Central through the years

The trouble with Central Avenue is it's not central to anything now." So a real-estate mogul told me in 2001. He was totally bought into endless sprawl at the expense of Phoenix, but he was also wrong. With the metroplex spread from Buckeye to Gold Canyon, Phoenix's most important street is more important and convenient than ever, as has been shown by light rail (WBIYB)  and growing infill.

I've written about Central before. But let's take a photo journey, thanks to Brad Hall's collection, the McCulloch Bros. Collection/ASU Archives, and Library of Congress. Click for a larger image.

When it was Center Street, a southward look at Washington in the 1890s. Construction workers are installing water lines.

Here's a view of the Hotel Adams in 1909. It burned down a year later and was replaced by a "fireproof" hotel.

The Center Street, the first across the Salt River. Completed in 1910, the 2,120-foot-long span was claimed to be the longest reinforced concrete bridge in the world.

Beneath a lovely shade canopy, here is Central Avenue at Monroe in 1919. It was renamed in 1910.

By the 1920s, the avenue changed dramatically. Looking south from Monroe Street are the new Hotel Adams, left, and the Heard and Luhrs buildings on the right, with a streetcar track on Monroe.

Central looking north from McDowell in the 1930s. Handsome haciendas lined the avenue.

At Palm Lane, looking north.

Central was used for most parades. Here's the Rodeo of Rodeos Parade in 1937.

The First National Bank building at Washington and Central and next door the Hotel Luhrs in the 1930s.

It's 1933 and we're looking south toward the Heard Building, home of the Arizona Republic and Phoenix Gazette. The block also includes Donofrio's Flowers and a business college.

One of the most visible gifts of the New Deal was the Central Avenue underpass. Generations of Phoenicians would honk their horns as they drove beneath the railroad tracks.

The northeast corner of Central and Washington — we're looking east from Central — in the late 1930s.

It's 1942 and one of many war bond parades passes the Hotel San Carlos.

This high-resolution shot shows the Professional Building and Hotel Adams on the left and crystal clear South Mountains in the distance.

Central is decked out with Christmas decorations in 1944. (McColloch Brothers Collection/ASU archives)

More holiday decorations on Central looking north from Washington in the 1940s.

This 1940s overhead shot shows Washington Street, radio towers on the Heard Building and Hotel Westward Ho. On the right are the Hotel Adams and Professional Building with the neon Valley National Bank sign.

It's the Salad Bowl parade. Phoenix's first post-season college bowl was held in Montgomery Stadium from 1947 to 1955. The name reflected the city's status as a major agricultural center.

Central saw dramatic changes in the 1950s, including high-rises north of Thomas. Here, in 1957, Indian School is the cross street while A.J. Bayless, Bekins, and the Carnation Dairy and restaurant face Central.

Just south was McDonald's — the first franchise outside of California and the first with golden arches.

Generations of young Phoenicians cruised Central from McDowell to Camelback. But the hub was Bob's Big Boy restaurant and drive-in at Thomas Road, as seen in this Jim Elson illustration. Cruisin' Central was an important way for teens from different high schools to make connections.

Four-lane Central approaching Culver Street in the late 1950s. The Bayless store where my grandmother "traded" (her words) is on the right and the Social Security office on the left behind the billboard. Del Webb's Phoenix Towers, completed in 1957, is in the distance (Brad Hall collection).

This 1955 view of Central south of Adams Street shows the dense urban fabric of retailers in a variety of architectural styles, lost in the teardowns starting in the 1970s.

Central looking south from Palm Lane over Central Methodist Church, 1960. My neighborhood.

This postcard shows the iconic Valley National Bank sign, rotating in neon. The First National Bank of Arizona Building is now part of ASU's downtown campus.

The crowd watches the Valley National Bank float on Central. (Larry Harker photo)

South of the tracks, here's Central and Sherman Street in the 1950s. Nearby is Central Liquidators, famous for its television ads in the '60s.

In the 1960s, this shot is just north of the Salt River. Riverside Park, which for decades was the town's amusement park with a large swimming pool and site of July 4th fireworks, is in its last years.

Yee's Market in 1958, located at Central and Southern.

In 1972, the major teardowns that would destroy downtown's urban cohesiveness were only beginning. At Central and Van Buren looking north, the block of businesses including a Porsche-Audi dealership and Western Union is still intact.

A sidewalk view of the same block when Coulter Cadillac was in the space later occupied by the Porsche-Audi dealership. Most of these buildings were demolished, later becoming the ASU downtown park.

It's 1970 and we're back in Midtown, looking north from Palm Lane. The coral-colored building is Del Webb's 1956 Phoenix Towers co-op. Farther north are the Regency condos, U-Haul corporate headquarters and the tall Mayer building, First Federal Savings.

Crowded upper Midtown looking south on Central in 1973.

Central and Osborn looking south in the 1970s. Note the Fotomat, Park Central Apartments, and sign for Park Central Mall.

Central looking south into downtown, early 1970s. Valley Center has been completed, still the tallest building in the state, but the stark white Arizona Bank Tower (now US Bank) has yet to be built.

Fast-forward to the 1980s and it's the Rodeo of Rodeos Parade.

Central running north through Midtown at the turn of the 21st century.

A light-rail train approaches the Osborn station on a rainy day.

A contemporary shot of Central and Palm Lane from the middle of the light rail tracks.

Sculptor David Hyde's Code Talker art outside the Phoenix Plaza towers at Central and Thomas.

McDowell-Central station with infill in progress, the 2010s.

Train heading north. The mural is on the side of the Heard Building.

Central and Lincoln looking north into contemporary downtown. The underpass has been narrowed into one lane in each direction.

A rare shot of south Central, an auto repair shop a few blocks south of Southern. St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church is across the street. Until the 1990s, Central took you to the Japanese flower gardens. (Dean Terasaki photo).

The long view: Central from Sunnyslope to the South Mountains. The city's main north-south street actually continues as a two-lane residential street on the other side of North Mountain. 

Central once led to the enchanting Japanese flower gardens along Baseline Road. Now it's another bland intersection of wide roads:

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My book, A Brief History of Phoenix, is available to buy or order at your local independent bookstore, or from Amazon.

Read more Phoenix history in Rogue's Phoenix 101 archive.