WELCOME TO ARIZONA
PHOENIX’S COLORFUL HISTORY The name “Phoenix” describes a mythical bird that lived from 600 to 800 years before building a nest of cinnamon twigs that it ignites, burning its nest and itself until both are reduced to ashes. But from the ashes, a new young phoenix arises to live again. That mythical story mirrors the colorful and cultural history of Phoenix itself, a city that had its beginnings more than 1,000 years ago when the Hohokam people lived on the land that would eventually become the vibrant city it is today. In 1868, the city was a small colony first named Swilling’s Mill and then changed to Helling Mill. It eventually became Mill City and then East Phoenix. It was Phillip Darrell Duppa, an early Arizona pioneer, who suggested the name Phoenix, since the new town would include the rebuilding and updating of the city’s ancient Hohokam canal systems – rebuilding anew from the proverbial ashes of the old. The City of Phoenix was officially recognized on May 4, 1868, when the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors formed an election precinct, and eventually incorporated in 1881. The state’s rich Native American cultural background informs its history, and Phoenix is no exception. There are 22 federally recog- nized Native American tribes in Arizona with a total population of about 300,000, many of whom reside in the Valley of the Sun. The area’s Pueblo Grande ruins, an ancient city occupied between 700 A.D. and 1400 A.D., embodies the city’s history where the wide Salt River ran through the Valley of the Sun. The city actually sits on the banks of the river, which is mostly dry today. The city’s location in central Arizona gave it preference as the state capital over Tucson or Prescott, and today it’s the only state capital with a city proper population of more than 1.4 million. It’s also the third-largest city in the western United States – just after Houston, Texas. The Phoenix metropolitan area includes the city itself, Maricopa County, most of Pinal County and parts of southern Yavapai County. The city’s combined metropolitan statistical area (MSA) population is just over
Experience Old Tucson Studios – a set for countless Western movies as well as a theme park. Built in 1938, it was revamped in 2011 with new sets, streets and buildings. While it’s still a must-see for any western die-hard, it also features “living history” presentations that feature educational programs about Hispanic, Chinese and Native American culture.
DEDICATION TO A LIVABLE CITY And the city is dedicated to making – and keeping – Phoenix a livable, safe city for its residents. For example, the City of Phoenix provides a School Safety program that is funded by a grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. That’s a commitment that continues with the Phoenix-area city of Goodyear winning the National Civic League-sponsored All- America City Award competition. Given since 1949, the award “recognizes civic excellence, honoring communities of all sizes in which citizens, government, businesses and voluntary organizations work together to explain how they are successfully resolving critical local issues.” The National Civic League has selected Phoenix as an “All-America City” five times. The All-America City award is given to communities across the United States that identify and tackle community-wide chal- lenges. Also, Businessweek.com identified Phoenix as, “…a magnet for Generation Y residents because of its history of having some of the nation’s best job opportunities.” Readers of TV Y Más magazine, a Spanish-language television guide, that year voted Phoenix as their “Best Place to Raise a Family,” and both Apartments.com and CbCampus.com rated Phoenix as number seven in its top 10 cities in the United States for recent college graduates. Valley Metro, an institution formed under the auspices of the Regional Public Trans- portation Authority, handles public transit in Phoenix and throughout Maricopa County, which is now more important than ever given the recent growing gas prices. It’s services include busing, local-area shuttles, Paratransit (for residents with medical challenges in need of transportation) and METRO — a new, 20-mile, $1.4 billion light-rail transit system that takes commuters though a metropolitan area that includes such major Valley of the Sun cities as Tempe and Mesa. Launched on December 27, 2008, future METRO plans include building 30 more miles of light rail lines by 2025. The bottom line is that Phoenix has a lot to offer, and has been recognized for its reason- able cost of living and universal appeal by national relocation companies and surveys.
PHOENIX
Phoenix and its more than 20 surrounding communities are known as the “Valley of the Sun” – and that’s not surprising, given Arizona’s climate and its blisteringly hot growth over the last several years. One of the leading regions of the Southwest during the real estate boom years of 2003 until about 2006, Phoenix and its neighboring communities have always benefited from an influx of relocating families, singles and retirees and continue to do so today. In 2022 the Phoenix area added 56,831 new residents, more than any other metropolitan area in the nation per a 2023 U.S. Census Bureau report. The U.S. Census Bureau has also estimated that by 2030 the population of Phoenix will reach 2.2 million with the metro area reaching about 6.3 million. Currently the Phoenix metropolitan area is home to over 4 million people. The Phoenix - Casa Grande - Tucson corridor is anticipated to be one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. Phoenix residents are not alone in recog- nizing the city’s appeal. The city has been praised by other organizations, including receiving the National Community Recycling Leadership Award from the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a non- profit public service organization dedicated to recycling rechargeable batteries and cell phones. The city is a diverse and exciting combination of factors – from its status as Arizona’ capital city and home to several major professional sports teams to its incredible scenery – the city is surrounded by mountains on all four sides – and a demographic that appeals to young singles to retirees and everyone in between. It’s true that there’s really something for everyone!
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