How did Phoenix become the capital/most populated area of Arizona? (Tucson: real estate, homes)

[urbex]

Just to start, this is NOT yet another "OMG!!!! It's so HOT!!! HOW do you live in Phoenix?!?!?!?" thread, though the heat is one of my points :P I really don't mind the heat, though the monsoon humidity kicks my butt big time...

Something I've never seen in the Phoenix/Arizona history is the how/why the Phoenix area became the most popular area of Arizona. Given the general lack of water, and the brutal summer heat (before air conditioning became common), it seems illogical that Phoenix would have become the popular area to settle. Logically, it would seem that areas like Flagstaff, Payson, or even Prescott would have been more popular "back then". Heck, even the Tucson area at least has some high elevation mountain ranges close by that routinely see heavy snowfalls in the winter and seem to see more of the rain fall in the summer.

So what was the draw to Phoenix?

[wit-nit]

Probably because that was where the most population was settling...It's the 4th move for the Capitol....

Did You Know: Capital Of Arizona Moved 4 Times Before Settling In Phoenix | KJZZ


Phoenix Arizona History

[TempeAZnative]

Probably has something to do with the salt river actually flowed before it was dammed off. Notice how the oldest parts of Phoenix and Tempe are along the salt river.

[JGMotorsport64]

But for the dams Phoenix is naturally an oasis with a lot of surface water. The surface water and the long grow season=lots of out of state investment.

Tucson is the older and more established city, but it has very little surface water.

[goolsbyjazz]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

But for the dams Phoenix is naturally an oasis with a lot of surface water. The surface water and the long grow season=lots of out of state investment.

Tucson is the older and more established city, but it has very little surface water.

Interesting. Never looked at it that way before.

[azdr0710]

Phoenix existed first (1860s/pre-city establishment) as a govt-contract hay supply operation for Ft McDowell army horses.....water from the Salt River enabled this......later (late 1800s), general farming became prevalent with increased Salt River irrigation (canals).....by the early 1900s, the valley also became popular with TB patients and wealthy Easterners looking for a winter getaway....then the reliable year-round weather helped make it popular as a WW2 training area....by the 1950s, true air-conditioning (refrigeration) became affordable and common in newer homes...........

and the rest is (you know what)......

why it became capital is a whole 'nother story (see links in posts above)

[Ponderosa]

Comfort takes a distant back seat to commerce in development. Ag led the way. The Salt River valley has vast water resources, level land and fertile soils, and was a magnet for Mormon pioneers. Phoenix is the only area in the state that has adequate water resources to sustain significant agriculture and a very large population. Furthermore, the challenges of moving goods for trade in the mountains was significantly greater than in the flat deserts of the Salt/Gila Rivers. Once the ball begins to roll...

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by wit-nit

Probably because that was where the most population was settling...It's the 4th move for the Capitol....

Did You Know: Capital Of Arizona Moved 4 Times Before Settling In Phoenix | KJZZ


Phoenix Arizona History

Good stuff, Wit-Nit . . . more proof we are never too old to learn.

[BIG CATS]

River access, ancient Native irrigation, and flatness Im sure were major contributors.

[ShampooBanana]

The earliest settlers came by and saw the ancient irrigation canals left by the Hohokam people. They decided they could be rebuilt and improved to sustain viable farmland thanks to the Salt River. Once there were enough settlers, there was some political maneuvering but it made sense due to geography for Phoenix to become what was then the territorial capital. That again brought more people, roads were built, and in the very early 1900s a major works project (Salt River Project, i.e. SRP) funded by the government was built (Roosevelt Dam, and others) to control the Salt River watershed and supply reliable water to the Valley for farming, people, and businesses to use.


More people came, more roads were built linking Phoenix to LA and other parts of the southwest and the country. Phoenix was touted as an ideal place for people suffering from certain ailments, like tuberculosis, due to the dryness and year-round warm temperatures. By the time WW2 happened, Phoenix was already identified as an ideal place for flight training thanks to clear skies and good weather (and general flatness to build multiple runways and landing strips). The military presence exploded during WW2 and many pilots were trained at places like Luke AFB and Williams Field (now Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport). A lot of them liked and remembered Phoenix and either came back or stayed. It also became a popular place for harsh weather heat testing for automakers and heavy equipment manufacturers so many test tracks were built (some still remain).


By the 1950's air conditioning was becoming a thing, and REALLY made living in Phoenix a year-round viable option for many. The population exploded as Phoenix commerce people touted it as an ideal winter resort and retirement destination. Resorts sprouted up all over town, many located in and around Scottsdale/Camelback areas. The Biltmore being one of the oldest and most celebrated. The retirement destination concept really got into full swing by the 1960s, and Del Webb created the original Sun City which attracted thousands upon thousands from all over the country to live in a planned community where you could play golf everyday and engage in social activities with other seniors close to your age, all in once single affordable place.


By the 1970s there was enough critical mass and enough word was out that as the population of the country shifted to the Sun Belt, Phoenix was high on the list for many seeking to escape declining manufacturing areas in the Midwest and East in the hopes of finding better opportunities in a place with sunny weather and still affordable housing. A burgeoning tech industry and the growth of Phoenix as a place for many regional headquarters helped fuel this growth. The real estate/construction industry took over from there and massive growth in suburbia occurred from the 1970s on through the present day. While Phoenix is still valued as a retirement destination, many move here for the same reasons as before - jobs, a new start, the weather - but also because people seek these things in a place that is still relatively affordable as compared to whence they came (Californians).