Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix has become an oasis amidst the desert sands, and visitors flock here for several different reasons: warm winter temperatures, spectacular desert scenery, and more days of sunshine per year than anywhere else in the United States. Located in the "Valley of the Sun" on the upper edge of the Sonoran Desert, Phoenix has become the fifth largest city in the United States. In fact, Phoenix has grown so much that the communities of Glendale, Mesa, Scottsdale, and Tempe, have become its suburbs. Despite this astronomical growth, the Carl Bertelsmann Prize named it "The Best Run City in the World" in 1993.
History
The first people to settle and farm in the Phoenix area were the Hohokam Native Americans who arrived around 300 AD. They built miles of waterways from the water of the Salt River, which fed their crops and villages. It is a mystery why these ancient people vanished, but the accepted theory is that their settlement was destroyed by a long, merciless drought. In 1867, a farmer by the name of Jack Swilling of Wickenburg discovered the environment of Phoenix to be quite appropriate for farming. He formed an irrigation canal company and began digging.
Not long after water began flowing into the region, an increasing number of settlers arrived and established permanent homesteads. One resident by the name of Darrell Duppa recommended they name the town "Phoenix" after an Egyptian legend, which told of a bird that was burned in its nest. From its ashes, arose a new and more beautiful bird. Duppa and other settlers shared the belief that Phoenix too would arise from the ashes of ancient cultures and grow into a new and more beautiful city.
In 1874, Ulysses S. Grant issued a patent for the site of Phoenix and the city was officially incorporated on Feb. 15, 1881. Phoenix was surveyed and lots were established within the 96 blocks of the town site. It remained a small farming community until the 1930s when tourism began to flourish due to the warm climate, healthy environment and the completion of the Arizona Biltmore Hotel.
Attention Sports Fans
Today, Phoenix offers activities for every taste and interest. From golf, hiking, and baseball to picnicking and sightseeing, this dynamic city has it all. Golf especially has transformed this barren desert into a land of lush, groomed lawns. The courses are everywhere and vary from affordable public courses to exclusive country clubs. The Wigwam Resort is one of many golf havens that has won top honors for its 3 - 18 hole championship courses on the property.
Every March, Phoenix and the surrounding vicinities swell when Major League Baseball comes to town. Several training camps are spread throughout the area, and die-hard fans can see their favorite players up close. Adding to the sports frenzy are the Arizona Diamondbacks, the newest baseball franchise, the NBA's Phoenix Suns, the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, not to mention all the collegiate sports at Arizona State University in Tempe.
The Great Outdoors
The desert is a marvelous place to enjoy the outdoors and recreational activities. Many visitors go to the desert to camp, hike and experience the unique environment only found in the American Southwest. "The Apache Trail combines the grandeur of the Alps, the glory of the Rockies, the magnificence of the Grand Canyon and then adds an indefinable something that none of the others have. To me, it is the most awe-inspiring and most sublimely beautiful panorama nature has created," said President Theodore Roosevelt. There are several touring outfits that offer jeep tours, hiking, backpacking treks, and outdoor adventures throughout this unique and lovely area. But you needn't go far to enjoy spectacular views. Camelback Mountain, Squaw Peak and South Mountain are located right in town.
If you are in the mood for a day trip, there are several historical locales nearby. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument lies southeast of town. This enormous 4-story structure built around 1350 AD, is the largest pre-historic building in Arizona, and there is speculation that it served as an astronomical observatory. Beyond Mesa is Goldfield Ghost Town, an authentic 1890s town where you can tour an underground mine and see how settlers first managed to tame the Wild West. At the northeast edge of Scottsdale is Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesen West, which served as the famous architect's winter headquarters. Now a learning cooperative for architects, this national landmark offers a variety of tours. Paolo Soleri, another architectural genius, has a workshop and headquarters near Scottsdale where visitors can see a scale model of Arcosanti, a futuristic city that Soleri and his students have been building for two decades.
Fun! Fun! Fun!
Phoenix offers an abundance of accommodations, dining, and shopping that will appeal to every taste. From the historic Arizona Biltmore Resort in downtown Phoenix, which has been home to celebrities, heads of states, captains of industries and other famous travelers, to the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, which opened as a resort hotel in 1929, visitors will have no lack of lodgings to choose from. The dining is spectacular and there are many five star offerings. J. Cook's at The Royal Palms in the Camelback district of Phoenix, and Mary Elaine's at the Phoenician in Scottsdale are only two of several fine-dining destinations. If you prefer something more casual, Toolie's, a long time Phoenix institution, is a saloon featuring a barn-size wooden dance floor. And don't forget Rustler's Roof, which features rattlesnake on the menu…yummy.
While in Scottsdale, don't forget to shop! Although Scottsdale touts its Western roots, it is more akin to Rodeo Drive than a rodeo, and it offers upscale boutiques and over 100 art galleries. Old Towne Tempe near the campus of ASU is known for its boutiques and open-air restaurants, and it also serves as a popular rock and roll nightspot on Friday and Saturday nights. The new Arizona Center is a complex of 60 restaurants, nightclubs, and shops in a sculpture-filled setting across the street from the Herberger Theater. There is also the Biltmore Fashion Plaza featuring upscale shops and restaurants in the Biltmore District of Phoenix.
Conclusion
Phoenix is a city of contradictions, offering a park-like setting amidst a harsh desert environment and a welcome respite from temperatures that are known to hover above the 100 degree mark much of the year. It is a city unlike any other, with a rich and diverse history and an enthusiastic eye towards the future.
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