10801 W. Oakmont Drive started life as the first of 5 model homes in Sun City. Walking through the front door was pretty unassuming. 5 rooms total, with 2 small bedrooms, living room, kitchen and bathroom, it could all be taken in the blink of an eye. One should never underestimate the impact this tiny 858-square-foot home (the Kentworth model) had on the lives of millions of people over the years. It sold for $8,500 and offered 3 color choices in the bathroom and kitchen; pink, yellow and turquoise. Women loved the colorful pastels and to this day, visitors to the Museum find these “pretty in pink” rooms stunning.
The first owners to live in the house were John and Chloe MacDonald. They added an addition across the back that gave them one-third more living space. In 1988/89 the house came on the market for $41,000. The authors of Jubilee, Sun City’s 25th Anniversary Book, by then had formed the Sun City Area Historical Society and together with donations from the Boswell Foundation, DEVCO, local businesses and residents raised enough money to buy it and open it in January of 1990.
In 2019 an additional 720 square feet was added and became the Del Webb Gallery. The impetus behind the Museum’s success has been the remarkable number of volunteers who have acted as docents, board and committee members and a host of other duties that needed to be done. We still marvel that this small house was the gateway to an entirely new way of life for seniors. While it’s origins were lackluster, this first home was the start of a community with 27,500 rooftops, and unique home designs that still stagger the imagination. Think not, ask us about the model home that housed an indoor swimming pool in the living room, sunken spas and rooftop solar in 1976. Suffice to say, from very humble beginnings.
Enjoy a virtual museum tour with narration by Bill Pearson
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