In pursuit of documenting history, Your Friendly Higley Historians have closely observed the reasons why people have come to the home they know as Higley. Varying personal differences aside, it is clear that all found opportunity and peace of mind in Higley, discovering that if you worked hard enough with the resources available, what was seen as an unforgiving desert would open up with everything needed to sustain generations to come. The damage of floods, fires, droughts, and dust over the years did not make the citizens of the area falter, instead added to the resilience of their character.
As the years have passed, the residents of Higley have strengthened their ability to deal with the elements but witnessed their environment and common goals shift drastically under the weight of growth. While Higley faces obsoleteness, residents ponder daily on what Higley as home means to them, what they'll do to fight for it and the implications of leaving it all behind. In the upcoming months we will share the stories of residents instrumental in asking and answering these questions.
Below are links to the East Valley Tribune's articles regarding the litigation between Leni Cazden and the Town of Gilbert. Cazden owns a home adjacent to Higley Road that TOG has slated for widening. The caveat is that Cazden's property is located on a county island in what was known as the unincorporated town of Higley. What land belongs to who has been mediated, decided in Cazden's favor and appealed by the Town repeatedly in court. Parties attribute the conflict to aesthetics, safety, greed and necessity.
For a little bit of history, county islands were created decades ago when towns all over the valley strip annexed small, thin strips of land beyond their limits creating "planning area" boundaries. The act of strip annexation kept competing towns outside the lines, and allowed incorporated towns to claim land away from city center as available for annexation, permitting that utilities/services were able to be provided in the best interest of government. As the incorporated towns and cities grew, official annexations were done on an as-needed basis, leaving a map of random town holdings and non-contiguous county islands inside the "planning area."
Whether you are studying the lives of those who made Higley home in the past or those trying to keep it as that in the present, we ask you to delve further and think about what home in your town means to you. Historical topics for research specific to Higley and Gilbert can include annexation, incorporation, property rights, sustainable growth and impact of public involvement in local decision making. If you seek information about what home means to other county island residents throughout the state, and nation for that matter, a library card, access to newspaper archives, or internet search will hopefully answer your questions. Spend an afternoon researching everything you can and report your findings here as One of Many Friendly Historians.
Homeowner, Gilbert in dispute over road proposal Beth Lucas - 11/3/2007
As the years have passed, the residents of Higley have strengthened their ability to deal with the elements but witnessed their environment and common goals shift drastically under the weight of growth. While Higley faces obsoleteness, residents ponder daily on what Higley as home means to them, what they'll do to fight for it and the implications of leaving it all behind. In the upcoming months we will share the stories of residents instrumental in asking and answering these questions.
Below are links to the East Valley Tribune's articles regarding the litigation between Leni Cazden and the Town of Gilbert. Cazden owns a home adjacent to Higley Road that TOG has slated for widening. The caveat is that Cazden's property is located on a county island in what was known as the unincorporated town of Higley. What land belongs to who has been mediated, decided in Cazden's favor and appealed by the Town repeatedly in court. Parties attribute the conflict to aesthetics, safety, greed and necessity.
For a little bit of history, county islands were created decades ago when towns all over the valley strip annexed small, thin strips of land beyond their limits creating "planning area" boundaries. The act of strip annexation kept competing towns outside the lines, and allowed incorporated towns to claim land away from city center as available for annexation, permitting that utilities/services were able to be provided in the best interest of government. As the incorporated towns and cities grew, official annexations were done on an as-needed basis, leaving a map of random town holdings and non-contiguous county islands inside the "planning area."
Whether you are studying the lives of those who made Higley home in the past or those trying to keep it as that in the present, we ask you to delve further and think about what home in your town means to you. Historical topics for research specific to Higley and Gilbert can include annexation, incorporation, property rights, sustainable growth and impact of public involvement in local decision making. If you seek information about what home means to other county island residents throughout the state, and nation for that matter, a library card, access to newspaper archives, or internet search will hopefully answer your questions. Spend an afternoon researching everything you can and report your findings here as One of Many Friendly Historians.
Homeowner, Gilbert in dispute over road proposal Beth Lucas - 11/3/2007
Court rejects Gilbert's eminent domain claim Beth Lucas- 1/24/2008
Gilbert votes to continue fight for land Blake Herzog - 6/5/2009
Opinion - Gilbert shouldn't throw away money on losing case Le Templar - 6/6/2009
