Here’s the true story behind Weedville (or so it seems)

Clay is off today. Here’s a favorite column from April 28, 2008: oday’s question:

TI live at 75th Avenue and Thunderbird Road in Peoria. On the north side of Thunderbird, all the maps show a name as “Weedville.” I cannot find anything about this name, where it came from or if it is still used. Can you find an answer?

This was kind of a tough one, but I think I tracked it down. First of all, one-time Republic stalwart Jim Cook had a chapter about Weedville in his 2002 book, “Arizona Liars Journal.” Jim was not only a historian but also the founder of the Wickenburg Institute for Factual Diversity and editor of the Journal of Prevarication, a newsletter. (Editor’s note: Mr. Cook died in January 2012.)

That doesn’t sound like it makes him an especially credible source, does it? However, I checked, and his stuff about Weedville is true. Or so it seems.

Weedville was a small community north of Thunderbird Road around 75th Avenue.

It was founded in 1911 by a stern Methodist minister named Ora Weed, who, as Cook wrote, thought Methodism was getting to be a bit “wimpy” for his tastes.

He established the Old Path church, cemetery and boarding school, and a small religious community developed around them.

The Rev. Weed set up a broom factory and hired ex-convicts who had learned to make brooms in prison. He also ran a small general store.

The Old Path cemetery is still there, as is the original bell from the chapel. The cemetery is private.