The growth of North Evergreen during World War One was slowed as promoter Edwin LeBaron took time off to serve his country in the military. Upon his return, LeBaron associated himself with Clarence M. Paddock, a homebuilder. Paddock constructed several houses in the subdivision on speculation. LeBaron resumed his advertising blitz, again promoting North Evergreen as "Mesa's only restricted district...restricted as to race and color." The new partners increased the minimum house cost to $4,000. The advertising campaign and construction of houses on speculation generated a renewed interest in the subdivision.
Over the next few decades additional houses were constructed in the North Evergreen subdivision as Mesa passed through cycles of economic growth and depression. The neighborhood west of Grand Avenue gradually became in-filled with additional housing stock. With the exception of two homes on the east side of Grand, at 535 and 565 N. Grand Street (#121 & 123), and three houses on the north side of W. University (formerly Lewis Street), the area east of Grand Street remained u developed until after World War Two.
The subdivision of Val Vista Manor No. 2 spurred a second cycle of growth in the Evergreen Historic District. The subdivision was surveyed in 1946 by engineer F.N. Holmquist. It was platted and recorded in 1947 by A.H. and Madge Stone, who owned a large parcel of u developed land area. Mr. and Mrs. Stone were not professional real estate speculators, but simply the owners of a large parcel of land who wanted the property divided and sold to realize a profit.
The Stone's excursion into real estate was not without its difficulties. Because the name they selected for their subdivision was very similar to the name of another Mesa subdivision, Val Vista Manor Plat 2, Mesa City officials and Maricopa County officials objected to the proposed name. The Stones solicited the Phoenix Title & Trust Company for advice. Phoenix Title & Trust subsequently changed the name of the subdivision to Vista Gardens. Vista Gardens consisted of fairly large lots, measuring 66 feet wide by 147 feet long. Vista Drive, 50 feet wide, extended east from Grand Street down the center of the subdivision. Vista Drive is now known as west 7th Place.
The Subdivision of Vista Gardens encouraged a number of other property owners in the area east of Grand Street to divide their property into smaller parcels for sale. This area does not appear to have a formal subdivision plat, but is rather the result of lot splits. A cohesive neighborhood of post-war ranch homes quickly developed in the area south of Vista Gardens and east of Grand Street in the years following World War Two.
The nature of these two subdivisions color the appearance of the Evergreen Historic District. Those in the original North Evergreen subdivision are the oldest houses. These represent the first extension of Mesa outside its town boundary line. The Vista Gardens subdivision, platted after the end of the World War Two, represents the era of rapid construction and population expansion that characterized Mesa after the war.