McCormick Ranch, a working cattle and horse ranch from 1944 to 1970, was developed as Scottsdale's first master-planned community from 1972 through the 1990s.
It has grown into a mature community of more than 3,100 acres with 8,900 homes, condominiums and apartments, and close to 27,000 residents.
They are surrounded by 10 lakes, parks, 25 miles of bike paths, eight shopping centers, seven churches, two hotels, a golf course, hospital, library and a school.
"I think it's still a great place to live," said Garth Saager, former executive director of the McCormick Ranch Property Owners' Association who retired in November after 30 years on the job.
Today, McCormick Ranch stands out for its tidy and lushly landscaped neighborhoods and parkways, lakefront properties and a convenient location just a few miles north of downtown.
But 40 years ago, the Ranch was a real ranch and homebuilders were reluctant to develop the property. It was considered too far north and there wasn't any money to be made from the area's one-house-per-acre zoning.
Read more: At 40, McCormick Ranch still desirable place to live
