Phoenix: Rising from the Desert

Phoenix, Arizona sits in the Sonoran Desert, where summer temperatures regularly soar above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet this city of 1.7 million people thrives in one of America's hottest and driest environments. Phoenix's story begins with ancient farmers and includes one of America's most dramatic urban transformations.

The Hohokam Legacy

Long before Europeans arrived, a people called the Hohokam lived in the Salt River Valley where Phoenix now stands. For over 1,000 years, from about 300 AD to 1450 AD, the Hohokam built an incredible network of irrigation canals—more than 135 miles of waterways that brought river water to desert fields. They grew corn, beans, squash, and cotton using engineering skills that amazed later settlers.

Then, mysteriously, the Hohokam civilization vanished around 1450 AD. Drought, floods, or disease may have driven them away. Their canals filled with sand, and the valley returned to desert for 400 years.

A Phoenix Rises

In 1867, a Confederate Army veteran named Jack Swilling saw the ancient canals and recognized their potential. He organized the Swilling Irrigating and Canal Company to rebuild the old waterways. The settlement that grew around these restored canals needed a name. Someone suggested "Phoenix"—like the mythical bird that rises from its own ashes, this city would rise from the ruins of the Hohokam civilization.

Phoenix became a town in 1881 and a city in 1888. That year, it beat out Prescott and Tucson to become Arizona Territory's capital. The territorial capital building, completed in 1901, featured a distinctive copper dome—copper being one of Arizona's most important resources.

On February 14, 1912, Arizona became the 48th state, and Phoenix became a state capital. At the time, only about 11,000 people lived there. Few could imagine it would one day become one of America's largest cities.

Water in the Desert

Phoenix's growth depended entirely on water engineering. In 1911, Theodore Roosevelt Dam was completed on the Salt River, creating a huge reservoir to store water for Phoenix. It was the tallest masonry dam in the world. More dams followed, and an extensive canal system using many of the old Hohokam routes brought water to the growing city.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Phoenix began promoting its warm, dry climate as a health destination. People with tuberculosis and other lung diseases moved to Phoenix for the healing desert air. Dude ranches and resorts attracted winter visitors from cold northern states.

Air Conditioning Changes Everything

Phoenix remained a relatively small city until World War II. The dry climate was perfect for pilot training and aircraft storage, bringing military bases and defense industries. But the real transformation came with air conditioning.

Before air conditioning, Phoenix summers were brutal. Businesses closed during the hottest afternoon hours. People slept outside on screened porches. Downtown buildings had rooftop sleeping areas. Summer was Phoenix's off season.

But in the 1950s, as air conditioning became affordable, Phoenix exploded. Suddenly, people could live and work comfortably year-round. The population doubled every decade. New neighborhoods sprawled across the desert. By 1960, Phoenix had 439,000 residents. By 1990, over 983,000. Today, the Phoenix metropolitan area called the Valley of the Sun has nearly 5 million people, making it America's fifth-largest city.

Desert Metropolis

Modern Phoenix is famous for its sprawling suburbs, golf courses, and swimming pools—all remarkable in a desert that receives only 8 inches of rain yearly. The city uses less water per person today than in 1980, thanks to conservation efforts and desert landscaping. Many homeowners have replaced grass lawns with native desert plants that need little water.

Phoenix is also a technology and education hub. Arizona State University, headquartered in nearby Tempe, is one of the largest universities in America. High-tech companies have joined traditional industries like aerospace and agriculture.