Maryvale through the years

Pete, Dave and Rob Babcock, at their Maryvale home in the 1960s.

Billboard for Maryvale Shopping City, 1960s.

Maryvale Shopping City postcard, 1961.

Longtime Phoenix homebuilder John F. Long's legacy is the affordable, tract homes he built in the Maryvale area.

Maryvale homes, Phoenix, circa 1950s | John F. Long's visionary subdivision, named in honor of his wife Mary, transformed West Phoenix with affordable, suburban housing beginning in 1954. Long's three-bedroom, two-bath homes with swimming pools could be purchased for less than $10,000. The 56-square-mile neighborhood, which stretches from 35th Avenue to 87th Avenue and from Camelback Road to Interstate 10, has gone through numerous demographic changes over the decades, including an era when crime and gangs blighted its storied memory. Today, with hard work by community leaders, in association with the Phoenix Police Department and Arizona State University's College of Human Services' Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, Maryvale's neighborhoods and schools are slowly rebounding economically, while the city and schools are working diligently to reduce crime and improve educational and employment opportunities in the historic 1950s suburb.

Ronald Reagan, future president of the United States and spokesman for General Electric, promoted Long’s ‘electric’ home model, circa 1950s. Buster Keaton, comedic actor, was another celebrity whose Maryvale promotional videos can be found on YouTube. They are quite entertaining.

Developer John F. Long built tract homes in the Maryvale area of the Valley. The Republic Arizona Republic Phoenix Air Views Maryvale Park Digital Migration bw print

1121111238eg PNI1104-met food deserts 11/22/2011 Amir Montiel (cq) 4, in front, and his brother Adiel Montiel (cq), 7, in background with her mom Karla Montiel (cq) come to the garden in the afternoons to tend the plants, and, come harvest time, pluck some food for their meals at Golden Gate Community Center (cq). A non-profit group recently found that residents in the poorest areas of Phoenix have few options for stores when they are on the hunt for fresh fruits and vegetables. To address this problem that the feds call food deserts, the group has funded creation of an urban garden in the Golden Gate neighborhood, an area in the eastern nook of Maryvale. Nick Oza/ The Republic

Adiel Montiel, 7, helps tend the garden at Golden Gate Community Center in Phoenix. His family harvests vegetables there weekly to supplement their diet. Nick Oza/The Republic 1121111238eg PNI1104-met food deserts 11/22/2011 Adiel Montiel (cq), 7, come to the garden in the afternoons to tend the plants, and, come harvest time, pluck some food for their meals at Golden Gate Community Center (cq). A non-profit group recently found that residents in the poorest areas of Phoenix have few options for stores when they are on the hunt for fresh fruits and vegetables. To address this problem that the feds call food deserts, the group has funded creation of an urban garden in the Golden Gate neighborhood, an area in the eastern nook of Maryvale. Nick Oza/ The Republic

02/28/2009 - maryvale0301 - 157602 - Volunteer and police officer Fred Bibeau (CQ) of Maryvale (CQ) offers a helping hand cleaning up graffiti Saturday near McDowell Road (CQ) and 47th Ave. The non-profit Maryvale Revitalization Corporation (CQ) help in the efforts to change crime ridden areas by sponsoring more after school youth programs and promoting neighborhood cleanups. Photo by: Toni Snelling February 28th, 2009

02/28/2009 - maryvale0301 - 157602 - Maryvale Community Prosecutor Fred Bibeau (CQ) offers a helping hand cleaning up graffiti Saturday near McDowell Road (CQ) and 47th Ave. The non-profit Maryvale Revitalization Corporation (CQ) help in the efforts to change crime ridden areas by sponsoring more after school youth programs and promoting neighborhood cleanups. Photo by: Toni Snelling February 28th, 2009

photo by Michael Ging /Arizona Republic,(12/06/04) 116939 phxbond , This is the Maryvale Community Center at 4420 N. 51st ave . The complex which will have a library and other services is suppose to open in 2005. Here working 50 ft above the ground is L to R , Chris Gonzales (cq) of Glendale and Justin Chapman (cq) of Mesa. There are putting exterior panels on the building.

#123178---6/4/05---(l-r) Lea Pisio, 14, cools off in the water as Benito Mendoza (cq both names), 13, jumps in to join her, at the Maryvale Pool, in west Phoenix, on June 4, 2005. Photo by Mike Rynearson.

112199 housing project long - 03 AUGUST 2004 - John F. Long (CQ) in the Maryvale neighborhood he developed. AZR PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ / DIGITAL FILE NO NEGS

Maryvale Samaritan Hospital, Sept. 1978: The Only Highrise in West Phoenix: The new Maryvale Samaritan Hospital, built on land next to the existing facility, is the only "high rise" on the westside of Phoenix. Patients will be moved into the new 256-bed facility on Saturday (Sept. 30) following dedication ceremonies on Friday evening. The existing facility will be demolished and turned into a parking lot.

John and Carolyn Peace have been married for 45 years and Maryvale homeowners since 1972. Mary Wakeford/Special for The Republic John and Carolyn Peace, married 45 years, and Maryvale homeowners since 1972.

Maryvale Community Hospital 1968 acquired by Good Samaritan Hospital - Credit : Public Relations / Good Samaritan Hospital

Maryvale Community Hospital (Arizona Republic photo by Rod Moyer, Feb. 16, 1963) Patience and Community Spirit Rewarded: Broke "8 Per Cent" Hospital Starts Digging Out of Debt Run Date: 2/20/63 R

Kids frollick in the wading pool at the Maryvale public pool on June 23, 2000. The City is facing a funding problem for their COOLKIDS program that allows kids under the age of 17 to swim for free. Photo by Mike Rynearson.

Elton Gatewood (l), president of Neighborhoods USA, tours Maryvale Baseball Park during a west valley tour. Neighborhoods USA is holding its annual National Convention in Phoenix in May 2000. With Gatewood are community activists Kathy and Dwight Amery. PHOTO BY

Getting a jump on the Fourth, Ed and Marie Burgholzer of Cave Creek watch fireworks Thursday night, July 2, 1998, at Maryvale Stadium. The display was part of Maryvale's Light Up the Sky festivities. PHOTO BY RANDY REID

John F. Long in front of a display case that has the hammer and saw he first used in 1947 to start building houses. On the wall is a photo of Maryvale. Shot in Long's office building 5035 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 1996. (Photo by Michael Ging) (Neg. Env. # 9601100031)

Story looks at Maryvale as one of the first master-planned communities. What went right...What went wrong. How did John F. Long's creation shape how master-planned communities are done now. Portrait of John F. Long with some of the West Phoenix area on maps in background. 5035 W. Camelback, Wednesday, April 13, 1994 (Run Date: 5/1/94 : Considered a pioneer of planned communities, John F. Long remains proud of Maryvale. ''I don't spend a whole lot of time worrying about and thinking about what I could have done differently,'' Long, 74, says. One of John F. Long's home models in Maryvale won an award for its design from General Electric in 1958) (Neg. Env. # 9405050038)