Sunnyslope, Arizona
Encyclopedia
The Sunnyslope community is a long-established cohesive neighborhood within the borders of the city of Phoenix, Arizona
. The geographic boundaries are 19th Avenue to the west, Cactus Road to the north, 16th Street to the east, and Northern Avenue to the south. This area covers approximately nine square miles and is divided into nine census tracts. The Sunnyslope community is included in parts of three zip code areas: 85020, 85021 and 85029.
Perhaps attributable to its origins and the sense of place established prior to annexation into the city of Phoenix, though part of a major metropolitan area, Sunnyslope has its own “small town” identity and a sense of place that is a point of pride embraced by community members.
Reportedly, one of his daughters looked at the sun shining on the area’s rolling Phoenix mountains and exclaimed, "What a pretty, sunny slope!" Inspired by the phrase, Mr. Norton named the area Sunny Slope. The name was written as two words until after World War II.
The Sunny Slope Subdivision’s original boundaries were from Central Avenue on the west, to Dunlap Avenue on the north and from 3rd Street on east to Alice on the south.
By 1919, Sunnyslope was a natural desert area with only four or five cottages surrounded by cactus and sagebrush.
With no irrigation north of the Arizona Canal, the Sunnyslope desert was a very dry area and was considered to be a good place to live for people trying to recover from tuberculosis or asthma. During this period, it was common for people from eastern states, known as “health seekers,” to move Arizona.
Many of these people built tent houses or small cottages, planning to get well and then return to their old homes. Others, having spent their last dimes to move west in search of health, pitched tents or slept on porches. There were no roads or electricity.
They had come to the desert in 1919 for their son’s health. Marguerite was a practical nurse and a social worker. She soon began visiting her sick neighbors bringing food and aide to their bedsides. She met Elizabeth Beatty who was also providing help for those suffering from TB or asthma.
Sunnyslope neighbors looked forward to and welcomed the visits of Elizabeth Beatty and Marguerite Colley and these ladies soon became known as the “Angels of the Desert.”
In 1927, the Desert Mission was established. This was a facility – a comprehensive, faith-based community center — that provided for the medical, social, and religious needs of the people living in the community. Through its food bank, children’s dental clinic, community health center, behavioral health clinic and a licensed and accredited child care facility, the Desert Mission continues to this day to respond to the needs of Sunnyslope and North Phoenix.
In 1936, there were approximately 600 residents in Sunnyslope. There was still much vacant land, covered with vegetation and cacti.
In the late 1940s, after World War II, the community grew tremendously in population. Many small businesses, churches and schools were established. The first school, Sunnyslope Elementary School, was opened in 1949, Mountain View Elementary School was opened in 1952, and the third elementary school built in Sunnyslope was Desert View which opened in 1956. Sunnyslope High School opened in 1953.
As the decades progressed and the neighborhood grew, the medical functions of the Desert Mission became a separate entity by the 1950s, now known as the John C. Lincoln Health Network. Its Sunnyslope-based flagship hospital is now one of eight Level I trauma facilities
in Arizona. The Desert Mission remains in operation, as noted above, serving the community as a subsidiary of this healthcare group.
John C. Lincoln, an Ohio inventor and industrialist who founded Lincoln Electric
, relocated to the Sunnyslope district in 1931 with his wife Helen, to treat her tuberculosis; almost immediately, the Lincolns became major financial supporters of Desert Mission and took on key leadership roles in the organization for most of the remainder of their lives. Helen Lincoln lived to the age of 102, after initially being given just two more years to live by doctors.
zip code 85020 came in as 358 for automotive theft, burglary 179, personal crime 170, and 222 for property crime.
In April 2011, Sunnyslope was the featured community for the Modern Phoenix Home Tour, shedding light on the number of prominent architects and other creative individuals who have chosen to develop (and live in) properties in the community.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. The geographic boundaries are 19th Avenue to the west, Cactus Road to the north, 16th Street to the east, and Northern Avenue to the south. This area covers approximately nine square miles and is divided into nine census tracts. The Sunnyslope community is included in parts of three zip code areas: 85020, 85021 and 85029.
Perhaps attributable to its origins and the sense of place established prior to annexation into the city of Phoenix, though part of a major metropolitan area, Sunnyslope has its own “small town” identity and a sense of place that is a point of pride embraced by community members.
Sunnyslope founder
Although Sunnyslope is widely known for having been settled by poor tuberculants who spent their last dimes travelling west for the drier climate and cleaner air, a subdivision called “Sunny Slope” was first platted by healthy architect William R. Norton in 1911.Reportedly, one of his daughters looked at the sun shining on the area’s rolling Phoenix mountains and exclaimed, "What a pretty, sunny slope!" Inspired by the phrase, Mr. Norton named the area Sunny Slope. The name was written as two words until after World War II.
The Sunny Slope Subdivision’s original boundaries were from Central Avenue on the west, to Dunlap Avenue on the north and from 3rd Street on east to Alice on the south.
By 1919, Sunnyslope was a natural desert area with only four or five cottages surrounded by cactus and sagebrush.
With no irrigation north of the Arizona Canal, the Sunnyslope desert was a very dry area and was considered to be a good place to live for people trying to recover from tuberculosis or asthma. During this period, it was common for people from eastern states, known as “health seekers,” to move Arizona.
Many of these people built tent houses or small cottages, planning to get well and then return to their old homes. Others, having spent their last dimes to move west in search of health, pitched tents or slept on porches. There were no roads or electricity.
Desert Mission and Angels of the Desert
Marguerite and William Albert Colley were the second permanent residents of Sunnyslope after purchasing five acres for $100 per acre near 3rd Street and Townley.They had come to the desert in 1919 for their son’s health. Marguerite was a practical nurse and a social worker. She soon began visiting her sick neighbors bringing food and aide to their bedsides. She met Elizabeth Beatty who was also providing help for those suffering from TB or asthma.
Sunnyslope neighbors looked forward to and welcomed the visits of Elizabeth Beatty and Marguerite Colley and these ladies soon became known as the “Angels of the Desert.”
In 1927, the Desert Mission was established. This was a facility – a comprehensive, faith-based community center — that provided for the medical, social, and religious needs of the people living in the community. Through its food bank, children’s dental clinic, community health center, behavioral health clinic and a licensed and accredited child care facility, the Desert Mission continues to this day to respond to the needs of Sunnyslope and North Phoenix.
In 1936, there were approximately 600 residents in Sunnyslope. There was still much vacant land, covered with vegetation and cacti.
In the late 1940s, after World War II, the community grew tremendously in population. Many small businesses, churches and schools were established. The first school, Sunnyslope Elementary School, was opened in 1949, Mountain View Elementary School was opened in 1952, and the third elementary school built in Sunnyslope was Desert View which opened in 1956. Sunnyslope High School opened in 1953.
As the decades progressed and the neighborhood grew, the medical functions of the Desert Mission became a separate entity by the 1950s, now known as the John C. Lincoln Health Network. Its Sunnyslope-based flagship hospital is now one of eight Level I trauma facilities
Trauma center
A trauma center is a hospital equipped to provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries. Trauma centers grew into existence out of the realization that traumatic injury is a disease process unto itself requiring specialized and experienced...
in Arizona. The Desert Mission remains in operation, as noted above, serving the community as a subsidiary of this healthcare group.
John C. Lincoln, an Ohio inventor and industrialist who founded Lincoln Electric
Lincoln Electric
Lincoln Electric is a company in Euclid, Ohio, United States that manufactures arc welding equipment and consumables, plasma and oxy-fuel cutting equipment and robotic welding systems. They are a worldwide leader in production of welding products and have 39 manufacturing locations, including...
, relocated to the Sunnyslope district in 1931 with his wife Helen, to treat her tuberculosis; almost immediately, the Lincolns became major financial supporters of Desert Mission and took on key leadership roles in the organization for most of the remainder of their lives. Helen Lincoln lived to the age of 102, after initially being given just two more years to live by doctors.
Annexation
Four attempts were made to incorporate Sunnyslope as a town, but each time the issue was voted down. In 1959 the City of Phoenix annexed the community of Sunnyslope along with many other valley areas. These areas became part of the City of Phoenix, but Sunnyslope has always retained its identity.Crime rates
As of 2011, Sunnyslope zipcode 85021 has above average risks for automotive theft at 473, as well as 211 for burglary, 167 for personal crime risk and 259 for property crime compared to 100 represented as the national average.zip code 85020 came in as 358 for automotive theft, burglary 179, personal crime 170, and 222 for property crime.
Home prices
The median home cost in sunnyslope area zip code 85021 is $172,200 and in 85020 (zip 85020) is $173,900.Today
Today, the population of Sunnyslope represents diverse income and education levels, cultural heritage, and age. Despite some of the negative aspects of Sunnyslope, John C. Lincoln Health Network, which grew out of the Desert Mission, has been the largest employer of the community for many years. Its community development department continues to serve as convener, helping to ensure the voice of the community is heard and that residents have an opportunity for civic engagement (i.e. quarterly community policing meetings, monthly Sunnyslope Youth & Family partnership meetings, semiannual art walk events, Jane’s Walk, sunnyslopecommunity.org, etc.). The Desert Mission continues to meet the basic needs of the community through its food bank, children’s dental clinic, community health center, behavioral health clinic and a licensed and accredited child care facility.In April 2011, Sunnyslope was the featured community for the Modern Phoenix Home Tour, shedding light on the number of prominent architects and other creative individuals who have chosen to develop (and live in) properties in the community.