After leading the U.S. in population growth for over a decade, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, followed by the recession, led to a slowing in the growth of Phoenix. When active, the monsoon raises humidity levels and can cause heavy localized precipitation, flash floods, hail, destructive winds, and dust storms—which can rise to the level of a haboob in some years. As the city has expanded, average summer low temperatures have been steadily rising. In fact, people, pets, and other animals exposed to high concentrations of PM10 dust particles―primarily from dust storms or from disturbed agricultural or construction sites―are at risk of contracting Valley Fever, a fungal lung infection. That same month the city had an unprecedented streak of 31 days with 110 °F (43 °C)+ highs that lasted from June 30 to July 30. On June 26, 1990, the temperature reached an all-time recorded high of 122 °F (50 °C).
Several television series have been set in Phoenix, including Alice (1976–85), the 2000s paranormal drama Medium, the 1960–61 syndicated crime drama The Brothers Brannagan, and The New Dick Van Dyke Show from 1971 to 1974. Several smaller theaters including Trunk Space, the Mesa Arts Center, The Van Buren, the Crescent Ballroom, Celebrity Theatre, and Modified Arts support regular independent musical and theater performances. Concerts take place at Mortgage Matchup Center and Comerica Theatre in downtown Phoenix, Ak-Chin Pavilion in Maryvale, Gila River Arena in Glendale, and Gammage Auditorium in Tempe (the last public building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright). Intel has one of their largest sites in the area, employing about 12,000 employees, the second largest Intel location in the country. Honeywell’s Aerospace division is headquartered in Phoenix, and the valley hosts many of their avionics and mechanical facilities. The city averaged a four percent annual growth rate over a 40-year period from the mid-1960s to the mid-2000s.
Health care
The Maricopa Association of Governments has a bicycle advisory committee working to improve conditions for bicycling on city streets and off-road paths. Presidents, with the north–south streets named after Native Americans; but the north–south streets were quickly changed to numbers, with numbered Avenues running to the west of Central, and numbered Streets to its east. The one notable exception to this is the diagonal Grand Avenue, which runs northwest–southeast. The street system in Phoenix (and some of its suburbs) is laid out in a grid system, with most roads oriented either north–south or east–west, and the zero point of the grid being the intersection of Central Avenue and Washington Street.
Post-World War II explosive growth
They created roughly 135 miles (217 kilometers) of irrigation canals, making the desert land arable, and paths of these canals were used for the Arizona Canal, Central Arizona Project Canal, and the Hayden-Rhodes Aqueduct. It is in the northeastern reaches of the Sonoran Desert and is known for its hot desert climate. Cotton, cattle, citrus, climate, and copper were known locally as the “Five C’s” anchoring Phoenix’s economy. Its canal system led to a thriving farming community with the original settlers’ crops, such as alfalfa, cotton, citrus, and hay, remaining important parts of the local economy for decades. Phoenix was settled in 1867 as an agricultural community near the confluence of the Salt and Gila Rivers and was incorporated as a city in 1881. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital.
26 Things to Conquer on Your Phoenix Bucket List
On average, there are 111 days annually with a high of at least 100 °F (38 °C), including most days from the end of May through late September. The city is within one of the world’s sunniest regions, with its sunshine duration comparable to the Sahara region. Native amphibian species include the Couch’s spadefoot toad, Chiricahua leopard frog, and the Sonoran desert toad. Feral birds were first observed living outdoors in 1987, probably escaped or released pets, and by 2010 the Greater Phoenix population had grown to about 950 birds. The greater Phoenix region is home to the only thriving feral population of rosy-faced lovebirds in the U.S. Since 1979, the city of Phoenix has been divided into urban villages, many of which are based upon historically significant neighborhoods and communities that have since been annexed into Phoenix.
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- Smaller airports that primarily handle private and corporate jets include Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, in the Deer Valley district of north Phoenix, and Scottsdale Airport, just east of the Phoenix/Scottsdale border.
- The city of Phoenix includes national parks, Maricopa County parks and city parks.
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The Maricopa County Community College District includes ten community colleges and two skills centers throughout Maricopa County, providing adult education and job training. The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix is also located in downtown Phoenix, as well as a satellite Phoenix Biomedical Campus of Northern Arizona University. The campus features programs from ten of ASU’s colleges, including the primary locations for the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions, and Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Arizona State University (ASU) is the region’s largest institution of higher education. Phoenix is also served by a growing number of charter schools, with well over 100 operating in the city.
What’s Happening in Greater Phoenix
On any given night, local and touring acts such as Lil Wayne, 6LACK, and others light up the stage at the Van Buren. The horses roam along the banks where many visitors kayak and tube and can easily be spotted along your route, depending on the time of day. As if the beautiful scenery surrounding the Lower Salt River wasn’t enough, one of the most jaw-dropping sights found along an 18-mile stretch of the river are the wild horses who call the river home.
While some of the native flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert can be found within Phoenix city limits, most are found in the suburbs and the undeveloped desert areas that surround the city. Even though it is the fifth most populated city in the United States, the large area gives it a low density rate of approximately 2,797 people per square mile. The once “modest urban sprawl” now “grew by ‘epic’ proportions—not only a myriad of residential tract developments on both farmland and desert.” Retail outlets and office complexes spread out and did not concentrate in the small downtown area. Other than the mountains in and around the city, Phoenix’s topography is generally flat, which allows the city’s main streets to run on a precise grid with wide, open-spaced roadways. The Phoenix Symphony Hall opened in 1972; other major structures which saw construction downtown during this decade were the First National Bank Plaza, the Valley Center (the tallest building in Arizona), and the Arizona Bank building.
(Take a sip of your margarita every time a Phoenix local says, “At least it’s a dry heat!”) It is the fifth-largest metro area in the US, but this city does not enthusiastically embrace the hustle and bustle of its counterparts. Pocket Guides are compact guides for short trips that offer the best local experiences.
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- From apparel to accessories, each piece is a nod to Phoenix’s unique charm, including designs celebrating the Salt River, Cactus League, and the Spring Superbloom.
- The team has played all of its home games in the same downtown park, now known as Chase Field.
- While being the fifth most populous city in the nation, Phoenix’s freeways do not suffer from the same type of congestion seen in other large cities.
- In 1965 the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum opened at the Arizona State Fairgrounds, west of downtown.
Sky Harbor Airport, which serves the Greater Phoenix area, serves about vegas casino app 45 million passengers a year, ranking it among the nation’s 10 busiest airports. Starting with promotions back in the 1920s, the industry has grown into one of the top 10 in the city. These architectural studios embrace the desert climate, and are unconventional in their approach to the practice of design. In April 2009, artist Janet Echelman installed Her Secret Is Patience, a netted sculpture suspended above Phoenix Civic Space Park that makes patterns of desert wind visible. The Artlink organization and the galleries downtown launched a First Friday cross-Phoenix gallery opening. The Tonatierra Community Development Institute focuses specifically on protecting indigenous culture in the city.
Shift times will vary upon business need. Pay offers are dependent on the location, as well as job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation should contact the nearest Nordstrom location, which can be identified at This role is responsible for independently managing and adjusting a wide range of general liability claims, including customer injury, property damage, and product liability matters. Behind every great experience is a team making sure the products are delivered accurately and efficiently. Our cooks, chefs, and baristas create hand-crafted meals and drinks that elevate the Nordstrom experience.
Many annual events in and near Phoenix celebrate the city’s heritage and its diversity. Other popular sites in the city are Japanese Friendship Garden, Historic Heritage Square, Phoenix Mountains Park, Pueblo Grande Museum, Tovrea Castle, Camelback Mountain, Hole in the Rock, Mystery Castle, St. Mary’s Basilica, Taliesin West, and the Wrigley Mansion. The adjacent Phoenix Botanical Gardens, opened in 1939, are acclaimed worldwide for their art and flora exhibits and educational programs, featuring the largest collection of arid plants in the U.S. The Phoenix Zoo is the largest privately owned nonprofit zoo in the United States.
The team has played all of its home games in the same downtown park, now known as Chase Field. The year following their move to the new arena, the Suns made it to the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history, losing to Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, four games to two. The Phoenix Suns were the first major sports team in Phoenix, being granted a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise in 1968. Phoenix boasts cuisines from all over the world, such as barbecue, Cajun/Creole, Greek, Hawaiian, Irish, Japanese, Italian, fusion, Persian, Indian (South Asian), Korean, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, southwestern, Tex-Mex, Vietnamese, Brazilian, and French. Macayo’s (a Mexican restaurant chain) was established in Phoenix in 1946, and other major Mexican restaurants include Garcia’s (1956) and Manuel’s (1964). Phoenix is also renowned for its Mexican food, thanks to its large Hispanic population and its proximity to Mexico.
The city also hosts several major professional golf events, including the LPGA’s Founder’s Cup and, since 1932, The Phoenix Open of the PGA Tour.The Phoenix Marathon is a new addition to the city’s sports scene, and is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. The population boom has brought people from all over the nation, and to a lesser extent from other countries, and has since influenced the local cuisine. South Mountain Park, the largest municipal park in the U.S., is also the highest desert mountain preserve in the world. Another major force in architectural landscape of the city was Ralph Haver whose firm, Haver & Nunn, designed commercial, industrial and residential structures throughout the valley. The population density is 2,797.8 people per square mile, and the city’s median age is 32.2 years, with only 10.9 of the population being over 62.
Urban summit hikes at Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak are grinding natural stair steppers best tackled by experience hikers. The city of Phoenix has a wealth of programs and activities to assist businesses, both large and small. Phoenix Parks and Recreation Pass is your key to accessing great amenities and exciting programs citywide. Please change the scheduled time and publish to show again or delete. And springtime means it’s time for the Arizona Renaissance Festival and spring training. Explore a sampling of #myphx photos below, then share your Phoenix experiences on Instagram.
People
The railroad’s arrival in the valley in the 1880s was the first of several events that made Phoenix a trade center whose products reached eastern and western markets. The Territorial Legislature passed the Phoenix Charter Bill, incorporating Phoenix and providing a mayor-council government; Governor John C. Fremont signed the bill on February 25, 1881, officially incorporating Phoenix as a city with a population of around 2,500. In October 1870, valley residents met to select a new townsite for the valley’s growing population. He formed the Swilling Irrigation and Canal Company that year, dug a large canal that drew in river water, and erected several crop fields in a location that is now within the eastern portion of central Phoenix near its airport. The fort established a camp on the south side of the Salt River by 1866, which was the first settlement in the valley after the decline of the Hohokam. Phoenix is also one of the largest plurality Hispanic cities in the United States, with 42% of its population being Hispanic.
If you want to be in the middle of the action, that’s the perfect time to visit the Valley. The pink-streaked sunsets will stop you in your tracks, so take the time to savor them before diving into Phoenix’s buzzing nightlife. Join our community to get discounts, travel inspiration and trip ideas – just in time for summer! We’ve compiled the definitive list of the best places to visit – all year long – when the crowds dissipate and the local vibe comes to life.
Notable people
The city of Phoenix includes national parks, Maricopa County parks and city parks. In 2001, the Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees four games to three in the World Series, becoming the city’s first professional sports franchise to win a national championship while in Arizona. Since opening in 1962, it has developed an international reputation for its efforts on animal conservation, including breeding and reintroducing endangered species into the wild. The Phoenix Art Museum has the southwest’s largest collection of visual art, containing more than 17,000 works of contemporary and modern art from around the world. The largest downtown performing art venue is the Herberger Theater Center, which houses three performance spaces and is home to two resident companies, the Arizona Theatre Company and the Centre Dance Ensemble.
As the capital of Arizona, Phoenix houses the state legislature, along with numerous state government agencies, many of which are in the State Capitol district immediately west of downtown. Sunshine Review gave the city’s website a Sunny Award for its transparency efforts. The mayor and city council members each have equal voting power in regards to setting city policy and passing rules and regulations. While the mayor is elected in a citywide election, Phoenix City Council members are elected by votes only in the districts they represent, with both the Mayor and the Council members serving four-year terms. Today, Phoenix represents the largest municipal government of this type in the country. The Desert Botanical Garden, which opened in 1939, is one of the few public gardens in the country dedicated to desert plants and displays desert plant life from all over the world.