As I mentioned in my last column, 1972 was off to a good start for Fountain Hills, but it was nothing when compared to the growth the community experienced in 1973.

Word was spreading throughout the Valley about the great values individuals and companies were getting for buying property in Fountain Hills’ early stages.

One of these was Dell Trailor, who in 1972 announced details of Phase II of the condominium portion of his planned expansion of his Fontana development.

The name of the project was Fontana II. The Villas totaled 220 units, and Phase II was to have 320 units.

The developments were separated by a major wash. Whatever the reason, the second phase never achieved the sales success rate of the initial Fontana Villa units.

There was also a feature story about two Midwestern farmers who developed a friendship when they both came to Fountain Hills. Vic Peterson was from Iowa, and Wendell Fugate spent his summers in Illinois.

Peterson built the first commercial building in the community outside of those built by McCulloch Properties for the sales program.

That building was the one that Goettl Metal Products used for an office. Later tenants were Paul’s Hardware and Champions Fitness Center. The business located in the building today is McDowell Mountain Cycles. Together, the two men built four commercial buildings which were located in the area between Colony and Panorama drives and Saguaro Boulevard.

Public tours of new model homes started in February in an extensive program that would encourage home building and home buying in the new community.

The Fountain Hills Model Home Tour was heavily advertised in the Phoenix area newspapers.

More than 20 independent contractors joined those builders who were already working in the market and formed the Fountain Hills Contractors Association.

It was the first organization to form in the community.

In order to participate in the home tour, a contractor had to be a member of the association.

A contract was awarded to Ellis Tacke Construction Co. of Phoenix to build the Model Home Center.

One of those firms, KaPri Homes, headed by R.E. “Archie” Archambault and Bob Williams, received the contract to build the golf maintenance building at the Fountain Hills Golf Club (now Desert Canyon Golf Course) in March 1973.

Siemens Construction Company of Scottsdale received the contract in March 1973 to do the final preparation of the golf course.

Three new businesses opened in those commercial buildings in March 1973. They were Fountain Realty & Investments, the first independent real estate office opened in the community and owned by Bob Farrow; Farmers Insurance Agency, operated by agent Larry Ryerson; and Fountain Hills LP Gas Co. owned by Martin Dawson.

Farrow did not stay in town very long. Shortly after he opened the first bar and restaurant (the Fountain Mountain In) the body of his troubled teenaged son was found in a black trash bag alongside the 101 freeway in Los Angeles. He was one of the infamous freeway murderer’s victims.

Ryerson left when he divorced and received a promotion to a management position at the Mesa Farmers headquarters. Ryerson was instrumental in starting the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce. He was that organization’s first president, and he started the first Fountain Hills Telephone Directory. It was called the Ryley Dialy. Jack Gridley was his partner in that venture. The Fountain Hills Insurance Agency is still operating in the community and is owned by Jim Tait.

Dawson had previously won the Paradise Valley Jaycees “Young Man of the Year” award. He became active in Fountain Hills, also. He helped start the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce, serving one year as president. His business is still headquartered in Fountain Hills al-though the name has been changed to Arizona Propane to reflect the much larger company it has become.

Years later, Ryerson and Dawson were inducted into the Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame for their efforts in getting the business community started.

With the community rapidly increasing, residents formed the Fountain Hills Civic Association in March 1973.

I hope to have more on that group’s formation and activities in my next history lesson column.