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A tribute to Martha Campbell

 

 

In Memory of

Martha Wiggans Campbell

August 20, 1932 - September 18, 2014

Martha Wiggans Campbell, 82 of Glendale, Arizona passed away on September 18, 2014. She was the owner of The Spicery and the Tole Shop in downtown Glendale. Martha is survived by her twin sister, Mary Marstellar of Tennessee; daughters Carolyn Shelley (Mark) and Barbara Goree; and grandson Ben Jones.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to:
The Animal Defense League of AZ 
Feral Cat Program
PO Box 33093
Phoenix, AZ 85067

Or to:

Little Rascals Animal Rescue
4008 W Camino Del Rio
Glendale, Arizona 85310

The original owner of The Spicery, Martha Wiggins Campbell passed away Thursday night. She was 82. Graveside services are Wednesday, 9:00 am at Glendale Memorial Park, 7844 N. 61st Avenue (just south of Northern on 61st Ave.) There is a get together planned at Saguaro Ranch Park after the services.

Ed and Bette  Sharpe Nominated Martha   and she  rcvd - Ruth Byrne Award   -   1998 Martha Campbell – preservation and restoration of a Glendale landmark in the Catlin Court Historic District

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Martha was a visionary.

She loved Glendale and had a passion for Glendale like no other.

She was the driving force behind the creation of the Historic Catlin Court district.  Thousands upon thousands of people enjoy her vision annually and the 3 dozen or so that are lucky enough to have their businesses located within this district are forever grateful for her vision.  There is no other historic district like Catlin Court in the Phoenix metropolitan area. 

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A tribute to Martha Campbell

Martha Campbell --- the true pioneer and catalyst in Glendale's economic development and downtown revitalization.

While hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on marketing and advertising and flashy special events, all we really needed to do was to bring people to the Spicery to taste Martha's delicious breads and rolls. Those rolls became known valleywide and people would travel far to eat at the Spicery.

Demure and unpretentious, Martha Campbell was a talented, creative and shrewd businesswoman. Only the best was good enough for Martha. That’s what she expected from herself and from everyone who represented the Spicery.

Martha gave Glendale her very best and she engraved a niche in people’s minds for Catlin Court and downtown Glendale. She gave people a reason to come to the historic townsite Glendale officials were trying so hard to restore and develop into a thriving business environment.

Thank you, Martha, for your heart, your wisdom, your energy, your vision, and for caring so much to make us the best we could be.

Elaine Scruggs
Mayor (ret.) City of Glendale
1993-2013

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Many people influenced my life, Martha taught me that anything could be done, you just had to start and be willing to work hard until it was completed.  I knew Martha for 46 years since I was 7 and she has always been part of my life and her legacy and traditions will continue at The Spicery restaurant which she created.  -  Matt Borowski

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Martha was an integral part of my life for 46 years. She accepted my brother and I as her own, even though we were just neighbors. She taught, listened, and encouraged us through the various stages of our lives. After I married, even my husband learned the joy of working with Martha. Her visions became yours…her enthusiasm contagious. She never stopped caring for our family. At my dad’s passing, Martha hosted a luncheon for the mourners. A feat none of us was up for, but as always Martha stepped in. Martha continued her outreach by providing a home cooked fireside lunch for my mother. An afternoon my mother always cherished until her passing.

For our household, Martha’s memory lives on in that little bit of heaven we call “Martha’s rolls”…and though I can’t imagine heaven getting any better….Martha will think of something!

Jan Borowski, M.D.

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I remember fondly our long time friend, dear Martha.  Although it was over 25 years ago, it seems like only yesterday that Martha decided to buy the century old Brewster home with a plan and a smile. She admired the old home from when she was a school girl and bravely plunged into the restaurant business. She gave it her all and made a success of the Spicery Tearoom and indeed she helped set the scene for the successful decades of Catlin Court and Historic Downtown Glendale.

Tom Eggleston=

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Ed,

Here are my thoughts:

From the very first day Papa Ed's Ice Cream became a part of the Catlin Court Community, I heard of Martha Campbell and The Spicery.  Then as time passed I got to actually meet this mystery woman who I knew about without really knowing her. 

More recently I had the opportunity to get to know Martha better.  She would come walking  up the driveway of Papa Ed's Ice Cream, taking in all the flowers and plants along the way.  On her very first visit she ordered a Root Beer Float with an extra scoop of vanilla ice cream.  From then on, that was "the usual"  and she always reminded me about that extra scoop of ice cream.  Her favorite seat inside was by the window and after those first few  visits I started to join her at the table.  We would sometimes talk about the history of  Catlin Court or maybe just the day and what she had planned.

On special occasions she came to meet her friend for their monthly lunch date.  Martha was always the first to arrive and she would sit out on the porch enjoying the garden, while she was waiting.  Then her friend would arrive with their lunch and they would picnic on our front porch.  The ladies could talk for hours and sometimes had dessert or maybe just a cup of hot coffee.

I am so grateful that I got to know Martha in this way and I hope that Papa Ed's Ice Cream was one of her favorite spots to enjoy in the Catlin Court she loved.

Linda Moran-Whittley
Papa Ed's Ice Cream

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Sorry to learns this sad news Ed. Martha was one of those rare jewels of Glendale who's  dedication to preserving our past and the simple elegance of era gone by is nothing less than remarkable. She gaves us all a taste of the good old days.

Gary Hirsch

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Photo by Ed Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet.

A Brief History of the Catlin Court Historical District

"I believe all good things

start with a dream..."

This was  the introduction of a letter sent by Martha Campbell to Mr. Prescott, the Planning Manager for the City of Glendale in early 1989.(1) Martha captivated the imagination of the city planners with the first outline of the downtown 'Gaslight District' now known as the Catlin Court Historical District.

 EARLY DISTRICT HISTORY 

The oldest house you will find in the Catlin Court Historical District  is the Messinger House built in 1895. V.E. Messinger was an educated man from the first Stanford graduating class. He came to Glendale in 1895 to manage the H.W. Ryder Lumber Company, and became one of Glendale’s leading citizens.(2) 

The construction of a two-story four-room brick schoolhouse in 1895 was the first substantial project undertaken by the community of then 300. The completion of this schoolhouse on what is now Palmaire between 58th Avenue and 58th Drive gave the small city a sense of permanence.(2)

The Glendale Public Library was started in 1896 by V.E. Messinger when he opened his home library for the residents to use. The brick school house later became the formal home of the Glendale Public Library. The original sign for this public library is on display at the Velma Teague branch.(2,5)

For reasons unknown, the brick schoolhouse was dismantled before 1920. One hypothesis is that it was no longer needed due to construction of other facilities. (5)

The Catlin Court Subdivision was the first organized development program in the City of Glendale. Begun in 1912, it followed on the heels of regional economic boom and represented the first important period of the city's growth since its founding in 1892.(2)

The California Bungalow was the preferred style of construction in this subdivision. Within Catlin Court you will find some of the most outstanding Craftsman Bungalows as can be found anywhere in the Salt River Valley.(2)

The Beginning of the Business District

Sue McCool (at that time Sue McDaniel) and her dress shop the Sand Dollar was to give birth to many Catlin Court business enterprises. Sue bought the building on the southeast corner of 58th Avenue and Palmaire which had been the Summer's house. Although this property is not within Catlin Court proper, the significance of the Sand Dollar is that it pioneered the concept in the local area of converting an old house into commercial property, and brought in  tenants that were to spread out  and purchase their own buildings in what is known as Catlin Court Historic District.(3d)

In 1979 Martha Campbell and her twin sister Mary Mosteller rented shop space from Sue McCool to open The Tole Shop which specialized in the teaching of American folk art.   

When Sue McCool retired from the Sand Dollar in 1981, several businesses attempted to operate in the same location but did not succeed. In 1986 Martha asked Sue if she could rent the building to operate a tearoom.(4,3d)

Martha's Spicery tearoom was a success, and being the first in the Phoenix-Glendale area, set the pattern for other tearooms that would later follow. Since Martha had decided to dedicate her full time efforts to the tearoom, The Tole Shop was sold to Carolyn Gimpowitz  in January 1987.(1,4)

ADD SUMMERS SQUARE INFO

Two of Martha's customers, Sue Branch and her mother Mel Foehner, expressed an interest in renting  a room. Martha suggested that they rent the upstairs of the Spicery, where they set up The Housewife Giftshop Feb. 14, 1987.(4)

Early Catlin Court Shops

The first retail shop that actually opened in what is now termed 'Catlin Court Historic District' was Glendale Cash Register, owned by Jim and Jean Burns, in November 1981. Their prime business activity was the sale and service of antique and modern cash registers. They later had an antique business also on the premises called Catlin Court Collectibles. The building now houses The Country Maiden.(3g)

Alice's Things, 7142 N. 58 Ave., was owned by John Courter. This shop was the second retail business to enter the Catlin Court area, and sold antiques and collectibles. The current business residing in this building is Miss. Florence's Mercantile. (3g)

Fiddle De Dee's at 7150 N. 57th Avenue was opened  by Delores Hickman after nearly a year of renovation in March 1986. The building Delores purchased in June 1985 for this shop location was the 1910 parsonage house for the First Baptist Church. Delores was no stranger to the area. For many years she had modeled dresses for Sue McCool's business, The Sand Dollar.(4,3d,3h)

 EXTRA! Concerned Citizens Pass

Petitions, Save Buildings.

In order to prevent developers from acquiring land and tearing down structures to construct parking facilities for the third expansion phase of the high-rise at Glenn Drive Between 58th Dr. and 58 Avenue Martha Campbell, Sue Branch and other concerned citizens gathered nearly 5000 names on a petition to stop the destruction of the fine old buildings in the area. Their efforts came to the attention of Councilman Quentin Tolby who wrote a letter to the mayor and council requesting funds to explore the feasibility of forming a 'Gaslight District'. His letter envisioned an area with tourist oriented businesses which would rehabilitate existing properties and provide a retail base for downtown. The type of businesses would include retail-specialty shops, restaurants, artist studios, antique stores etc.(1b,1c)

 HISTORICAL DISTRICT EFFORT 

The First Catlin Court Committee Meeting

The first meeting of the Catlin Court District Committee was held on June 15, 1989. The participants were Candy Paxia, Joyce Clark, Martha Campbell, Jim Burns, Sue Branch, Mel Foehner, Tom Eggleston, Jean O'Brien, Paul Ludwick, Paula Brictson and Greg Mareck.

The meeting  established boundaries and formalized the name Catlin Court District. An architectural rendering was to be prepared so that people would be aware of how the district was to be developed.  A walking tour was undertaken June 26, 1989 to enlighten those involved.

It took many meetings and  thousands of hours, but the city and the dedicated people involved accomplished what they set out to do and made Martha Campbell's dream come true!

 References

1. City  of Glendale, Community Development Office Catlin Court files.

A. Letter from Martha Campbell to Mr. Prescott

B.Misc. newspaper clippings.

C. Letter From Councilman Tolby to the Mayor and Council.

2. Glendale Townsite/Catlin Court Historic District by Glendale Historical Society, City of Glendale and Janus Associates Inc.

3. Oral interviews with people mentioned in this article.

A. Wendell DeCross (verbal)  B. Martha Campbell (verbal)   C. Sue Branch   D. Sue McCool (taped)

E. Phil Lieberman (verbal)   F. Greg Marek, City of Glendale (verbal)   G. Jean Burns (verbal)  H. Delores Hickman (verbal)

4. My History In Catlin Court, by Martha Campbell 11/10/92

5. Conversation with experts at The Glendale Historical Society.