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Re-Imagining Surprise: the Evolution of a Twenty-First Century Boomburb

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Re-Imagining Surprise: the Evolution of a Twenty-First Century Boomburb Re-imagining Surprise: The Evolution of a Twenty-First Century Boomburb, 1938-2010 by Carol S. Palmer A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved November 2012 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Jannelle Warren-Findley, Chair Philip VanderMeer Gayle Gullett Arizona State University December 2012 ABSTRACT At the turn of the twenty-first century, the population of Surprise Arizona exploded, increasing from 31,000 to 100,000 in just eight years. Developers filled acres of former cotton fields and citrus groves with walled neighborhoods of stucco and tile-roofed homes surrounded by palm trees and oleander bushes. Priced for middle-class families and retirees, this planned and standardized landscape stood in stark contrast to that of the town’s first decades when dirt roads served migrant farm labor families living in makeshift homes with outdoor privies. This study explores how a community with an identity based on farm labor and networks of kinship and friendship evolved into an icon of the twenty- first century housing boom. This analysis relies on evidence from multiple sources. A community history initiative, the Surprise History Project, produced photographs, documents, and oral histories. City records, newspaper accounts, county documents, and census reports offer further insight into the external and internal factors that shaped and reshaped the meaning of community in Surprise. A socially and politically constructed concept, community identity evolves in response to the intricate interplay of contingencies, external forces, and the actions and decisions of civic leaders and residents. In the case of Surprise, this complex mix of factors also set the foundation for its emergence as a twenty-first century boomburb. The rapid expansion of the Phoenix metropolitan area, the emergence of age-restricted communities, and federal programs reset the social, economic, and political algorithms of the community. Internally, changing demographics, racial and ethnic diversity, and an ever-expanding population produced differing and continuously evolving ideas about community identity, a i matter of intense importance to many. For seven decades, Surprise residents with competing ideas about place came into conflict. Concurrently, these individuals participated in official and vernacular events, activities, and celebrations. These gatherings, which evolved as the town grew and changed, also shaped community identity. While attending the Fourth of July festivities or debating city leaders’ decisions at town council meetings, Surprise residents defined and redefined their community. ii To my husband Craig, whose love and support made this possible iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sherry Simmons Aguilar’s determination to record and publish the history of Surprise made this dissertation possible. It precipitated a research effort that unearthed documents and photographs and preserved the memories of the town in oral histories. After she hired me to assist with the research and write the history, I became her accomplice in the effort to reclaim the story of the first years of the community. When I decided to use the material gathered during the Surprise History Project for my dissertation, Aguilar supported my work in multiple ways. She tracked down city documents, responded to countless emails, offered her perspective, and provided encouragement. The Surprise History Project and this dissertation would not have been possible without the participation of countless current and former residents of the community. Many sat through multiple oral history sessions. Some scoured photograph albums and attics to find artifacts of the town’s first years. Several helped locate other individuals who could add important information. My committee has provided incredible support. I am a better historian and writer due to their guidance. Dr. Warren-Findley has stood by me throughout my journey as a public historian. Always available to talk, commiserate, laugh, and to cheer me on, she has been a steady source of encouragement. Even as sabbatical plans took her to three continents, she continued to provide feedback on my submissions and wrote the letter of recommendation that helped me attain a dissertation completion fellowship. Dr. Philip VanderMeer helped me choose this topic. He also endured countless questions, pointed out important secondary sources, and challenged my arguments and conclusions. His critique made this a better case study. Dr. Gayle Gullet’s thoughtful comments helped me rethink my iv analysis and arguments. Her contributions made my introduction and conclusion clearer and stronger. She also identified important secondary sources. Many others provided invaluable assistance. Dr. Elyssa Ford read and commented on each chapter. Dr. Christine Marin introduced me to the important sources in the Hayden Library Chicano Resource Collection. Nancy Dallett and Dr. Noel Stowe recommended me to Sherry Simmons Aguilar and supported my work on the Surprise History Project in numerous ways. ASU’s nationally recognized Public History Program introduced me to the importance of practicing history in public venues and to the multitude of opportunities available to those willing to embark on this career path. Thanks to the program’s faculty and staff, I have the experiences and connections needed to succeed in the field. As I struggled through this process, my friends and family provided incredible encouragement. They listened and provided advice. Their confidence in my ability inspired me to keep kept me moving forward. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………….ix LIST OF FIGURES...……………………………………………………………………x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………1 The Literature…………………………………………………………..6 Methodology…………………………………………………………..17 Chapters……………………………………………………………….21 2 THE VALLEY OF THE SUN: ATTRACTIVE OPPORTUNITIES AND DIFFICULT CHALLENGES…………………………………………25 Early Entrepreneurs………………………………………………….28 The War, Cold War, and Valley Growth.………………………….46 Conclusion…………………………………………………………….52 3 SURPRISE EMERGES: CREATING A RESIDENTIAL PLACE IN AN EXTRACTIVE, SPECULATIVE PLACE……………………………54 Scholarship on Suburbia…………………………………………….55 Migrating West………………………………………………………..58 Moving North………………………………………………………….77 A Complex Social Hierarchy………………………………………...84 Conclusion…………………………………………………………….91 4 A RESIDENTIAL PLACE EVOLVES: EXTERNAL FACTORS RESHAPE SURPRISE………………………………………………92 An Evolving Valley……………………………………………………92 Marinette Becomes Sun City………………………………………..97 vi CHAPTER Page 4 The Annexation Attempt……………………………………………110 Incorporation………………………………………………………...116 Conclusion…………………………………………………………...119 5 FORGING A COMMUNITY IDENTITY: CONFLICT AND CELEBRATIONS DEFINE SURPRISE…………………………..122 The Town……….……………………………………………………124 The Town Council……….………………………………………….127 The Surprise Women’s Club……………………………………….132 The Conflict………………………………………………................142 Conclusion…………………………………………………………...153 6 NEW LEADERSHIP, NEW CONFLICTS, AND NEW CELEBRATIONS: REDEFINING PLACE………………………..155 Valley Growth Rolls On…………………………………………….155 Sun City Looms……………………………………………………..159 A Community in Flux………………………………………………..163 Out of Disarray, A New Leadership Coalition Emerges………...168 Resetting the Political Landscape………………………………...175 A New Community Identity for Surprise…………………………..179 Enabling Growth…………………………………………………….188 Conclusion…………………………………………………………...197 7 DISSENTING VOICES, ALTERNATIVE AGENDAS: CONFLICT OVER COMMUNITY IDENTITY AND PRIORITIES…………….198 A Community in Need………………………………………………199 Federal Government Programs……………………… …………..205 vii CHAPTER Page 7 Chicano Activism…………………………………………………....212 Local Activism……………………………………………………….217 Challenging the Status Quo in Surprise………………………….224 Conclusion…………………………………………………………...234 8 A TALE OF TWO TOWNS: CREATING A NEW SURPRISE…………..236 Valley Growth Continues ….....……………………………………237 Financing Growth...…………………………………………………239 Diverging Perspectives on Community…………………………...244 The Arrival of Transformational Developments………………….249 A Political Transition………………………………………………..253 Building a Professional Municipal Staff…………………………..263 The Boom Begins…………………………………………………...268 Creating a New Understanding of Surprise……………………...271 Conclusion…………………………………………………………...275 9 EPILOGUE…………………………………………………………………...277 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………..290 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Transition on Surprise Town Council, 1965-1966……………………………152 2. Transition on Surprise Town Council, 1966-1967…………………………...170 3. Population Data for Surprise…………………………………………………..201 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Chart of Population Growth in Surprise, 1960-2000…………………………......2 2. Map of Phoenix Metropolitan Area…………………………………………………6 3. Map of Surprise, White Tank Mountains, and Agua Fria and New Rivers……26 4. Photograph of the Construction of Lake Pleasant Dam, circa 1927…………..32 5. Photograph of the Digging of Beardsley Canal…...……………………………..34 6. Photograph of a Harvest at Marinette Ranch……………………………………35 7. Map of Selected Ranches Surrounding Surprise…………………………….....39 8. Plat of the First Neighborhood, Surprize…………………………………………43 9. Map of Surprise and North El Mirage…………………………………………….55 10. Photograph of the Simmons Family, circa 1953……………………………….73 11. Surprise Land Use Map, 1961…………………………………………………...86 12. Aerial View of Sun City, circa 1960…………………………………………….101 13. Photograph of a Surprise Home, 1964………………………………………..125 14. Photograph of the Surprise
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