Historic Litchfield house to become regional museum and cultural center

By Mary Goldmeer
Mail

A planned museum and cultural center at the historic La Loma Homestead is moving forward after the Litchfield Park City Council approved a design and engineering services agreement during its April meeting.

Councilmembers voted to contract with Colliers Engineering & Design for an amount not to exceed $278,455 to complete the preliminary and final design, engineering, and construction documents for Phase 1 improvements to the Hilltop property.

The work is part of a larger redevelopment of the 20-acre site once owned by Paul Weeks Litchfield, namesake of the city and former president and CEO of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

The site was donated to the city with the condition that it be used to benefit the community. A phased redevelopment plan approved in the early 2000s prioritizes preservation of the historic buildings while incorporating new public spaces, trails, and educational and cultural facilities.

The city is partnering with the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center to rehabilitate the Litchfield/Denny House and establish a regional museum. Exhibits will focus on the history of Litchfield Park, Goodyear, Avondale, Tolleson, and nearby communities including Cashion, Liberty and Waddell.

“We have the property because the Litchfield family wanted to make sure it was used in a way that was consistent with what Paul Litchfield envisioned back in the 1920s — a cultural and performing arts area,” said Mayor Thomas Shoaf.

City Manager Matthew Williams said restoration of the Litchfield house is anticipated to begin in the fall.

“Plans are coming together for the Hilltop components,” said Williams. “We look forward to the restoration of the historic Hilltop park.”

The city is required to complete first-phase improvements by August 2026 as part of its development agreement with the Agua Fria Union High School District. The new Agua Fria Fine Arts Academy and a city library will also be built on the site.

City staff cited Colliers’ familiarity with area projects as a factor in the selection; the firm is already working on the new high school and other city infrastructure.

The P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center, established in 2001, is leading fundraising efforts to restore the Litchfield/Denny House. Phase 1 of the center’s plan includes seven exhibit galleries, a gift shop, a programming space, a work area, a catering kitchen, and a terrace with views of the Estrella Mountains. One gallery will replicate the original library and living room of the Litchfield home, complete with period furnishings and a 1935 mural.

Later phases will add a gallery for changing exhibits, a meeting space, archives, and a research library. The Heritage Center also plans to offer lectures, classes, and events open to the public.

Visit litchfieldpark.gov for more information.