Building the Dream:
Tucson’s Postwar Housing Boom
Carlos Lozano
M
ore people flocked to Tucson in
the 1950’s than to Oklahoma in
the Land Rush of 1889. They
came here to live the American Dream: a
big new car with tail fins, a job in the Cold
War defense industry, a “Leave it to
Beaver” family, and of course, a ranch
house in the suburbs. The 50’s Dream
Home was turned into reality by a postwar
“army” of builders popularizing new
techniques that are still used to this day.
THE BOOM
The economic boom following the
Great Depression and World War II
affected every aspect of culture including
the birth rate. But Tucson’s population
was exploding far beyond the “baby
boom.” Americans were migrating into the
Sunbelt and Arizona was a favorite
destination, surpassed only by California.
From 1950 to 1960, Tucson’s population
grew an astonishing 368 percent, 57
percent faster than Phoenix.
AUTOPIA
The suburban dream was an Autopia,
made possible by stylish, affordable cars
and cheap gas. After World War II, Tucson
began an aggressive annexation campaign
that nearly quadrupled its area by 1960.
Most of the growth spread eastward, along
wide thoroughfares. Sprawl created a
commuter culture served by businesses
catering exclusively to drivers.
Drive in, drive up, and drive through
concepts were applied to restaurants,
theaters, dry cleaners, branch banks, and
liquor stores. Tucson even had a drive-in
church. Consumers drove to the new
supermarkets, shopping centers and malls
that were rapidly replacing the downtown
pedestrian
shopping
experience.
Developers included space for churches,
schools, and shopping centers, but not
sidewalks.
CHOOSING A DREAM
Income
generally
determined
location. The first affluent subdivisions
were located just east of the University
of Arizona. These were popular with
faculty and other professionals who did
not want to commute long distances.
Image courtesy of author Carlos Lozano
Sixty two
Left: Skyline Country Club Estates.
Top right: Craycroft Village cartoon.
Right: New Pueblo Constructors at Orange
Grove Manner housing development, 1961.
Winter 2015