 Laveen is an area that has been inhabited by cotton farmers and dairymen since the last 19th century. Before 1911, the community was isolated by the Salt River, and was quite self-sufficient with its own store, post office, barber shop, garage, pool hall, cotton gin and blacksmith shop. The first school was built in 1913. The town was named after the first postmaster, Walter E. Laveen, in 1918. Laveen’s rural character and history now accounts for its neighborly traditions and atmosphere.
This historically rural community is situated 8 miles southwest of downtown Phoenix. And, after several annexations from the mid-1990s to the present, almost the entire community now lies within the City of Phoenix. It is officially one of the city’s 15 urban villages. It is bounded by the Salt River Channel on the north, 27th Ave. on the east, the Gila River Indian Community on the west, and the South Mountain Preserve on the south. South Mountain Park Preserve contains over 16,000 acres of pristine desert, hiking, biking, horse trails, picnic areas and astounding natural beauty.
Today, Laveen is home to the Baseline Corridor, a center of booming growth in the Southwest Valley. The area between South Mountain and the Salt River has the highest concentration of new home construction of any continuous locale in the Phoenix metro area. Builders have invested a tremendous amount of money into land, streets, sewers, model homes and other community amenities in the last several years. This huge expenditure demonstrates their conviction concerning the vitality of the South Mountain area, and is now bringing significant retail development. The proposed Loop 202 freeway will link the Laveen area to nearby freeways, and bring additional economic vitality to the region. |