Winterhaven History

Over 50 years of History

CB Richards was the founding father of Winterhaven Water & Development Company. In 1949 he created a cooperative water company and a modern residential development north of what was Tucson at the time.   By 1957 all but 19 of the 257 original lots had been developed.  The Festival of Lights began in 1949. CB Richards was inspired to create the Festival after visiting a similar display in Beverly Hills, California  in the 1930s.  He purchased the first set of christmas lights in 1949 and donated them to the neighborhood. He purchased the allepo pines from a local nursery that was going out of business. They were planted at regular intervals throughout the neighborhood and electrical connections were hooked up near each tree for the lights.

CB personally judged all the displays in those first festival contests and the winner was awarded $100.00.   After CB Richards moved to San Diego, he continued to visit Winterhaven for the Festival of Lights. 

The Festival has been held continuously since 1949 except for one year during the 1970's energy crisis when the residents of Winterhaven voted to stay dark.