Significant Moments in Avondale History

Avondale hasn’t always been the big, growing town it is now. Originally it was attractive to farmers thanks to the freshwater of the flowing Agua Fria river. An early settler, Billy Moore arrived in 1880 and called the area Coldwater due to a local spring.

In 1896, the name was changed to Avondale, the name of an area ranch. The community was helped along by its prominence on the stage coach route that stopped at Mr. Moore’s saloon and store. Despite these early beginnings, the city was not incorporated until 1946.

As Phoenix grew, developers and speculators went looking for cheap land. One such person was a builder in Scottsdale named Richard Hogue. In the early 1960s, this amateur sports car racer wanted to create the “Indianopolis of the West”.

His vision became the Phoenix Raceway. At the time, it was the first paved racing course that had been built between Mississippi and California. It was also unique as the only track of its kind outside of Daytona Beach. The track consisted of a unique one-mile oval, a drag strip, and a 2.5-mile road course.

Rusty Wallace and Jeff Gordon are just two of the NASCAR greats with major wins on this track. In 1970, Hollywood legend Steve McQueen won the Winter Sprint on the road course in a Porsche 908.

In 2006, the track was so popular that it was calculated to add $473 million to the economy of our state.

In recent years, Avondale has grown from a small town to a large city. In 2017, it won the All-America Award from the National Civic League. It was runner-up the year before. The Center of Digital Government has repeatedly recognized the city for its effective use of modern technologies.

The Best of Sports in Avondale AZ

Few areas have as many sporting opportunities as Avondale does.

The biggest team sports are all an easy drive if you have a good Ford truck or SUV. The Cactus League stadiums keep us busy in the spring with pro baseball games. There are more pro ball games to be found at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale and the Footprint Center in Phoenix. If you add ASU Wildcats in Tempe, there could be a game every day of the week.

Many of us want to play, not just watch. That’s why it is so much fun to live in Avondale. There are plenty of opportunities for organized teams.

The weather invites us to hike, go horseback riding, and enjoy leisurely bike rides or dirt bike challenges. Area golf courses encourage us to perfect our swing.

Off-roading is a favorite of many Avondale drivers. There are so many places to explore. For this hobby, Ford offers its Bronco and Bronco Sport. The new Timberline trims of the Expedition and Explorer are two more choices for off-road adventures. Of course, the F150 and Ranger offer 4x4 off-roaders as well.