Community leaders, donors and residents gathered on the historic La Loma Hilltop to break ground on the new home of the P.W. Litchfield Heritage Center, marking a major step in the long-planned revitalization of the former estate of city founder Paul Weeks Litchfield.
Lisa Hagerty, representing the Heritage Center, called the ceremony a momentous occasion that was years in the making.
“We couldn’t be more excited,” Hagerty said. “Not only are we breaking ground, we’re also celebrating our organization’s 25th anniversary. After years of dedication and work, we’re about to expand and move into our new home, the goal we’ve been striving for since 2017.”
The new museum will anchor redevelopment of the 20-acre La Loma Homestead, which was donated to the city in 2008 by Edith and Wally Denny with the understanding it would benefit the broader community.
The project includes restoration of the historic Litchfield/Denny House by developing it into a regional museum highlighting the history of Litchfield Park and neighboring Southwest Valley communities.
Hagerty said the Southwest Valley’s story is one of the most impactful in Arizona, citing the region’s agricultural roots, wartime aerospace industry and role in shaping the state’s economy.
“We’re proud to tell it,” she said. “It’s fascinating, it’s varied, and it’s rich. Not only will the Heritage Center ensure that this history is preserved, but we will continue to dig deeper, to collect overlooked stories from this region while incorporating arts and culture.”
The Heritage Center, originally founded in 2001 as the Litchfield Park Historical Society, expanded its mission in 2023 to serve as steward of the broader Southwest Valley’s history, including Goodyear, Avondale and Tolleson.
The new home for the Heritage Center will be part of a larger cultural hub planned for the hilltop, alongside a Fine Arts Academy and Performing Arts Center in partnership with the Agua Fria Union High School District and a new branch library.
Plans for the new facility include 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.
Litchfield Park Mayor Thomas Schoaf said the groundbreaking represents a significant step not just for the museum, but for the city and surrounding communities.
“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,” Schoaf said. “The heritage center stands as a powerful symbol, a symbol of vision, resilience and cultural richness.”
Schoaf credited early donors and community advocates, including Ray and Bob McMillan, whose efforts helped to secure a $1 million lead gift that launched the capital campaign.
Joe La Rue, president and CEO of Sun Health, whose organization has supported the Heritage Center for two decades, said the project fulfills a long-held vision.
“This land matters. La Loma matters. P.W.’s vision matters. Edith and Wally’s legacy matters,” La Rue said. “While we break the ground, what we’re really doing is taking a step forward to becoming reality. The trust is being honored, the legacy is continuing.”
He described the hilltop development as the cultural heart of the area.
“Great places do not happen by accident,” La Rue said. “They happen by intentional design for purposeful human experience.”
City officials said restoration work is expected to begin with first-phase improvements scheduled for completion by August 2026.
As ceremonial shovels turned the soil, Hagerty reflected on the responsibility shared by those in attendance.
“We believe the Heritage Center has enormous potential to build community identity and put our unique history on the map,” she said. “Today is about more than turning dirt. It’s about honoring the past and building something that will serve generations to come.”
Visit pwlhc.org for more information.
James Goldmeer Reporter | Goodyear & Litchfield Park
Meet James James Goldmeer joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2024, starting their career as a reporter in Goodyear and Litchfield Park.
Community: James grew up in the West Valley, calling Avondale home and going to school in Glendale and Peoria. Returning to the community after university, James plans to get involved in everything arts and culture, and civil rights.
Education: Northern Arizona University a bachelor's degree in Journalism, a certificate in Professional Communications, with a minor in English.
Random Fact: James spent half a year as an intern for the Arizona House of Representatives communication team, working with legislators to inform the public through press releases and social media.
Hobbies: James collects postcards and old books, reads memoirs and attends local jazz shows.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here