Those whose childhood memories of Maricopa are dotted with trips to the movies and fast-food restaurants, copious ribbon cuttings and endless trips to neighbors’ front doors bearing home-cooked welcome offerings might just fit into what we call “the first real generation of Maricopans.”
People born in Maricopa between 1995 and 2005 are adults now — adults who might not have ever defined their home city as rural, ranchy or desertous.
While millennials are usually classified as people born in time to witness the dawn of the internet, these special members of Generation Z were born in time to witness the genesis of Maricopa as a city.
Let’s meet a few of them!
Esmeralda Compian
Age: 27
Maricopan since: Birth
Maricopa memories:
- “I would play touch football, catch or pretend we were pulling a rope on each end of the road in front of cars on Pershing Street.”
- Riding ATVs where the Villages at Rancho El Dorado and Senita are now.
- During her walk to kindergarten class at Head Start, a preschool near Maricopa High School, Compian recalled stopping at a candy store, where ACP Painting is now. “Sometimes, my parents would give me a few dollars and I would go buy some candy.”
- Giving birth to her two kids, 9-month-old Jeremiah and 3-year-old Eliana.
Cosme Borunda
Age: 18
Maricopan since: Birth
Maricopa memories:
- Living in a ranch home in the Stanfield area with his grandparents.
- “It’s like you just knew everyone growing up. You grew up with the same class and graduated with the same class.”
- Walking around the neighborhood with friends.
Jonathan Lissarrague
Age: 20
Maricopan since: 2006
Maricopa memories:
- McDonald’s and QuikTrip opening on Maricopa’s main strip in 2008, and Walmart a year later.
- Weekend family outings usually consisted of a meal at Native New Yorker.
UltraStar opening up was a big moment. - “I remember going with friends all the time to see movies, play laser tag or play arcade games.”
