Encanto Park, 2700 North 15th Avenue, Phoenix

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS AZ-28. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

North Avenue, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona Bounded approximately by Avenue on the west, Thomas Road on the north, 8th Avenue and Avenue on the east, and Holly Street on the south. Much of Encanto Park is within Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District. (Encanto Park Clubhouse - Main Office, Google Earth,

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS AZ-28. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Part of the Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District, Encanto Park, constructed between and is characterized by meandering lagoons, a picturesque distribution of deciduous and palm trees, and a scattering of buildings designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival and Moderne styles. The overall romantic conception and building styles of the park provide a harmonious continuity with the adjoining subdivisions to the south. 1 Mr. William G. Hartranft, the president of the first Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board in the City, conceived the park in He was inspired by the Golden Gate and Balboa Parks in California to create an oasis of palms, lagoons and canals, surrounded by a golf course.

The park would provide respite from the harsher aspects of desert life and an escape from the hustle and bustle in the newly established urban area of Phoenix. Encanto Park represents Hartranft s vision of creating a Pleasure Park incorporating both quiet and active recreation. The original park construction included two golf courses designed by William P. Bell, notable golf course designer and developer and founding member American Society of Golf Course Architects .2 The park also has several buildings designed by the noted local architecture firm of Lescher and Mahoney.3 Description: Spanning 222 acres in the center of the City of Phoenix and enjoyed by an estimated people per year.

No oasis is complete without water, originally and currently represented by two miles of meandering lagoons and canals, punctuated by a three-foot-high waterfall in Encanto Lagoon, and several 1 Minor, Section 7. 2 Born died Fifty golf courses to his credit in California, plus Arizona Biltmore Golf Course and Mesa Country Club. 3 under this name. ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 2 other smaller waterfalls, all with pumped, recirculating water and a maximum depth of ten feet. The canals create islands accessed by small bridges4 and are paralleled by meandering walkways meant for strolling. The two islands contain specific uses Enchanted Island, originally Picnic Island, and Amphitheater Island, originally the site of the Bandshell (since demolished) and its informal, terraced, lawn seating.

Amp Island5 has a separate waterfall and two picnic areas with ramada shade structures, picnic tables and grills. The entire Island can be reserved and can accommodate up to 300 people, often for weddings. There are approximately sixty picnic tables throughout the park. The original painted brick Clubhouse, with a tile roof, was described by the architect (Lescher and Mahoney) as Monterey Style . It includes a ballroom with original wooden floors, glass doors, a full kitchen and outdoor patio. It can be reserved for large banquets and gatherings. The Boathouse, also painted brick and tile roof, is attached to the Clubhouse by a pergola, and is still used as the concession building to rent paddleboats and canoes.

Also joined to the Clubhouse by pergola and by the same architect, is the Pro Shop (originally called the Locker House), now used for offices. The original Pitch and Putt, built in by Lakin & Peter Investments,6 has been expanded to a full eighteen holes, straddling Avenue, and a short nine on the west side, just north of Encanto Boulevard. The public municipal golf courses are managed by the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation personnel, although the maintenance of the course is currently contracted out.7 Two groups, the Encanto Women s Golf Association (1944-current) and the Desert Mashie Golf Club and their Junior Golf program, call the Encanto home.8 The courses are described as walkable9 and urban,10 with the front nine harder than the back.

The most difficult hole might be the ninth, the hardest par four in all of Phoenix. 11 The driving range is always populated, due to the courses adjacency to downtown. The short nine is popular with the robust youth outreach program as a good teaching course and hosts about 4 Currently there are nine bridges in the park. 5 Amp Island is a modern name for the island not used historically. 6 Lloyd C. Lakin and George T. Peter, original developers of the Encanto Subdivision. 7 Dale Larsen, interview with author, 8 Desert Mashie, 9 Forty percent of all patrons prefer to walk rather than ride a golf cart. 10 The Central Avenue skyline is visible looking towards the east. 11 Dale Larsen, interview with author, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO.

AZ-28 PAGE 3 rounds per year.12 The golf courses and east side turf open play areas (nearly seventy acres) were originally watered by the flood irrigation technique, using water provided by Salt River Project,13 but are now automatically irrigated. The Sports Complex landscape is also watered by an automatic irrigation system using potable water and sprinklers for the turf areas and drip for all the other vegetation.14 The Sports Complex, south of Encanto Boulevard, includes a swimming pool and bathhouse, tennis and basketball courts, open play areas and an extensive playground. Hundreds of Palms Washingtonia robusta and W. filifera, Phoenix canariensis and P.

dactylifera - were originally planted at the golf courses and around the lagoons, where about 800 remain today15and give Encanto Park its iconic skyline. At one time, there were more than 120 species of trees in the Park.16 The golf courses were also graced with Cottonwoods, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Aleppo pines, and salt cedars, which thrived when the park was flood irrigated, but did poorly when the park adopted spray irrigation. In during a fierce monsoon storm, about 120 old-growth shade trees were downed. The City has recently planted new shade trees17 and plans to continue to replace any lost tree with a new one. Planted species include several types of acacias, eucalyptus, hackberry, desert willow, oak, pistachio, jacaranda, Bradford pear, tipu, and sissoo.

There was motorized boating in the in the lagoon and canals, where canoes and paddleboats were also available for rent from the Boathouse. The replica miniature Delta Queen made an appearance in the By the early motorboats were no longer allowed, but pedalboats and canoes are currently available. Fishing in the lagoon has been allowed since the Park s inception, and the lagoon is currently stocked by Arizona Game and Fish with trout from November to March, catfish from September to November and March to June, and bass or sunfish in springtime. Although many of the Parks sponsored events were unfunded around Easter celebration has remained a significant multi-generational cultural event. Octoberfish and evening musical events are other popular events.

The Park is popular with birders, particularly views of water birds, and is one of the practice grounds for the Society of 12 Michael Swartz, Golf Pro, interview with author, July 8, 13 The separation berms are visible in some areas, as are the port valves. 14 Since 15 Michael Swartz, Golf Pro, interview with author, July 8, 16 Ebersole, 17 The City planted sixty-six shade trees in and eighty-eight in 18 Hartz, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 4 Creative Anachronisms Kingdom of Atenveldt.19 In the mid-1950s, Side B, south of Encanto Boulevard, was developed with a snack bar, public swimming pool and pool building/sports office, eight tennis courts, and a softball field, to better supply recreation to the public.

The archery range was demolished in Currently there are also three full basketball, three pickleball, eight four-wall handball, four volleyball and two sand volleyball courts in Side B, which since the renovations is called the Sports Complex. The major vehicular entrances are off Encanto Boulevard, between 7th and Avenues, and off Avenue, south of Thomas Road, leading to parking lots at the southwest corner and the west side of the Park. Parking lots were added along with concrete walkways in the renovation. A pedestrian entrance at the corner of 8th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard was added with money raised by Friends of Encanto Park in for the park s anniversary.

Elaborate entry monuments were designed by the historic architecture firm of Swan Architects and installed in part of the 3PI (Phoenix Parks and Preserves Initiative) bond.20 Two types of light standards are in the park. The first type has a steel pole with all new luminaires. The second type are the original Marbelite poles, some with their original iron lantern with flaring spiked top. These poles were also used throughout the Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhood, and a reference and drawing can be found in the original Encanto brochure.21 In one hundred acres of the park, including the eighteen-hole golf course and the lagoons were listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District by the Encanto Citizens Association.

Indeed, the boundaries of the park are edged with Phoenix Residential District Historic Properties: North Encanto, Encanto Manor, Encanto Vista, Margarita Place, Del Norte Place, Fairview Place and Encanto-Palmcroft. Enchanted Island is surrounded with mature palms reaching heights of twenty to thirty-five feet. The attractions include a one-third scale train, a carousel, amusement rides, a pirate cove with an amphitheater, a rock climbing wall, concession stands, restroom services, and gathering areas for large and small groups. Enchanted Island is accessed from the east and south parking lots.

After crossing under the arched entry sign and over the canal bridge you come upon a 19 Ebersole, 20 The 3PI, sometimes labeled PPPI, sets aside one cent of sales tax for every $10 of purchases to improve and renovate existing parks, and to expand and improve the city s desert preserve system. 21 Asch Investment Co., ca. ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 5 horse statue created by artist Snell Johnson on April 12, The entry circle is well-landscaped with a combination of mature olive trees and date palms providing filtered shade. The entrance crosses the train track. Immediately to the left is a scaled-down clock tower with the entry booth underneath. Behind the clock tower is Encanto Station, where patrons board the train. The train is a one- third size replica of the Huntington Train.

It was installed for the grand re- opening of the amusement park in Its course takes seven minutes and is about a third of a mile. Straight ahead at the entry is a view of the carousel with its canopy housing shell. All the major pathways are paved and wide enough to accommodate heavy crowds. The path splits in two directions at the carousel, the left path leading to the Pirate s Cove gathering area/amphitheater and restrooms, the other leading to movable vendor stands on wheels, and then the main concession stand on the right. Pirate s Cove is currently under renovation, beyond which you can see multiple amusement rides for young children. To the left are a whirly plane ride, a car ride, and a mini-roller-coaster with a dragon theme.

A bumper boat and splash zone pool with a large group party spot is in close proximity. To the right are the parachute ride, castle water cannons, and the helicopter whirly ride. The newest attraction on Enchanted Island is a giant climbing wall in the very back of the complex, which was installed May 5, donated by the National Football League Fan Experience. It was created to resemble the Grand Canyon, and four climbers can climb at once with varying levels of difficulty. The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department currently occupies the Norton House on the west side of the Park with an entry off of Avenue. A part of the original purchase of the land for the park, the District offices have been housed there for decades.

The Valley Garden Center, located on the east side of Avenue between Coronado and Holly Streets, is the home for a self-funded and non-profit (3) organization that was incorporated in The building and grounds support garden clubs and plant societies meetings, weddings, and other events. The south parcel, near McDowell Avenue, is maintained by the Tree Council.

History: Pleasure Parks, or English Garden Parks, evolved from mostly European land uses such as Pleasure Gardens (examples Vauxhall, Marleybone, Cremorne) and were further developed as a fixed place for public amusement with the advent of the idea that children should have a separate place to play and adults to recreate in mostly pastoral settings on the edge of a city.23 22 As stated on a memorial plaque in the center of a formal entry circle. 23 Cranz, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 6 Parks developed in America included this kind of approach but evolved into smaller, more democratic parks, designed to give working class immigrant children places to play off the street, and to improve the health of their parents.

Beginning in the the community s justification for parks as a social necessity was revised by New York City s Robert Moses whose operating assumption was that parks and recreation was a city service, and that the city was to provide active recreational activities such as sports fields and courts to its citizens.24 Encanto Park includes both of these ideas places for unstructured recreation such as the boats in the lagoon, picnicking and fishing, and places for structured recreation such as Enchanted Island, the golf courses, and the Sports Complex in Side B. When Hartranft moved to Phoenix in flush with money from selling his successful cement manufacturing business, he established his home at North Central Avenue in an area known as Millionaire s Row.

This location brought him and his family into contact with other philanthropists such as Dwight B. Heard of the Heard Museum at North Central, diagonally across the street, who also advised him to consider investing in residential real estate, as well as ostriches and trailers for cars.25 Shortly after Hartranft arrived, Phoenix became the capitol of Arizona Territory, and remained the capitol when Arizona became a state in At statehood, Phoenix had a population of citizens on acres of land. Between Phoenix philanthropists funded St.

Luke s Home for Tuberculosis, land for a Carnegie Library with a parklike area, Verde Park 916 E Van Buren Central Park 2nd Street and Tonto Street) and the very popular Eastlake Park Street & Jefferson), which had a lake for boating, a baseball stadium, a swimming pool and picnic areas. Heeding Heard s advice, Hartranft bought 80 acres north of the original City of Phoenix townsite and began developing the Kenilworth Addition in and then teamed up with his friend and neighbor Heard in to purchase land from James W. Dorris, who owned a half-section of land north of McDowell between 7th and Avenues. This became Palmcroft 1 and At about the same time, Lloyd C. Lakin and George T.

Peter were developing the Encanto subdivision, located at Avenues, north of Palm Lane to Encanto Boulevard, as Dr. James Collier Norton was developing the Del Norte Place27 subdivision.28 24 Cranz, 25 Society News, Arizona Republican, 26 McDowell north, Avenues, begun open for building 27 Avenues, Virginia Avenue-Encanto Boulevard, generally built 28 City of Phoenix, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 7 Each developer interpreted principles of the City Beautiful/Garden City Movement - or more realistically, the Garden Suburb - in laying out their residence park. These principles were modifications of Ebenezer Howard s fully realized comprehensive approach to suburban planning which includes a unification of architecture, community planning and landscape design.

29 These movements called for innovative street plans, street landscaping, ornamental light fixtures and parks integrated into the housing areas. The small triangular parks located at 9th Avenue/Monte Vista Road demonstrate this type of open space, and the custom-designed Marbelite streetlights, palm-lined streets and Encanto Park itself indicate the movement s influence on the developers of the area. To address the publics desire for more parks to serve Phoenix fast-growing population,30the citizens approved a bond election. The Phoenix City Charter was amended to create a Parks, Playgrounds and Recreation Board, which would be appointed by the City Council.

A portion of the bond program31 was for establishing new parks and taking over maintenance of existing parks from the Streets Department.32 William G. Hartranft was the original head of the Board, a position he held until his death in Because of the role he played in initiating and establishing some of Phoenix greatest parks, he is known as the Father of the Phoenix Parks System. 33 Hartranft desired to create a Pleasure Park, such as Golden Gate Park (begun in in San Francisco, where his son had moved in or like Balboa Park (begun in in San Diego. Originally thinking that South Mountain Park would be perfect, he and his fellow board members soon realized that the topography there would not be suitable, and they searched for some less challenging areas nearer to Phoenix.

And what better area than where he and his friends were developing a series of Garden Suburbs? By November the Board purchased the first 200 acres from the Dorris estate and Norton families and Lloyd C. Lakin & George T. Peter Investments, with a grant from the federal Public Works Administration. The Norton34 House, built in was included in the purchase. This acreage was located between and Avenues, north of Encanto Boulevard to Edgemont, and was not yet within the city limits. Designated as a Class A municipal park space, it was to include a golf course and lagoon system, a Clubhouse and support buildings.

A linear parking loop was built parallel to Avenue, to the south of the main entry drive that led to a roundabout serving the 29 Howard, 30 The population was people in 31 The bond included a ERA/Public Works Association loan. 32 Janus, 33 City, Janus, 34 Dr. James Collier Norton was the Territory s veterinarian from ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 8 Clubhouse. Municipal buildings were located on Encanto Boulevard and Avenue in the southwest quadrant of the park. An additional twenty acres was purchased from the Lakin & Peter Investments, which was intended for district recreational use ( Class B This area (Section B) was south of Encanto Boulevard, between Avenue and Avenue, with some portions extending all the way to McDowell Boulevard.

The five-acre pitch and putt miniature golf course, a tennis court, archery, croquet and horseshoe- pitching courts, quoit grounds, and kiddie s playground portion built by Lakin & Peter for the private use of their subdivision36 were enfolded into the larger park and then the entire Park was named after the southern-adjacent subdivision: Encanto, the Park Enchanting.

Preliminary site plans were completed in March by architect Fitzhugh,37 but proved too costly and were later modified by Lescher and Mahoney, a noted local architectural firm, so the Clubhouse, Boathouse, Golf Locker House and a Bandshell could be included.38 The WPA supervised the planning and construction of the park, which proceeded over three years and was completed in by the William Peper Construction Company, winning with a low bid of As stated on the website, The overall design of the park is probably attributable to William G. Hartranft, the first Parks & Recreation Board President, but the WPA very likely had a hand in it as well.

The National Register of Historic Places form declares that the layout of the Park represents the most coherent expression in Phoenix, and possibly Arizona, of the concept of the naturalistic romantic park. 40 Perhaps inspired by the inaugural US PGA tour and the Phoenix Open Hartranft sought out William Bell (and perhaps his son Billy Bell), a California golf course designer already known for the Adobe Golf Course at the Arizona Biltmore to design and oversee the construction of two golf courses at Encanto, the first municipal courses in Arizona.41 The eighteen-hole golf course, opened to the public on November 26, with the first nine holes a par 36, and the second, west of Avenue, labeled a par 39. Mr.

Hartranft handed over the keys to the first Golf Pro, Frank Madison.42 The Encanto 9 golf course was located on the east side of Avenue, 35 Janus, 36 Lane-Smith Investment Co., ca 37 The plans were presented to the public in the Arizona Republic, March 10, 38 Janus, 39 New Municipal Golf Course, 40 Minor, 41 William Bell, Golf Couse Designer. Wikipedia, 42 New Municipal Golf Course, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 9 surrounding the Lagoon on three sides, while the Encanto 18 comprised most of the east and west side of the park, extending from Thomas Road on the north to Encanto Boulevard on the south, and to Avenue on the west.

The west side course may have been designed by Billy Bell, William Bell s son.43 The original Locker House was located off the looping drive that also accesses the Club House on the east side of Avenue. A second Golf Clubhouse was built near Encanto Boulevard and Avenue to serve the Encanto Emulating the success and popularity of the man-made lake at Eastlake Park, the nine-acre lagoon was designed for boating and fishing, surrounded by the golf course and picnic turf areas and sited so the Club House overlooked it. In the primary Lagoon and two original islands, Picnic Island and Amphitheater Island, were graded.45 The islands were built up with the earth available from the digging of the lagoon. Bermuda grass was seeded in the summer of and plant materials installed in November.

All of the palms and most of the citrus trees used at the park were provided by Riverside Nursery in Phoenix and the Norman Nursery, a California company.46 Tennis, archery, horseshoe and shuffleboard courts, basketball courts and bowling greens were nearing completion in the southern portion of the Park, under the supervision of Hartranft and Les Mahoney.47 All the courts were lighted.

George Hillis took over as architect during construction; he remained the Parks architect until he retired in The eighteen-hole golf course opened to public use on Thanksgiving Day, Soon after, the buildings were begun and completed in April by local contractor William Peper Construction Company.48 Water was provided by the Salt River Valley Water User s Association in an underground-piped gravity irrigation system that is still in use today, known as flood irrigation. 49 By all accounts the Park was a huge success. Hartranft continued to lead the Parks Board, although he summered in Glendale, California, and died there in August, His legacy was acknowledged by a plaque dedicated in at Encanto Park by various civic groups50. It reads This plaque is a tribute to William G.

Hartranft, through whose vision, talent, 43 Billy Bell also designed the Maryvale Golf Course in Phoenix. 44 The original clubhouse was torn down in the to make way for the current building. 45 Janus, 46 Janus, 47 Of Lescher and Mahoney. 48 Janus, 49 Asch Investment Co., ca. 50 Chamber of Commerce, Dons Club, Exchange Club, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, Club, Scottish Rite Club. ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 10 energy, devotion and guiding force the park system of Phoenix has been created. The next wave of park improvements bond) resulted in the construction of Kiddieland on what was originally Picnic Island.

As its name implies, the purpose of the island was changed from a passive family-oriented picnic area to an intensive and commercial feature serving young children and their attendant parents. The lagoons and single bridge ensured that no fences were necessary.

Kiddieland was dentist Frank Nelson s idea, and he and his family ran the concessions until the Although ownership changed hands, the rides remained relatively unchanged until Kiddieland elements included the 20 wooden horse Herschell Carousel moved from California in a Molina roller coaster, the miniature train, andeleven rides with names like the Little Dipper, Sky Fighter, plus a small Ferris wheel.51 The Valley Garden Center Board, representing twenty-eight Garden Clubs and members at the time, signed a ninety-nine-year lease in with the Parks and Recreation Board for three acres located within the boundaries of Encanto Park for the sum of per year as acknowledgement of their outstanding war bonds sales efforts and community support.

The members, under President GG Williams, had the land rezoned and, after some delay due to lack of materials, were able to construct a ranch-type house with a library, meeting rooms and living quarters for a caretaker. Designed by Edward L. Varney and built by contractor Farmer & Godfrey for it was dedicated in February, Since finding a home within Encanto Park, an Arboreal Garden and a Test Rose Garden were developed.52 The grounds include a 125-year-old Mesquite tree that was already there when the Garden was incorporated.53 The advent of air conditioning brought unprecedented growth to Phoenix (population in along with sales tax money and desires to upgrade existing parks and establish new parks.

Encanto South, Side B, was again updated in the mid-fifties, with the addition of a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a softball field. In two lagoon bridges were added, providing better access to Enchanted Island, and more tennis courts. And in Helen B. Rogers bequeathed for a sculpture she called World Progress through Scientific Research in the Laboratory. Phoenician Charles Badger Martin completed the mixed-metals sculpture, which can be seen today from Avenue, near the Park entrance.

In land purchases, maintenance and vision for the future of the City s parks was reassigned by City Charter to the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, relegating the Board to an advisory role, although the Board is still 51 Towne, 52 Valley Garden Center History Scrapbooks, 53 website, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 11 active today.54 The Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhood s anniversary in prompted George, president of the Encanto Citizens Association, to propose the nomination of the Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District for the National Register of Historic Places, which was granted on February 16, Included in this nomination were acres of Encanto Park, including only the property north of Encanto Boulevard and east of Avenue.

Originally operated as an enterprise fund account55 under the Golf Division, the City reassigned the Encanto Golf Courses to be a part of the Parks and Recreation Division s care and budget, overseen by a Head Pro under contract. From the Head Pro was Charles Chuck McCool56, followed by Mel Coggins (until his retirement in Ken Kier, then Jim Farkus. Mr. Michael Swartz is currently the Head Pro and an employee of the City of Phoenix.57 Notable players include Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson. Until Karsten58 was built, Encanto was one of the teaching courses, and the site of the seventy-two- hole Phoenix City Amateur Tournament.

In the Encanto Golf Courses had rounds of golf per year.59 In under Golf Pro Ken Kier, fairways were shifted, lagoons were added, and all eighteen tees were elevated and enlarged, and a new automatic irrigation system was installed. The courses marked their fiftieth anniversary in with a celebration and installation of a plaque at the first tee.

The most recent improvements include the opening of a new restaurant, restroom renovations, and improvements to the play of sandtraps and bunkers.60 Unfortunately, the bandshell burned down January 4, (Arizona Republic), coincidentally right before the money was coming in for park improvements from the one-billion-dollar bond fund.61 The first area of Encanto Park that benefited from the bond fund was on the south side game courts replaced the archery field, and parking and play equipment was added. Renovations on the park s north side began in and included revitalizing the lagoon and channel systems, building new restrooms, sidewalks, adding lights and more play equipment.

Kiddieland was closed and all the rides were sent for 54 City, 55 Funds used to account for operations that are financed and operated in a manner similar to business enterprise. 56 Inducted into the SW Section PGA Hall of Fame in 57 Robin McCool, interview with author, March 20, 58 Karsten Golf Course on the Arizona State University campus, built in now closed. 59 Robin McCool, interview with author, March 20, 60 Michael Swartz, Golf Pro, interview with author, July 8, 61 (City of Phoenix Public Information Office, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 12 auction, including the carousel.

The Encanto Carousel Fund was begun to save it by Athia Hardt and Toni Neary, which earned enough to buy and restore the Carousel, and store and install it when the island was re-opened on November 5, as Enchanted Island Amusement Park. In the Fund gifted the Carousel to the City.62 The north side, also known as Area A, saw a new boathouse, restroom, storage building, all designed by Orcutt Winslow, constructed in CellaBarr Associates designed a new automatic irrigation system for most of the turf areas.

In the maintenance building on the west golf course burned down when fertilizer stored there exploded.64 A new and larger facility, designed by Orcutt Winslow, was built in the The Encanto Citizens Association (ECA), formally chartered in pledged to undertake a Renaissance of the Gardens, including the Rose and Arboreal Gardens, as an official Arizona Centennial Legacy Project in As part of the State s celebration, a sundial in the Valley Garden Center Rose Garden was restored by Simon Wheaton-Smith, a former resident of the neighborhood, who also gifted a new sundial to the Arboreal Garden.65 The ECA and the City of Phoenix proposed and sponsored the expansion of the National Register listing to include Side B (Encanto to Holly, to Avenues), also known as the Sports Complex, the Norton House, and the western portion of the Park from to Avenues on the east and west, and Thomas Road on the north to Encanto Boulevard on the south, so now the entire Park is in the listing and on the City s Historic Property Register.

Another of their projects was to relocate Hartranft s memorial to its original position in front of the Clubhouse, designated the William G. Hartranft Entry Garden. It was rededicated to his memory in March A Historic Preservation Exterior Rehabilitation Grant66 of matched by the Parks & Recreation Department, was obtained in mid-June, to restore the double-hung and casement wood windows of the Norton House. The Friends of Encanto Park volunteer group was started in advocating for capital improvements. Some of their privately funded projects include the Encanto Entrada, a pedestrian portal at 8th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard 62 Towne, 63 Various City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation construction documents and final manuals.

64 Robin McCool, interview with author, March 20, 65 George, et al., 66 The Grant is funded by bond money and is administered by the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Committee, and is available for Registered residential properties. ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 13 designed by Landscape Architect Vollmer & Associates donation value), and The Garden of Dreams, created by Arizona State University s Lodestar Center donation). The Entrada was dedicated at the anniversary celebration for the park (November 27, and the Garden dedicated September 23, The Phoenix Parks and Preserve Initiative (P3I), originally passed in and renewed in is a sales tax approved by 80% of Phoenix voters.

Encanto s share as of was It has been used to renovate the lagoon water system, add LED lighting and chilled drinking fountains throughout the park, four new ramadas, fitness stations, new monument signs at three park entrances, and in Side B/Sports Complex, new ornamental fencing, shade structures, new playground equipment, and additional trees.68

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS AZ-28. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Chronicles of Encanto Women's Golf Association. 1944-current. City of Phoenix Public Information Office, Out of the Ashes, November City of Phoenix, Historic Neighborhoods , accessed https://www.phoenix.gov/. Cranz, Galen, Changing Roles of Urban Parks from Pleasure Garden to Open Space, Urbanist, June 1, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, "Encanto Park, accessed Del Norte Section Opening is Scheduled for Today, Arizona Republic, November 8, Sunday Morning. Desert Mashie, accessed July 8, http://www.desertmashie.org. Ebersole, Julie. Phoenix Parks and Recreation. July 11, Encanto the Enchanting. Phoenix : Asch Investment Company, ca. Friends of Encanto Park, accessed George, GG and Conrad, Leigh. Phoenix's Greater Encanto-Palmcroft Neighborhood.

Charleston : Arcadia Publishing, Hartz, Donna, George. The Phoenix Area's Parks and Preserves. San Francisco : 67 Friends of Encanto Park, 68 Friends of Encanto Park, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 14 Arcadia Publishing, Howard, Ebenezer. Garden Cities of To-Morrow. London: S. Sonnenschein & Co., Janus. Historical/Architectureal Survey of City-owned Properties. Phoenix : Lane-Smith Investment Co., ENCANTO, The Park Enchanting, Phoenix Gazette, ca Minor, Woodruff, "Encanto-Palmcroft Historic District," National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, New Municipal Golf Course Opens to Public Today, Arizona Republic, Phoenix, November 26, Morning.

City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation, Encanto Park, accessed Rogue Columnist, Phoenix 101-Encanto Park, accessed November encanto-park.html. Society News, Arizona Republican, November 4, Towne, Douglas, Treasured Island, Phoenix Magazine, accessed November Treasured Island, Phoenix Magazine, November, Cranz, Galen. Urban Parks of the Past and Future. Boston : Urban Parks Institute' Annual Conference, Valley Garden Center History Scrapbooks. Phoenix : Vol. 1. Valley Garden Center, accessed Wikipedia, William Bell, Golf Couse Designer, accessed

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS AZ-28. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Caryn Logan Heaps, ASLA, RLA Photographer: John Gonzalez November 11, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 15 West Entrance, looking East (John Gonzalez, Amphitheater Island Waterfall, looking Southeast (John Gonzalez, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 16 Lagoon Waterfall, looking East (John Gonzalez, Golf Course, looking Southwest (John Gonzalez, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 17 Palms and Lagoon North of Enchanted Island, looking Northeast (John Gonzalez, Sports Center, looking Southwest (John Gonzalez, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO. AZ-28 PAGE 18 Train and Carousel Pavilion, looking East (John Gonzalez, Norton House/City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation District Offices, looking West (John Gonzalez, ENCANTO PARK HALS NO.

AZ-28 PAGE 19 Valley Garden Center Patio and 125-year-old Mesquite, looking Northeast (John Gonzalez, William G. Hartranft Memorial Stone (John Gonzalez,