It all started with cotton. Recognizing that Arizona's climate and soil were ideal as a substitute for foreign cotton sources that had been disrupted during WWI, Goodyear was part of the 16,000 acres purchased in 1917 for the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company by Paul Litchfield (think Litchfield Park, Arizona). The cotton was used in the manufacture of tires for airplanes.
Initially the community surrounding Goodyear Farms cotton industry was known as "Egypt" in honor of the Egyptian cotton grown there - later the name was changed to Goodyear.
The community, dependent on the cotton industry, saw its financial fortunes rise and fall with the price of cotton. It was World War II that finally brought lasting stability to the community with the Litchfield Naval Air Facility and the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation which employed as many as 7,500 people. Dirigibles aka Blimps were built at the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation.
The town of Goodyear was incorporated in November 1946 boasting a mere 151 homes. In 1949, aerospace and defense programs were started in Goodyear by the Goodyear Aerospace Corporation, which subsequently became Loral Defense Systems and finally to what it is today, Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Goodyear has a partnership with the arts group and Estrella Mountain Ranch (EMR) to bring major special events to Goodyear. Two of the major festivals are held at the North Lake Park in EMR.
The fall lakeside event, formerly known as the "Goodyear Cool Desert Jazz Festival" which featured great jazz artists such as Maynard Ferguson and Spyro Gyra has become "Goodyear's Taste and Tunes Festival" with the addition of food and beverage tasting, as well as an expansion of types of musical artists.
A great place to visit and a great place to live in the thriving Phoenix West Valley!
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