Luke AFB-Litchfield Park, AZ Real Estate

 

Luke AFB is a major training base of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC), training pilots in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The nearest community where US Air Force Airmen and their families find off-base housing is Litchfield Park.

Litchfield Park owes its existence to the invention of the pneumatic tire, the Salt River Valley’s parallel soil and climate to that of Egypt, long-staple cotton, and Paul Litchfield executive of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Litchfield Park’s founder was sent to Arizona in 1916, to cultivate interest from local farmers to raise cotton. He failed, so Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company started a subsidiary, the Southwest Cotton Company and made Paul Litchfield, its president. They purchased 5,000 acres and named it Litchfield Ranch and in 1917, they along with 2,000 employees began transforming the ranch into a cotton producing operation. The operation was a success and within a year a camp for the employees was built at the center of modern Litchfield Park.

Although it was started as a company farm camp, it was never a shanty town. Litchfield Park began with tree lined street of palms and ornamental oranges. The four star Wigwam Resort was originally built for visiting Goodyear executives, making the Litchfield Ranch of yesterday a veritable oasis in the desert. Today Wigwam is an exclusive getaway, it features Arizona’s only 54 hole destination golf resort, the world renown Red Door Spa, Tennis, Dive-in Movies in the Summer, concerts on the lawn, and Red’s Steakhouse a Four Diamond award winning restaurant and Litchfield Park of today is the perfect setting.

Old Town Litchfield Park has many beautiful midcentury executive homes, a plethora of locally owned shops and eateries, and of course the famous Palm & Orange Tree lined streets that are now more beautiful than ever. There are beautiful master planned communities with affordable homes, where many families of enlisted men from Luke Air Force Base reside, and upscale communities of semi-custom and custom homes where the more affluent live, all designed to embrace and enhance Litchfield Park’s resort style ambiance and lifestyle. Phoenix Magazine named Litchfield Park as one of the “10 Best Places to Live in Arizona” and a testament to that fact is the number of families who after retiring from active duty have returned to make it their permanent home.

Outdoor activities are a dominant part of life for the residents of Litchfield Park, and they have many resources locally to exercise that need. The Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium, the only public aquarium between San Diego and Albuquerque, home of the largest collection of exotic animals in Arizona is located there. It is a favorite for family outings, school field trips and draws more than 500,000 visitors each year. The Tierra Verde Lake Park, also located in Litchfield Park, is a great place to spend a sunny day, fishing for trout, picnicking by the lake, reading a book under a lovely shade tree or playing a game of Frisbee with your favorite four legged friend. If residents are looking for league activities they can always consult with the Parks and Recreation Department for more activities.

Arizona Avenues, the Official West Valley Visitor’s Guide, cites “Litchfield Park is quickly becoming known for its celebration of the arts. The City’s Christmas in the Park, the award-winning Fine Art and Culinary Festival, the Native American Festival, and the six award-winning Arts in the Park outdoor concerts, along with the annual Library Arts and Crafts Festival truly makes Litchfield Park a destination for art and music lovers. A walk around the City’s five-acre lake and the landscaped open spaces makes your trip to historic Litchfield Park a visit to remember.” It simply couldn’t have been said better than that, do yourself a favor, and check out Litchfield Park if you are considering a move to the west valley.