List of historic properties in Buckeye, Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids List of historic properties in Buckeye, Arizona
Historic Buckeye
Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona

This is a list, which includes a photographic gallery, of some of the remaining structures and monuments, of historic significance in Buckeye, a town in Maricopa County, Arizona. Buckeye was first inhabited by the ancient Native-American tribe known as the Hohokam. In 1929, The Town of Buckeye was incorporated. Some of the structures are listed in the National Register of Historic Properties.

Buckeye

The area in which Buckeye is located was a hot desert region inhabited by Native-Americans. The first settlers of European descent to arrive in the area came from the state of Ohio. The need of a canal system, which would provide them with water to irrigate their homesteads. was apparent. The Buckeye Canal was developed in 1884 by Malin M. Jackson a native of Sidney, Ohio. The canal's name was derived from the Ohio moniker "The Buckeye State". When Jackson founded the town in 1888, he named it "Sidney". The town's name was legally changed to Buckeye in 1910 and it was incorporated in 1929.

The Buckeye Main Street Coalition, founded in 1986, has the mission of enhancing and preserving downtown Buckeye. However, it must be noted that just because a property is listed in the NRHP it does not mean that the property is safe from being demolished by its owner. According to Jim McPherson, Arizona Preservation Foundation Board President:

Properties pictured

Historic Buckeye Downtown as seen from Monroe Ave.

The following is a brief description of the historic properties that are pictured:

• Liberty Cemetery - The cemetery was established in 1885 and is located on South 207 Ave. in Buckeye, Arizona. This is the final resting place of many of Buckeye’s pioneers. Among the graves in the cemetery are those of Thomas Newton (sometimes spelled "Newt") Clanton the founder of Buckeye and William "Bob" R. Beloat. Beloat was instrumental in organizing the Buckeye Irrigation Company, and he and his brother John assisted in turning the first water into the company ditch. There are also many graves without names and that of some pioneers who are not well known such as "Joe Chicken.
• Old Spain House (now Nardini Manor) - Joshua L. Spain and his family were among the first settlers of Buckeye. He was involved in "The development of the Buckeye canal and owned a large homestead. The house which he built, known as The Old Spain House", was built in 1886 and remodeled in 1912. It is located on 5601 S 195th Ave.
• The Palo Verde Baptist Church - The church was built in 1890 and is located on 29600 West Old Hwy. 80.
• The Benson/Raney House - The house, which is a state of total abandonment, was built in 1895 and is located on Hazen Road and 4th Street.
• Old Farm House - An old abandoned farm house built in 1900 on the Joshua L. Spain homestead.
• The Liberty Methodist Church and Memorial Hall - Both the church and memorial hall were built in 1903 and located located on South Liberty School Road, across the street from the historic Liberty School.
• The Palo Verde Cemetery - The cemetery was established in 1903 and is located on 29600 West Old Hwy. 80.
• The Joslin Building was built in 1909 by Wallace Joslin and is located on the southeast corner of Monroe Ave. and 4th Street. The building has served as a hotel, a pharmacy and a Pay Less Groceries and Meats Market. It is listed as historical by the Buckeye Valley Historical and Archaeological Society.
• Liberty School - The first schoolhouse in Buckeye was built in 1890, in the community of Liberty. It was built out of cottonwood on South Liberty School Road on the Southwest corner of Joshua L. Spain's homestead. A fire destroyed the building and new schoolhouse was built in its place in 1910. The building is currently being used, by the Liberty School District, as a classroom for music lessons. It is the oldest school building still in use in Arizona.
• The Ware Building - The Ware Building was built in 1910 and is located on 104 South 4th Street. The corner of the building was occupied by the Buckeye Valley Bank in 1911.
• The Old Courthouse and Jail - This building was built in 1912 and is located at 218 S. 4th Street. Over the years the Courthouse and Jail has been used as a Hospital, the grade school auxiliary building, the town library and town food bank. The building still has the original jail bars on its windows. The Buckeye Valley Food Bank was founded by Hugh M. Watson, Buckeye's first mayor. Listed as historical by the Buckeye Valley Historical and Archaeological Society.
• Buckeye Pharmacy - The structure was built c.1920 and is located on Monroe Ave.
• Gillespie Dam ruins - The dam was built in 1921. The dam was a concrete gravity dam located on the Gila River between the towns of Buckeye and Gila Benda. On the morning of January 9, 1993, the dam failed when a segment approximately 120 feet (37 m) in length collapsed into the Gila River.
• Buckeye Union High School A-Wing - The A-Wing was built in 1925 and is located at 902 E. Eason Ave. The school A- wing was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in December 30, 2009, reference #09001160.
• Gillespie Dam Bridge - The bridge was built in 1927 over the Gila River and is located on Old Highway 80 north of Gila Bend and south of Arlington between the Buckeye Hills and the Gila Bend Mountains in Maricopa County. The bridge was at the time the longest highway bridge in the state of Arizona. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 5, 1981, reference #81000136.
• Hassayampa Bridge - The bridge was built in 1929 and was modified and repaired in 1993. The bridge, which is described as a Concrete slab and girder, is located in the Old U.S. Highway Route 80 over the Hassayampa River between Salome Highway and 309 Ave. in the areas of Hassayampa and Arlington within the boundaries of the town of Buckeye. The bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in September 30, 1988, reference #88001658.
• West Valley Academy - The structure was built in 1930 and is located at 827 E. Monroe Ave. It originally was used as a church. Listed as historical by the Buckeye Valley Historical and Archaeological Society.
• The May Building - The building, which is also known as the "Urwiller Building", was built in 1931 and is located on 824 East Monroe Ave.
• Buckeye Women's Club - The Women's Club building was built in June 6, 1935 and is located at 845 East Monroe Ave. Listed as historical by the Buckeye Valley Historical and Archaeological Society.
• Ganley’s Funeral Home - The funeral home was built in 1939 and is located on 104 East Baseline Road. It was on the second floor of this building that the planners of a town, which was to be named "Valencia", had their office.
• The Milestone Café - The structure was built in 1944 and is located on 801 East Monroe Ave. in Buckeye, Arizona. The café catered mostly to the residents who served in World War II.
• Hobo Joe - Hobo Joe was a 25 foot tall Buckeye landmark created in 1965 and is located in front of Gillums Meat & Locker Co. at 1015 East Monroe Avenue. There is a dispute as to who was the sculptor. The identity of the sculptor is unknown and remains a mystery. The statue has been removed and its location unknown.

Some of the historic images on this list are pictured in different angles thereby giving a different architectural perspective of the property style and design.

Historic properties and structures in Buckeye

The following is a gallery with images of the Buckeye's historic buildings, churches, houses, bridges and landmarks, some of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

• "Buckeye (Then and Now)"; by Verlyne Meck; Publisher: Arcadia Publishing; ISBN-10: 0738579246; ISBN-13: 978-0738579245
• "Legendary Locals of Buckeye"; by: Verlyne Meck; Publisher: Arcadia Publishing; ISBN-10: 1467102008; ISBN-13: 978-1467102001
• "Buckeye (AZ) (Images of America); by: Verlyne Meck; Publisher: Arcadia Publishing; ISBN-10: 0738548898; ISBN-13: 978-0738548890

Images for kids

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  Historic Buckeye Downtown as seen from Monroe Ave.

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  The jail bars are still in place in the windows of the Old Courthouse and Jail.

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  1888 safe once used in the Southern Pacific Railroad Station in Buckeye.