Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Question: Which famous American company laid the foundation for Litchfield Park by sending executive Paul W. Litchfield to Arizona in 1916 to establish a cotton-growing operation?

Answer: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio. In 1916, Goodyear sent executive Paul W. Litchfield to Arizona’s Salt River Valley to purchase about 16,000 acres and grow Egyptian long-staple cotton, which the company used to reinforce automobile and truck tires during World War I. Litchfield later built his winter estate, Rancho La Loma, overlooking the community. The company town was officially named Litchfield Park in 1926 and the city incorporated in 1987.