Introduction

Home Sweet Home

Communities give life and personality to the West Valley

By Carrie Snider and Taylor O’Connor West Valley: • Tolleson is immediately west of the

Welcome to the West Valley! Phoenix city limits and south of I-10. As you settle into your new It was incorporated in 1929 and is space here, you’re in good named for founder W.G. Tolleson. company. The West Valley is home to Its population is about 7,000 people. some of the fastest-growing cities in Tolleson’s top employers include JBS the country—and for good reason. Packerland, Americold, PepsiCo,

It’s filled with warm weather, fun Rousseau Farming Company, Fry’s activities and plenty of opportunities Food and Drug, and Hillshire Brands. for employment and retirement. • Avondale is west of Tolleson and

First, a bit of geography. The extends north and south of I-10. “Valley,” or Phoenix metro area, The area was originally known includes all of the cities from east to as Coldwater but was changed to downtown to west. When some people Avondale after the Avondale Ranch. refer to “West Phoenix,” they may be The city was incorporated in 1946 talking about areas still quite close to and has a population of about 84,000. downtown. A clear distinction about While there are still cotton and the West Valley, however, is its core alfalfa fields, much of the area is now cities from east to west: Tolleson, populated with homes and shopping. Avondale, Glendale, Peoria, Litchfield Most recently, the city welcomed Park, Goodyear and Buckeye. The Vitamin Shoppe headquarters,

While each of those seven cities is SanMar, Copper Springs Hospital, distinct in its own way, collectively Welbrook Rehabilitation, Legacy they are very close. Thankfully, there Senior Living and Copper State Rubber. are freeways to help you get around • Goodyear is west of Avondale and quickly, including I-10, the Loop 101 is named for the Goodyear Tire and and the Loop 303. Additionally, the Rubber Co., which owned many Loop 202 is under construction and cotton fields there to use in its tires. will open soon, offering another option It was incorporated in 1946 and has when you’re heading to the East Valley. about 80,000 people. Goodyear is

Here’s a bit more info to get you home to the Goodyear Ballpark, familiar with the different areas of the where the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds have Spring Training. Some of the main employers include Amazon Fulfillment Center and the Arizona State Prison-Perryville. Goodyear has recently landed a host of new jobs, with the location of Ball manufacturing, Chewy and UPS fulfillment centers, along with Microsoft data centers. • Litchfield Park, located north of Goodyear and Avondale, was founded by Goodyear Tire executive Paul W. Litchfield in 1926. He purchased thousands of acres of cotton for the tire company. The Wigwam was started as a retreat for executives visiting the area and evolved into the resort it is today. The city, which has about 5,500 residents, is home to several historic

churches, homes, schools and a train station. Plus, it resides right next to Luke Air Force Base. • Incorporated in 1929, Buckeye was named after the Buckeye State, the home state of the Buckeye canal’s founder. Because the city was located by the canal, the name stuck. It is home to about 68,000 people, though as one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities with hundreds of square acres of land, Buckeye and its population will likely grow quickly. Buckeye is known for its rural areas, historic downtown and its proximity to outdoor recreation such as Skyline Regional Park. • Glendale is 30 minutes from Phoenix, two hours south of Sedona and a five-hour drive from Los Angeles. Glendale is home to Luke Air Force Base, State Farm Stadium, Westgate Entertainment District and has its historic downtown area. The city was founded in the late 1800s with a current population of about 252,381. With more entertainment facilities and restaurants moving to the area, the population grows with it, too. • Peoria is named after former Union Army officer William J. Murphy, who worked as head of construction on the Arizona Canal. Upon the canal’s completion in 1885, Murphy returned to his home of Peoria, Illinois, to recruit families to move out West; and by 1897 the settlement was named after the Illinois town. Now, its population is 175,961 and offers a variety of activities to do with Spring Training facilities, 60 miles of hiking trails and the P83 Entertainment District. Life is a lot different than it used to be—social distancing protocols are put in place and a lot more hand sanitizer is being used—but these cities still have a lot to offer. Make yourself at home! While the area is growing more populated every day, the mixture of long-time residents and new transplants make for a melting pot of cultures and people who are Photo courtesy city of Peoria looking to enjoy life here.