Storytime book 390 E. Monte Vista Rd.-1.compressed

3 9 0 E . M O N T E V I S T A R D .
ORANGE GROVE TO DEVELOPMENT
Once upon a time, citrus trees grew high in the fields
at 7th Street and Monte Vista. Citrus was one of the
5 Cs that the pre-war economy was based on in
Phoenix: cotton, citrus, cattle, climate and copper.
In 1906, 160 acres was platted by Heard, in what would ultimately become the Los Olivos
subdivision. The subdivision was re-subdivided in 1909, due to slow sales of the original 5 acre
homesites. “Los Olivos Re-Subdivided” was the name given to the Northeast portion of Los
Olivos, which is now known as the Los Olivos historic district. The district only contains homes
on 1 street; Monte Vista Rd, between 7th St and 3rd St. It is lined with its namesake olive trees,
in addition to palm trees, which create a picturesque tree-lined streetscape. Monte Vista Rd. was
a gravel road, when the subdivision was first being developed, as this was prior to the common
ownership of motor vehicles. Paved roads came at a later date.
In 1908, early advertising for Los Olivos started appearing in the newspaper. A 1912
advertisement indicated that some of the land was previously orange groves. There may have
been varied farm land uses before the subdivision was platted. 1 home appears to be built circa
1900-1915 (324 E. Monte Vista Rd), with the next oldest home being built in 1915 (340 E. Monte
Vista). There are 14 homes in the Los Olivos historic district and each one was custom built. The
subdivision features a wide range of architectural styles, including craftman, craftsman/prairie,
Spanish eclectic, French eclectic, Spanish colonial, tutor revival, colonial revival and ranch
styles. Heard didn’t skimp on marketing, with large scale advertisements catered towards the
affluent. He also had a knack for marketing with tag lines like, “You owe it to your wife, yourself
and to your children to LIVE in a HOME of your OWN.”. Heard romanticized homeownership in his
Los Olivos ads. Everything from rich and fertile soil, first class water rights, palm-lined streets,
unobstructed views, city water and electric and cement walks and curbs were advertised. Heard
also advertised proximity to the downtown area, via the Indian School street car line, which was
called the Phoenix Street railway. The lots in Los Olivos Resub were offered for sale between
$600-2,000 with deed restrictions requiring the homes to be of a class between $3,000 to $4,500
(as indicated on a 1913 advertisement).
390 E. Monte Vista Rd was the 6th house built in Los Olivos Resub. It is the only home built in
the colonial revival architectural style, within the subdivision. E.E. Lane, aka Eben Lane, was the
original owner of the home. Eben was president of Lane-Smith Investments, a real estate,
insurance, mortgage and securities firm. Prior to that, he worked for Dwight B. Heard Investment
company from approximately 1913-1925. He was the sales manager from 1922-1925. Lane was a
well-known Realtor and also a former president of the Phoenix real estate board. Other original
owners in the subdivision included judges, lawyers, surgeons, physicians, investment brokers
and those in other prestigious occupations.
Twins & Co. Realty
Twins &
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