Avondale, Arizona
Avondale is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 89,334,[3] up from 76,238 in 2010 and 35,883 in 2000.
Avondale, Arizona
United States
Kenn Weise
47.87 sq mi (123.99 km2)
47.62 sq mi (123.33 km2)
0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2)
974 ft (297 m)
89,334
1,876.13/sq mi (724.38/km2)
UTC-7 (MST (no daylight saving time))
04-04720
2409765[2]
Avondale, incorporated in 1946, has experienced rapid residential and commercial growth in the years since 1980. Once primarily a sparsely populated farming community with many acres of alfalfa and cotton fields, Avondale has transformed into a major bedroom suburb for Phoenix.
History[edit]
William "Billy" G. Moore, arrived in Arizona in the late 1860s, settling near the Agua Fria River in 1880. Moore called bought land and named his settlement "Coldwater, Arizona" - apparently for both the river and the water that flowed from a local spring. He served a brief stint as Justice of the Peace for the Agua Fria area. He eventually established a stage stop near Agua Fria crossing, the Coldwater Stage Station in the 1880s. The state station was one of the very earliest stage stations in the region, supplying travelers with provisions on their way from Tucson to northern Arizona and California. A saloon and a general store were also built, bringing in more commerce for the settlement.
The post office was established in 1896 at a site near Avondale Ranch. From 1901 until 1905, William Moore served as Postmaster of the Coldwater post office. The post office eventually became known as Avondale, taking the name of the nearby ranch, and the name Coldwater was discontinued. In December 1946, the City of Avondale was incorporated.
Subsequent development resulted in a conglomeration of styles and architecture along Western Avenue typical of small western towns, with ranching, the railroad, and cotton farming as the main industries. Recently, the city has seen tremendous growth in new development, both residential and commercial, while the Old Town area along Western Avenue preserves the historic business district and safeguards opportunities for small, independent businesses.[4]
Avondale is a modern city, near the heart of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Over the last decade, population growth took place at a rate of over 114%, making the city one of the fastest-growing in Maricopa County.[5]
City parks:
Government[edit]
Avondale falls within Arizona's 3rd Congressional District, served by Representative Raúl Grijalva and Arizona's 19th State Legislative District, served by Representatives Lorenzo Sierra and Diego Espinoza and Senator Lupe Contreras, all Democrats.
Education[edit]
Avondale is served by the Littleton Elementary School District, the Avondale Elementary School District, the Agua Fria Union High School District and Tolleson Union High School District.Within city boundaries are four public high schools—Agua Fria High School, La Joya Community High School, Westview High School and West Point High School.
Avondale also has several charter schools. Legacy Traditional School and Imagine Schools for elementary and middle school education, and Estrella High School and St. John Paul II Catholic High School for high school.[17]
Estrella Mountain Community College, established in 1992, is located in the city. Rio Salado College, a part of the Maricopa County Community College District, has a satellite building in Avondale. Universal Technical Institute and Empire Beauty Schools also have campuses in Avondale.[18]
Infrastructure[edit]
Transportation[edit]
Avondale is served by Valley Metro Bus. The Avondale ZOOM neighborhood circulator provides local service within Avondale.[19] Avondale is also served by local routes 3 (Van Buren Street, 17 (McDowell Road), 41 (Indian School Road, express route 563 to Downtown Phoenix, and rural route 685 connecting Ajo and Phoenix.
Healthcare[edit]
The public hospital system, Valleywise Health (formerly Maricopa Integrated Health System), operates Valleywise Community Health Center – Avondale. Its sole hospital, Valleywise Health Medical Center, is in Phoenix.[20]
Phoenix Children's Hospital has satellite facilities (Emergency Department - Avondale, and Sports Medicine PT - Avondale), at the corner of Avondale Boulevard and McDowell Road, and Avondale Boulevard and I-10 respectively.