SE Valley Times

Mesa, AZ - May 2, 2024 - The City of Mesa Historic Preservation Office is calling on residents to share their stories and memories about the Heritage Neighborhoods of Lehi and Washington-Escobedo. The community is invited to participate in two upcoming meetings to offer their testimonies, which will be used to create engaging digital story maps that showcase the rich history of these neighborhoods.

According to the City of Mesa Historic Preservation Office, the aim is to gather resident testimonies that will be incorporated into interactive maps featuring images, videos, oral histories, and narrative text. These story maps will serve as visual journeys through the remarkable past of Lehi and Washington-Escobedo.

An official from the Historic Preservation staff encourages residents to bring along historic photos or personal stories to the community meetings, where city staff will be available to scan photos and record oral histories for those willing to share.

The Lehi neighborhood, known as the original settlement in the east Salt River Valley, is described as a blend of contemporary housing, 19th-century and early to mid-20th-century buildings, agriculture, horseback riding, open spaces, and dark skies. Meanwhile, the Washington-Escobedo neighborhood, located just north of downtown Mesa, was established during a time of segregation in the early 1900s, leading residents to form a tightly-knit community with its own school, churches, community center, and stores.

The Washington-Escobedo story map community meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Escobedo at Verde Vista Apartments Heritage Room. The Lehi story map community meeting will take place on Thursday, May 9, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Mesa Historical Museum.

For more information about Mesa's Heritage Neighborhoods, residents can visit the City’s Historic Preservation Office webpage.