Mav Realty

This is the second in a series of blogs about the Phoenix Metro area.  The previous blog, "Intro to the Valley of the Sun", provided a sketch of things to come.  Today we will cover History and Famous People.

The Hohokam Indians settled in the Salt River Valley around 300 BCE in an area that now includes Phoenix and Scottsdale.  Not a lot is known about this tribe, including why they vanished around 1400 CE.  It is thought to be due to prolonged drought.  The Hohokam were excellent engineers, constructing irrigation canals to support their life.  Much of the existing canal network utilized by the Salt River Project to bring water to the valley are laid out along the lines of these historic canals.  Not much is written in history between the Hohokams' disappearance and the 1800's, when settlers came and started growing along with the railroad construction of the 1880's. 

In the late 1860's, an area which is now east of Downtown Phoenix was settled as "Swillings Mill", after Jack Swilling, who had overseen the digging of a short canal from the Salt River to aid farming.  This settlement was later re-named "Phoenix", memorializing the birth of a new civilization from the ruins left by the Hohokam.  The town of Phoenix was officially recognized on May 4, 1868 when an election precinct was formed.  Phoenix was incorporated in 1881.

Phoenix is larger in total square miles than Los Angeles.  Phoenix is the largest state capital in the United States, with a greater population than any other state capital or Washington, D.C.

The area that is now Scottsdale was a Pima Indian village when settlers from the east started arriving.  In 1888, U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott paid $2.50 an acre for a 640 acre section of land in what is now Scottsdale. In December, 1888, Scott's brother, George Washington Scott, became the first resident of the future town.  In 1894 the name of the town was changed from Orangedale to Scottsdale.

Scottsdale has long been a destination for people looking for a respite from the colder climates, and those ordered by doctors to travel to dryer climates.  In 1937, internationally renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright set up his "winter camp" at the foot of the McDowell Mountains, creating what is now known as Taliesin West.

Scottsdale was incorporated in 1951. Scottsdale became popular as a resort destination and was a regular destination for the Hollywood crowd.  Many resorts popped up to quench the thirst of the vacationing public, such as the Hotel Valley Ho.  Many of these original resorts lost their luster in the 70's and 80's as newer, grander resorts were built further north in Scottsdale, away from the historic downtown area. 

There are more than 125 art galleries in Scottsdale, mostly in the downtown arts district. Scottsdale actually has the highest number of galleries per capita of any city in the country.  The downtown/Old Town area is being revitalized with new construction of high-end condos, as well as revamped resorts such as the aforementioned Valley Ho. Scottsdale is also home to many nationally-known contemporary art galleries. This area also includes many restaurants, bars, and nightclubs (to be covered further in another post). Streets are usually filled with walking traffic after 10pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

Scottsdale is home to over 70 hotels and resorts and dozens of golf courses. Scottsdale is best known as a premiere destination in the United States and the world for golfing. Recently named "America's Best Place to Live for Golf" by the Robb Report.

Phoenix and Scottsdale have their share of notable people.   Barry Goldwater (Senator), Steven Spielberg (Filmmaker), David Spade (actor/comedian), Alice Cooper (Musician), Sandra Day O'Connor (Supreme Court Justice), John McCain (Senator), Wayne Newton (Mr. Las Vegas) all started out here.   Countless others either were born and raised here, make the Valley their home, or both, including: musicians Alice Cooper, Dave Mustaine, Rob Halford, Brandy Norwood, Stevie Nicks, Glen Campbell, Rod Stewart, athletes Phil Mickelson, Danica Patrick, Mike Tyson, Charles Barkley, Wayne Gretzky, Muhammad Ali, radio personality Paul Harvey, actors Leslie Nielsen, Vince Vaughn, Rick Schroder, and cartoonist Bil Keane. Many celebrities own second homes in the area, including Britney Spears, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Aniston, Larry King, Elle Macpherson, and Jessica Simpson. Arizona's handful of billionaires also enjoy residing in this area including Geordie Hormel (recently deceased heir to the Hormel - think SPAM- fortune), Bennett Dorrance and the Sperling Family.  The valley has also been home to many movies and TV shows including,  Song of the South, The Gauntlet, Psycho, Raising Arizona, Waiting to Exhale, Jerry Maguire, The Prophecy, Used Cars, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (used as a stand-in for San Dimas, California), U Turn, Eight Legged Freaks, Wayne's World,  Blue Collar Comedy Tour:The Movie, Just One Of The Guys, Terminal Velocity, Taxi,  The Banger Sisters, Tank Girl and Transamerica.

If you missed the first installment of the series, please check out Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun - A GREAT Place to Live

Adam Tarr,ePro
Sharon Kotula, ABR
Your Phoenix Area Real Estate Source
RE/MAX Excalibur
Scottsdale,AZ
480-483-3333
info@WeAreAZRealEstate.com

www.WeAreAZRealEstate.com