Storytime With The Twins, Volume 1: 734 W. Cambridge Ave

STORYTIME 

THE WITH 

V O L U M E 1 

TWINS 

7 3 4 W . C A M B R I D G E A V E

7 3 4 W . C A M B R I D G E A V E . 

Once upon a time, cotton grew high in the fields at 7th Ave and 

Thomas. Cotton was one of the 5 Cs that the prewar economy was 

based on in Phoenix: cotton, citrus, cattle, climate and copper. Cotton 

was used extensively during WWI to manufacture wartime 

necessities like tires, airplane wings and airships . The cotton 

industry crashed, primarily due to reduced demand, after the war. 

FARM TO DEVELOPMENT 

From J.W. Morris 

ACRES 101 

From Dr. James Norton 

ACRES 110 

OF PHOENIX ACQUIRES LAND 

CITY 

Many acres of these cotton fields were owned by a successful 

local grocer, J. W. Morris. Morris sold 101 acres to the city of 

Phoenix in 1934 for $400/acre . 104 additional acres were 

sold to the city by Dr. James Norton, of Norton Dairy, in 1934, 

for $350/acre. Norton also sold 6 acres of his Norton Dairy 

farm to the city for $350/acre. 

Twins & Co. Realty 

PARK 

ENCANTO 

Phoenix Parks and Recreation, with the assistance of its 

president at the time, William Hartranft, created the vision 

of Encanto Park. Construction started in 1935 and was 

completed in 1938. The Enchanted Island amusement park 

opened in 1948 and is still a local attraction. 

Twins & 

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W W W . T W I N S A N D C O M P A N Y . C O M

7 3 4 W . C A M B R I D G E A V E 

The J. W. Dorris House Est. 19111912 

Future homesite of 734 W. Cambridge Ave. 

In 1943, J. W. Morris sold 20 acres of former cotton farmland 

along 7th Ave, and 25 acres along Thomas Rd, to developers, 

John H. Lester and L.M Hamman; the Encanto Vista subdivision 

was born. There was a deed restriction on the land that 

specified that any homes built must be of a “$6,000 class or 

better”, and in time of war, that just wasn’t possible. 

E N C A N T O V I S T A I S B O R N 

W W W . T W I N S A N D C O M P A N Y . C O M 

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1943- 

1945: 

LET'S BUILD! 

While Lester and Hamman 

weren’t able to start 

construction on the homes 

just yet, the streets were 

graded in 1943. Fast forward 

to 1945, post-WWII, and the 

construction of the first 2 

houses in Encanto Vista 

were underway (702 W. 

Encanto Blvd and 701 W. 

Lewis Ave). Due to its 

desirable location, unique 

“horseshoe” street layout 

and proximity to Encanto 

Golf Course and Park, 

Encanto Vista was a popular 

home destination for 

wealthy buyers. The 

homesites were marketed 

March of 1945 for between 

$1,175-1,275. Encanto Vista 

was built as a neighborhood 

of custom homes, many of 

which were built by 

prominent local architects 

and builders. 


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3 4 W . C A M B R I D G E A V E 

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Early advertising in Encanto Vista 



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H I S T O R Y 

CHAIN OF OWNERSHIP 

The home has had a handful 

of owners since 1948, all 

adding their own touches, 

and pieces of history, to the 

home. The clain of title goes 

something like this…The 

Hauskens family only owned 

the home for about a year 

and then sold to Mr. And Mrs. 

John C. Pence on May 3rd, 

1949. 

On February 29th, 1956 the 

Pence family sold to George 

S. and Dorothea Davison. 

George Davison quit-claim 

deeded the property to 

Dorothea on June 7th, 1957. 

Jan Van Guilder was the director at Cambridge Day 

School. It has been said that the Van Guilders had many 

birds living at the home. In fact, neighbors have said that 

the central courtyard was once an massive aviary. The 

current owner tells a funny story that confirms the bird 

history. While renovating the home, he was replacing 

electrical outlets and came to one in the kitchen area, off 

the central courtyard. As he was unscrewing the outlet, 

some small debris fell onto the floor; it ended up being 

bird seed. 

A pizza delivery man who was delivering a pizza to the 

current owner immediately recognized the home from 

his childhood. He recalls going to the house after 

Cambridge Day School let out for the day. He reminisced 

about the black plaster pool with Asian 

characters/symbols at the bottom. The home was 

decorated with an Asian-inspired style, which extended 

to the gardens of the home, ala the Japanese Friendship 

Gardens. In 1995, after 29 years of ownership, the Van 

Guilder estate fixed up the house and it was put up for 

sale. 

On June 5th, 1995, the John Van Guilder estate sold to 

Bernard Steinfelt, the uncle of the current owner. Title 

was then transferred to the current owner, Ted Ciccone. 

On December 22nd, 1958, 

Dorothea sold the property to 

R. W. Chittester, husband of 

Frida E Chittester and G. 

Parks McNaull, husband of 

Agnes B. McNaull, as a 

co-partnership of Chittester- 

McNaull Co. Chittester was 

the president of Modern 

Glass Co. 

Vintage Photo 

3 years later, on May 23rd, 

1961, Chittester-McNaull Co. 

sells the property to Vee 

Jayne Hofer, wife of Jacob H. 

Hoffer. On 1/21/1966, there 

was a deed release to Guild 

VeeJayne Van from Hoffer 

Vee Jayce, but I am not sure 

if they sold the property the 

same year because there is a 

permit record in the names of 

Dr. John Van Guilder and Jan 

Van Guilder from 1966. 

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c h i t e c t 

/ B u i l d e r 

A 

E T E R B E R T H A U S K E N S , A K A P . B . H a u s k e n s 

P 

Bert Hauskens, a.k.a, P. B. Hauskens, was a successful local architect and a member of the American Institute of 

Peter 

(AIA). He advertised his services in the classified advertising section of the Arizona Republic in the 1940s. 

Architects 

is credited with designing the Florence City Hall building in 1948. He also designed/built Roeser Homes and 

He 

was born in 1914 in Minnesota. He was engaged to be married in December 1935 and wed "popular Tempe girl", 

Peter 

Nichols in June 1936. In 1943, They welcomed a baby boy, Ned Albert Hauskens, in 1943. Mr. Hauskens and his 

Alberta 

Alberta Hauskens, set their sights on building a family home for themselves and requested a building permit for 

wife, 

“concrete block residence and carport” on July 6th, 1948. They selected the homesite at 734 W. Cambridge Ave. The 

a 

of construction was estimated at $10,000, according to the original building permit. The home was completed 

cost 

the end of 1948. 

before 

o r n i n 1 9 1 4 

B 

n M i n n e s o t a 

i 

e d i n 1 9 3 6 

W 

h i l d b o r n i n 

c 

e a r s o l d y 

h e n 7 3 4 W . 

w 

a m b r i d g e C 

a s b u i l t w 

a s s e d a w a y 

P 

n 1 9 7 2 i 

7 3 4 W . C a m b r i d g e A v e 

Roeser Manor, as 'Hauskens and Hakes'. 

1 3 3 

1 9 4 3 

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W W W . T w i n s A n d C o m p a n y . C O M


CENTRAL 

COURTYARD 

One of the distinguishing features of 

this home is the huge central 

courtyard, which is framed on all 4 

sides by walls of floor-to-ceiling 

windows and French doors. It is a 

virtual extension of the living space 

and a perfect outdoor room for all 

seasons. It includes a brick, 

wood-burning fireplace, built-in 

planters and Dal-Tile 18”x18” 

Continental Slate porcelain tile. 

Vintage Photo 

COURTYARD USED AS AN AVIARY FOR YEARS 

Jan Van Guilder was the director at Cambridge Day School. It 

has been said that the Van Guilders had many birds living at the 

home. In fact, neighbors have said that the central courtyard 

was once an massive aviary. The current owner tells a funny 

story that confirms the bird history. While renovating the home, 

he was replacing electrical outlets and came to one in the 

kitchen area, off the central courtyard. As he was unscrewing 

the outlet, some small debris fell onto the floor; it ended up 

being bird seed. 

Vintage Photo 

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KITCHEN 

CLASSIC, MODERN 

KITCHEN 

Vintage Photo 

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FAMILY ROOM 


INDOOR/OUTDOOR 

LIVING 

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LIVING ROOM 


USONIAN-STYLING 

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OWNER'S SUITE 

7 3 4 E . C a m b r i d g e A v e 

REST AND RENEW 

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OUTDOOR LIVING 


YOU'LL WANT TO LIVE 

HERE 

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GOLF COURSE FRONTAGE 


150' OF ENCANTO GOLF 

COURSE FRONTAGE 

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Vintage 

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View 

3D 

Tour 

Here! 

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W W W T W I N S A N D C O M P A N Y C O M

734 W. Cambridge Ave 


www.TwinsAndCompany.com 

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Storytime With The Twins, Volume 1: 734 W. Cambridge Ave

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