South Phoenix, AZ Real Estate

 

 

 

South Phoenix also known as South Mountain Village, South Mountain District or SoMo is an area of metro Phoenix that offers stunning views of the west side of south mountain. It is an area of Phoenix that has gone through tremendous changes over the last decade.

Originally South Phoenix was an area inhabited by a few Mexican grain farmers. In 1871, Noah Matthew Broadway, Maricopa County Sheriff from 1884-1885, purchased 160 acres, he named the Broadway Ranch. In 1873 Michael Wormser, a business man from Prescott made a deal to supply the Mexican grain farmers, simultaneously they were required to purchase the land they had been farming for years. They eventually defaulted on their purchase arrangements and Michael Wormser gained their land which encompassed 9000 acres, which became part of South Phoenix and Tempe. In 1901, cattle magnate Dwight B. Heard, of the Arizona Republican purchased most of Wormser’s land for his Bartlett-Heard Ranch. By 1910, he capitalized on Phoenix’s growth and sold off a large portion of his land for residential subdivisions. Many homes were built on the one to two acre lots in the 1920’s.

In addition to the cattle ranches and the new subdivision, were citrus groves, ostrich farms and the formation of a diverse and colorful community. The Mexican grain farmers although not farming their own land, found work on the new farms and ranches that sprung up in their place and in 1928, Kajuio Kishiyama arrived and in the area and raised vegtables on land which he leased. He was the first of several Japanese to come to the area due to the fertile land and climate which was perfect for farming. In the 1970s, African Americans purchased homes and further contributed to the diversity and rich culture of South Phoenix.
Today, as a result of the diverse cultural heritage of South Phoenix residents, it is one of the best places to find a great independently owned and operated café offering dining choices not found at the numerous national chains that dominate other areas of the Phoenix metro area. It is also home to several historic sites such as Mystery Castle, Heard Scout Pueblo, the San Francisco Chapel, The Farm at South Mountain, South Mountain Park, and several historic buildings at the entrance of Scorpion Gulch Park.

South Phoenix is an area where one can find a large home perched against the western slope of South Mountain offering beautiful views of the Phoenix city lights or a new home in one of the new master planned communities for a very reasonable price. There are also many homes built in the early subdivisions with all the character and charm of the period still available for those who are seeking something a bit more unique. South Phoenix offers and easy access to downtown Phoenix as well as Interstate 10, making it a great location to get to any of the happenings in the greater Phoenix metro area.