In the early 1930s, John and Helen Murphey homesteaded a parcel of land near River Road and Campbell Avenue. At first they lived in a tent and made improvements on the land which eventually included a small house. After three years, the land was theirs. More land was later acquired through homesteads in the names of other family members. The Murpheys acquired 7,000 acres of foothills land at state land sales in December of 1936. This 7,000 acre property located north of the Rillito River became their flagship residential development, Catalina Foothills Estates. They developed most of this property, creating several subdivisions and building hundreds of homes.