleson moved his family West from their home in South Carolina for his eldest son’s health. Two years later the family purchased a 160-acre ranch. The acreage included the Ten Mile Store which was purported to be the first stage stop between Phoenix and Yuma. The store was closed at the time of the purchase but would become a center piece of the new town site envision by Tolleson.

Dividing the acreage up into lots, Tolleson chartered a train from the Arizona Eastern Railway on the Buckeye Short Line and enticed prospective buyers to come and see for themselves the potential of the area. A free lunch and the possibility of being a lucky winner of a five dollar gold piece were also added as incentives to make the trip into the desert.

Tolleson’s vision paid off. Eighty lots were auctioned off at $50 apiece that day and the new city was on its way.

A new store, which incorporated a post office, was built at Monroe Street and 91st Drive later that year.

To ensure the educational future of Tolleson’s youngest residents, Walter Tolleson contributed an extra five acres of land to the five purchased for an elementary school and high school.

Today Tolleson is a growing community of 6, 680 people and is home to numerous warehouses and distribution centers.

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