Signs of life at ‘ghost subdivision’
Maricopa’s “ghost subdivision” is coming back to life. Dormant for a decade, the Santa Rosa Crossing development with a long history and no homes...
Wild horses still run in desert near Maricopa
By Michael K. Rich
Cell phones, laptops, the Internet…the world is transforming into a place in which everyone is connected one way or another through...
The rise and fall – and rise again – of Maricopa
Maricopa’s growth since incorporation in 2003 may be perceived by some as an overnight success.
When you drive up and down John Wayne Parkway, businesses...
Maricopa history moves over
The State Route 347/John Wayne Parkway railroad overpass was a major step forward in moving traffic through Maricopa. It came at a price, however.
The...
DNA test reveals a father – and a family
It’s said life can turn on a dime. For Mike Otis, it changed on a $69 DNA test.
Otis, a retired technical writer, did what...
Street names a road to city’s history
People are moving to Maricopa every day. But do the newcomers — or the old timers, for that matter — give any thought to the...
How Mike Ingram brought together building blocks of Maricopa (VIDEO)
Mike Ingram is not crazy or stupid.
That may be obvious to observers now, but 25 years ago, many of Arizona’s most knowledgeable movers and...
![Maricopa Road and Maricopa-Casa Grand Highway [Brian Petersheim Jr.]](https://www.inmaricopa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/History-Maricopa-Road-today-2-218x150.jpg "History: Maricopa Road’s metamorphosis")
History: Maricopa Road’s metamorphosis
In the 1950s (below), the intersection of Maricopa Road and what later became the Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway, was the business district north of the...
Dwarf Car Museum: Classic cars you already love, only smaller
They often say one must think small to make it big, but for Ernie Adams it’s better to think big to make it small.“I...
Life with the cotton, the cattle and The Duke (VIDEO)
Alice Kulbeth Johnson-McKinney first traveled from Arkansas to Arizona in 1955 at age 15.
“My dad had a heart condition, and the doctor said, ‘If...
Then & now: Honeycutt and Taft avenues
In this aerial photo from 1955, Maricopa High School is in the foreground. Beyond are pecan orchards and desert.
Today the high school remains and...
The Oatman Massacre: Shock at Maricopa Wells
The massacre of the Oatman family in 1851 sent a shock wave through the Arizona Territory.
Undoubtedly, the residents of Maricopa Wells (ancestor of the...
Pool is gone, but history remains
A community pool once sat just north of where the Silver Horizon Zephyr railcar now sits. The Zephyr railcar came to Maricopa in 2000...
Pedestrian bridge would link Heritage District, South Bridge
Two highly visible economic development projects – the Heritage District and South Bridge – would blend together as envisioned by city staff.
During a recent...
History photo: Yes, Maricopa can flood
One of Maricopa’s more memorable floods came in 1983, when Santa Cruz waters invaded most existing structures south of the tracks, including the elementary...
History photo: high school scene
The black-and-white view of Maricopa High School was taken in 1998 by Gray Photographs of Phoenix. The high school, which opened in 1955 with...
The Oatman Massacre: Rescued by the Mojave
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the latest installment in a series dealing with the Oatman massacre and the experiences of the family members who survived...
A blast from the past
In Maricopa, shops and storefronts have come and gone over the past few decades. In the black-and-white photo from the 1960s, you can see...
Restoration of Silver Horizon progressing
The renovation of one of Maricopa’s most iconic historical landmarks, the Silver Horizon rail car, is progressing – with a milestone coming soon.
Paul Shirk,...
‘Big Boy’ historic locomotive to pass through Maricopa
Union Pacific’s historic Big Boy steam locomotive No. 4014 is touring the Union Pacific system throughout 2019 to commemorate the transcontinental railroad's 150th anniversary.Tips from...
A SNEAK PEEK: Silver Horizon rail car nearing public debut
Completion after years of restoration work on the city’s Silver Horizon rail car is, well, on the horizon.
InMaricopa got a sneak peek on...
A historic look at Rancho El Dorado
Rancho El Dorado is among the first subdivisions in Maricopa. Below you can see the subdivision in 2003 and 2007, courtesy of El Dorado...
History photo: Headquarters blaze
In 1954, the Headquarters nightclub and bar was a place for people to gather and dance to hits like “Shboom” recorded by The Crew...
John Wayne Parkway draws scrutiny for namesake’s old comments
After a group in Orange County, California, started a movement to remove John Wayne’s name from the airport in Santa Ana, the chatter began...
Longtime Maricopa historian and school teacher Pat Brock dies
EDITOR's NOTE: This post has been updated to reflect funeral arrangements.
Pat Brock, who documented the history of Maricopa in her books “Reflections of a...
Where are they now: Former MUSD superintendent enjoying retirement
Steve Chestnut, who led the Maricopa Unified School District from 2012 to 2018 as superintendent, is now living happily in Scottsdale.
Chestnut left MUSD to...
Shirley Ann Hartman rode into town and, with hubby ‘McD,’ built a legacy
Beauty. Grace. Hard charging. There is a wistful congruency between the horses Shirley Ann Hartman loves and Shirley Ann Hartman.
Philip “McD” Hartman likely didn’t...
History photo: flood of memories
This flooding scene near the Richfield service station on the old Maricopa Road in 1949 was captured by a photographer looking north from atop...
A water tower and an overpass
In the 1930s, a couple of men came to Maricopa and set up a woodcutting business. They contacted the people on the reservation and...
Ghost stories from Maricopa’s past
By Michelle ChanceHave you experienced paranormal activity in Maricopa? Tell us about it at Facebook.com/InMaricopa.
Maricopa’s history is chronicled well into the mid-19th century, when...