ADAS Calibration in Youngtown, AZ

In 1954, two developers bought 320 acres (1.3 km²) of farmland and built the United States’ first planned community dedicated exclusively to retirees. Designed by Ben Schleifer, who also had the idea of an active retirement community, the community was ironically named Youngtown. Frances Greer who owned the ranch that the development was built on. In 1955, 125 homes were built, with about 85 other lots sold.

Two years later, in 1957, Youngtown was featured in an episode of Wide Wide World. This put national attention on the area. As a result, more people began moving in, speaking a new movement for the community.

In 1959, West Valley agriculturalist Jim Boswell II withheld land from Del Webb when selling land to build Sun City. The land between Alabama and Grand avenues and west of 111th Avenue, was saved specifically to allow Youngtown to have space for further expansion. A year later in 1960, on January 1, Sun City opened just east of the development. That same year, the town of Youngtown was incorporated and the country’s first AARP Chapter was established in the town.