Saguaro Ranch Park in Glendale

I've lived in Peoria for nine years now (after having spent most of my life in Arcadia), and although I've been to Saguaro Ranch Park before, I didn't realize just how historic it is. This park, located on the west side of 59^th Ave just south of Peoria, has a rich history of over 100 years, coinciding with the construction of the initial stretch of the CAP canal!



The City of Glendale has done a great job of restoring many of the buildings to their original and working condition, and does a good job of keeping the park true to its original "farm & ranch" roots. Mixed in with the play areas, picnic tables, barbeques, and soccer fields are live orchards and farm birds – we saw peacocks, chickens, and roosters (which cockadoodle-dooed at us all morning!)

One big difference between when the park was established & now is our food supply, and how much we've all become city slickers. On the way to the park I told my boys we were going to a park that had chickens. My three-year-old's eyes lit up, then he said "I hope they have chicken nuggets!"

Click here to learn more about this park & its rich history. I recommend checking it out when you're looking for a neat place to picnic.

- Chris Butterworth