Fraser Fields Historic District

The Fraser Fields Historic District is located in central Mesa, one-half-mile east of the original one-square mile town site consists primarily of one residential subdivision: 

• Fraser Fields (platted 1946)

The large-scaled, custom-designed Ranch Style houses set in broad green front yards distinguish Fraser Fields from earlier residential neighborhoods of smaller Early or Transitional Ranch Style houses with detached garages. The attached carports and garages of the houses mark the neighborhood as a product of mid-twentieth-century, automobile-centered America.

As a character-defining feature of the streetscape and individual property, building setbacks from the street must be uniform and conform to the norm for the neighborhood.

Fraser Fields gives the immediate impression of a well-maintained, upper-middle-class neighborhood featuring custom-designed Ranch Style homes from the late 1940s and 1950s. This suburban historic district consists primarily of single-family homes, with a few duplexes and apartments located on the south side of Pepper Place.

Fraser Fields was originally a plot of land purchased by Hyrum Smith Phelps in the early 1900s for $80 and a mare. He built the first house for one of his wives, Sara Lucretia Pomeroy, an adobe structure, that stood where "Bill Johnson’s Big Apple" restaurant now stands. Hyrum later sold the land to Dr. Jack Fraser, who built a house on 4^th Street (now University Drive). Dr. Fraser eventually sold the land to Passey Investment Corporation, which subdivided it in 1946, naming the area Fraser Fields.

Starting in 1947, the Mesa Journal Tribune heavily advertised the subdivision as "Mesa’s Most Exclusive Subdivision." The 80-acre development located one-half-mile outside of the original town center, featured lots at least two-thirds of an acre in size—almost double the average city lot—and sold for between $800 and $2,000. These lots had at least 100 feet of street frontage and were 128 feet deep, with modern amenities like 60-cycle electricity, city water and gas, paved streets, and underground irrigation. Advertisements included 3-digit phone numbers for further inquiries.

Initially designed as an exclusive residential area, Fraser Fields featured large lots and a mix of multi-family dwellings placed strategically to buffer the neighborhood from surrounding commercial zones and major streets. The loop street layout enhanced the neighborhood’s secluded feel and helped preserve its streetscape integrity. The flood irrigation system contributed to the growth of mature trees and broad green lawns, further enhancing the lush environment surrounding the Ranch Style homes.

Reflecting the ever-growing importance of the automobile, most houses have attached or semi-attached double garages. Fraser Fields represents the first major subdivision in Mesa designed for affluent and middle-class families moving from the city center to the suburban outskirts, a trend spurred by marketing that emphasized the exclusivity of such developments. This migration pattern mirrored similar trends in many Western cities following World War II.

The pattern of single-family home construction within the Fraser Fields Historic District has been spread evenly throughout the subdivision as buyers chose their favorite lots. Construction of apartments in the neighborhood span the period from 1947 when by subdivision developer William Passey brought in surplus military barracks (now gone) through the 1970s. Commercial development on Main Street proceeded at a separate pace from the houses. The apartments on Horne and the houses on Miller were constructed beginning in 1962 after the period of significance.

The development of single-family homes in Fraser Fields was evenly distributed across the subdivision, with buyers choosing their preferred lots. Apartment construction occurred later, beginning in 1947 when developer William Passey brought in surplus military barracks (which are now gone) and continuing through the 1970s. Commercial development along Main Street progressed separately from the residential construction. The apartments on Horne and the houses on Miller were built after the period of significance, starting in 1962.

Today, Fraser Fields remains a well-preserved enclave of large lots and Ranch Style homes, a stark contrast to later tract-style developments. The neighborhood is still home to many original families, some of whom are prominent figures in Mesa’s civic and business life. Notable residents have included the Milanos (of Milano’s Music), the Brintons (who helped fund the Park of the Canals Archaeological Park), the Lines brothers (a prominent dentist and the former CFO of the City of Mesa), the Passeys (of Passey Investment Corporation and Passey Insurance), and Dr. Edwin Kepple (father of Maricopa County Superior Court Judge James Kepple).

Most residences in Fraser Fields are one-story, expansive Ranch Style homes positioned prominently at the front and center of their lots, with single- or double-carports at one end. Garages are also common, either as original features or as enclosures of previously open carports. In a few instances, carports or garages have been converted into living spaces, such as family rooms or bedrooms. However, this is relatively rare, and the neighborhood stands out for its tendency to retain and upgrade carports rather than repurpose them. This contrasts with the more typical practice seen in smaller Ranch Style tract subdivisions, where conversions to livable space are more common. The homes in Fraser Fields have maintained their original character due to the generous size of the houses, the ample backyard space for potential expansions, and the owners' preference to preserve covered parking for their vehicles.

The majority of homes in the historic district feature various interpretations of the Ranch Style, the dominant residential style in the United States after 1935. Given the rapid development of Fraser Fields in the 17 years following World War II, the neighborhood is entirely characterized by the Ranch Style. Four main varieties are represented: Early Ranch, Classic Ranch, California Ranch, and Spanish Colonial Ranch. Notably, the "rambling Ranch Houses" stand out for their elongated floor plans, often with a wing extending at an angle to the main façade, creating a distinctive layout.

In contrast to the traditional Ranch Style homes, a few Contemporary Style houses in the neighborhood feature more modernist elements, such as flat roofs and large expanses of glass instead of the smaller windows typically found in Ranch designs. Additionally, two of the apartments in the district have simple, box-like massing with minimal ornamentation, resembling the Minimal Traditional Style rather than the Ranch Style.

An important aspect of Fraser Fields' architectural evolution was the construction of multi-family housing—duplexes and apartments—due to the post-war housing shortage. Located at the south end of the subdivision on Pepper Place, these duplexes and apartments were built in 1955 during the neighborhood's second building boom. These buildings are designed in the Simple Ranch and Minimal Traditional styles, contributing to the area's diverse architectural landscape.