Twenty-five years ago, a small group of passionate neighbors gathered with a simple idea: to preserve the stories, artifacts, and spirit of our community before they faded into memory. They had no building, no budget, and no guarantee of success—only a shared belief that our history matters.
Learn about our history as we celebrate our
25th Anniversary
The idea of establishing a local historical society was the brainchild of Celeste Crouch. She and Ruth Cox realized the unique significance of Litchfield Park’s history and put the idea into action. The Litchfield Park Historical Society (LPHS) was founded in 2001. Celeste Crouch a driving force behind the Society throughout its early years and served as President on the first Board of Directors. Ruth Cox served on the first Board of Directors.
The Litchfield Park Historical Society (LPHS) initiated audio recorded oral histories as soon as it was established. Video recorded oral histories began the following year. This photo shows founding board member, Bob McMillan hosting many area residents, including Red Allen, Alma Clarino Celeste Crouch, among others. By 2010, over 125 oral history interviews were recorded.
In 2006, Gloria H. Cuádraz of Arizona State University collaborated with LPHS on the “Mexican Americans of Litchfield Park Oral History Project.” The project recorded dozens of interviews and produced the commemorative DVD Voices from the Camps of Litchfield Park. That year, Founders’ Day hosted a reunion celebrating Mexican American families who worked for Goodyear Farms and lived in Litchfield Park and the Camps.
Originally built of wood during the 1940s, Litchfield Park’s war memorial was taken down in the early 1960s due to its poor condition. Board members Bob McMillan, Tom Heim, and Jim Warkomski headed a funding drive to replace the memorial with more durable masonry and bronze plaques. Dedicated May 19, 2007 with great ceremony, the memorial serves as a lasting reminder of those who served their country during World War II.
Cottage five on the historic Litchfield/Denny Rancho La Loma property, known as "Aunt Mary's house," became much-needed LPHS office space in 2008. The organization now had an official place to store archives, conduct business and hold meetings.
Efforts to produce a series of short video documentaries began in 2008 with Popeye and the Balloon Girls. Produced by local videographer Chuck Emmert and photographer Michael Jordon, the video incorporated interviews of female Goodyear employees who constructed balloons for the 1957 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
As the LPHS collection of oral histories and artifacts grew, formal archival procedures were initiated after the Director of the Arizona State Archives trained several LPHS members were trained in archiving procedures.
On March 28, 2009, LPHS celebrated the historic Rancho La Loma Homestead with tours of the property on tractor-pulled hay wagons. The festivities included a photography exhibit and a documentary video, A Tour of La Loma Homestead, featuring Julia Denny Sweeney, granddaughter of Paul and Florence Litchfield. Over 800 people attended this event.
Dr. Gloria Cuádraz and Lisa Brainard-Watson directed this collaboration with Agua Fria High School students, who worked with professional videographers. The result was a wonderful recorded history of the Litchfield Park community churches, the Goodyear Farms Historic Cemetery, and the Easter Sunrise Services and Desert Devotionals which once took place on the Rancho La Loma Homestead.
LPHS opened the doors of its newly established museum on October 21, 2012 with five exhibits:
Early Families of Litchfield Park 1916-1959
Medicine in Litchfield Park
Southwest Cotton Co. and Goodyear Farms
A Company Town: Litchfield Park from 1916-1959
Early Mexican-American Life in Litchfield Park
Written by LPHS founder, Celeste Crouch, this book documents the influence of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company executive, Paul Weeks Litchfield, the establishment of the Southwest Cotton Company, Litchfield Ranch, and the community of Litchfield Park.
Celeste Crouch donated proceeds from the book to the restoration of the Litchfield family's winter home, Rancho La Loma.
This booklet offers a self-guided tour of notable sites in Litchfield Park, which illustrates its history and development from company town, through the New Town phase, into the incorporated city it is today. This walk through time shows the city’s tangible connection to its historic past and unique character. The booklet is available at the Heritage Center. Guided walking tours are available seasonally.
Cruz Pariga Dominguez and Belen Soto Moreno's book, Los Campos: The Camps of Litchfield Park, tells the story of the Mexican-Americans, (both immigrants and native born) who lived in the camps (los campos) of Goodyear Farms. Photos and narrative share their culture, faith, hard work, and celebrations.
This 270-page book is available for purchase at the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center.
History is all around us!
That’s the basis of the Litchfield Park Ride & Seek bicycle scavenger hunt. Participants followed maps and clues to find QR codes revealing fascinating information about military heroes, local culture, and the unique architectural features of Litchfield Park such as the original St. Thomas Aquinas mission church and the trio streetlights found around the historic commercial area.
The Litchfield Park Historical Society proudly hosted
its first annual Las Posadas of Litchfield Park: A Journey Together to the Mission, in 2021. Las Posadas has been held each year since. Partnering with Ballet Folklorico Esperanza for an evening candlelight procession based on the Mexican Christmas tradition. The procession ends at the historic St Thomas Aquinas Mission Church and closes with a fiesta which includes dance performances, food vendors, music, and activities on the lawn surrounding this mission style building with a 100-year-old history.
Girl Scout Cadettes Olivia Ransom and Laurel Warkomski created the Junior Historian booklet, which includes kid-friendly activities highlighting historical information found throughout the museum galleries. Upon completion, participants take the Junior Historian pledge and are awarded a certificate, making them official Junior Historians.
In 2003, the Three Rivers Historical Society was established to collect and preserve the history of Goodyear, Avondale, and Tolleson. This dedicated group provided the community with great speakers, an informative newsletter, and extensive historical research of the area. In 2019 Three Rivers Historical Society and the LPHS began to collaborate on projects, share information, and mount an exhibit of the History of Avondale and Goodyear. After dissolving due to the challenges associated with Covid and other issues, the Three Rivers Historical Society’s graciously donated its archives and collections to LPHS, and their members were welcomed into the LPHS.
The Society announced its new name, the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center (PWLHC), and expanded its role as a nonprofit cultural facility with a regional focus. A new logo highlighted the area’s prominent agricultural history.
The organization broadened its focus to showcase the development of four major Southwest Valley cities: Avondale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, and Tolleson. The Heritage Center set its vision to serve as the historical and cultural heart of the Southwest Valley, with a mission to connect generations by fostering understanding and appreciation of the region’s history, arts, and culture.
An important goal of P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center is to help the community relate to its history. Preserving sites associated with local history highlights the region’s cultural assets helps achieve that. PWLHC’s Historic Preservation Committee submitted applications to the National Register of Historic Places for Tal'-wi-wi Ranch, which was accepted in 2023. Submittal applications for the Goodyear Farms Historical Cemetery and the Rancho La Loma Homestead are currently being reviewed by the NRHP.
After years of planning, negotiations, and fundraising, a new facility for the PW Litchfield Heritage Center is about to become a reality. Construction has begun to renovate the historic Litchfield/Denny home into the Heritage Center. The Center will highlight the history, arts, and culture of the Southwest Valley through exhibits and robust programming.
Produced by Mary Dickson and Chuck Emmert, this video highlights Litchfield Park’s 1950s housing developments, which laid the foundation for the community we know today. The video links the establishment of the Goodyear Aircraft plant to the city’s first residential development and highlights the architectural details from that era.