Desert Hills, Maricopa County, Arizona

For the census-designated place in Mohave County, see Desert Hills, Arizona.

Desert Hills, Arizona
Unincorporated community
Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Maricopa
Elevation	1,863 ft (568 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	N/A
ZIP codes	85085, 85086
Area code	623

Desert Hills is an unincorporated community in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. Sitting on over 4.31 sq. mi. of the 85086 Zip Code, And the (623) Area Code, forming the southern boundary of Anthem and the western boundary of Cave Creek: about 30 miles (48 km) north of downtown Phoenix. Located east of the I-17, Desert Hills is roughly bounded by 35th Avenue to the west, Desert Hills Drive to the north, 28th Street to the east. The majority of Desert Hills sits north of Carefree Highway, however, a small portion resides south from Central Avenue to the west to 14th Street to the east: and south for one mile to Dove Valley Road. Note a community known as Tramonto, falls within these boundaries but is considered part of Phoenix.

History

In the mid-1950s the Lee Ackerman Investment Company of Phoenix promoted this area which was then without water, electricity or any human habitation. They surveyed the land, marked off five or ten-acre parcels and bladed primitive roads through the desert. They marketed the parcels with heavy advertising (e.g. full page ads in the Arizona Republic) and high-pressure sales practices. Parcels were sold for ten percent down with a ten-year contract. Parcels were not claimed to be habitable home sites but rather, long-term land investments. It is interesting to note some 60 years later that, with the start it had, we find a relatively healthy community .

Desert Hills Estates

The once-nameless rural area got its name from a .25 square mile community on the northwest corner of 7th Street and Joy Ranch Road, consisting of million dollar housing, the rest of the area is largely horse farms, no crop farms as the land is not fertile enough for farming.

The Geographic Names Information System database of the United States Geological Survey does not have a listing for Desert Hills itself, but includes listings for:

• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Desert Hills Interchange
• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Desert Hills Evangelical Free Church
• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Desert Hills Fellowship Church