Downtown Phoenix, AZ Living

Downtown Phoenix Living
What to do in Downtown Phoenix, a Peek Into its Future, and its Historical Path

Downtown Phoenix, AZ is just exploding with growth in all areas.

Culture, culture, culture. That's what Phoenix, AZ residents have been craving.

Here, you'll learn everything about the massive growth Phoenix, AZ is experiencing and the future it holds, and of course, its past. You'll be able to examine some incredible data on Phoenix's History which will give you an idea of how, why & where the growth in downtown Phoenix is heading.

You'll also be linked to TONS of fun & cool stuff happening downtown, midtown and all around town RIGHT NOW! And, you'll be able to see what's on its way.

Not only in Real Estate, but in the culture that's finally coming to Phoenix, in food, in entertainment, in politics, in education, in business and much, much more, Phoenix is well on its way to becoming the next major megatropolis with urbanization happening everywhere.

Also, check out a couple of my resource pages that will take you just about to anything you want or need.

Introduction to Phoenix

Phoenix, AZ, is now the fifth largest city in the United States. According to U.S. Census data, Phoenix is the 14th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Phoenix is also the capital of Arizona, as well as the largest city and largest metropolitan area in Arizona. Phoenix is the largest capital city by population, and the third largest capital city by area in the United States.

Phoenix is located in central Arizona, in the southeastern United States. It is 20 minutes west of Tempe, and 20 minutes southwest of Scottsdale. Phoenix is home to more than five Fortune 1000 company headquarters, including well-recognized names such as Avnet, Phelps Dodge, and PetSmart. Nearby Tempe is home to US Airways. Other companies with major operations in Phoenix include: Intel, Motorola, AlliedSignal, Honeywell, Boeing, American Express, Prudential, Charles Schwab and more.

Phoenix has received the National Civic League's prestigious "All-America City" Award four times. In 1993, Phoenix was selected as the "Best Run City in the World" by the Bertelsmann Foundation of Germany.

Phoenix has an arid climate that is characterized by some of the hottest seasonal temperatures anywhere. Phoenix averages 325 sunny days and less than eight inches of rain a year. The hottest recorded summer temperature was 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Snow is very rare in Phoenix, though it still can occur occasionally.

About Phoenix

Phoenix is the capitol of Arizona state, and was incorporated as a city on February 5, 1881. Phoenix is located in central Arizona in the southwestern United States, 118 miles (188 kilometers) northwest of Tucson. Phoenix is Arizona's largest city and largest metropolitan area by population. It is also the county seat of Maricopa County and the principal city of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Phoenix is appropriately called Hoozdo, or "the place is hot", in the Navajo language and Fiinigis in the Western Apache language.

In 2006 Phoenix was the sixth largest city in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The 2000 U.S. Census reported the Phoenix Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as the fourteenth largest in the U.S., with a population of 3,251,876. The city's MSA grew to an estimated 3,790,000 by 2004. Between 1990 and 2000, the metropolitan area grew by 34 percent, making it the eighth fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S. Phoenix is the largest capital city by population in the U.S., and the third largest capital city by area in the U.S. Phoenix has been selected four times since 1950 as an All-America City, rare among larger cities. The hallmark of an All-America City is the extent to which its private citizens get involved in the workings of their government. Thousands of citizens have served on various city committees, boards and commissions to assure that major decisions are in the best interest of the people.

Phoenix History

The original settlers of what was to become Phoenix were the Hohokam Indian people, who lived there as early as 300 BC. The first non-native American settlers founded a farming community near what was to become Phoenix. The Town of Phoenix was officially recognized in May of 1868. Phoenix was incorporated as a city in 1881. At that time it had a population of approximately 2,500 people.

Some key dates in Phoenix's history include:

In 1911, the Theodore Roosevelt Dam near Phoenix, then the largest masonry dam in the world, began operation.

In 1912, Phoenix became a state capital with Arizona statehood.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge sold 13,000 acres of South Mountain to Phoenix. This was to become South Mountain Park, which, at its present size of 16,500 acres, is the largest metropolitan park in the world. Every year South Mountain Park sees three million visitors.

Phoenix Arts and Culture

Phoenix is a center of arts and culture. Phoenix offers museums, the performing arts, and much more. Some of Phoenix's more notable museums include:

The Arizona Science Center

The Desert Botanical Garden in nearby Papago Salado

The Heard Museum

The Phoenix Art Museum

The Phoenix Museum of History

The Phoenix Zoo in nearby Papago Salado

The Pueblo Grande Museum and Cultural Park in nearby Papago Salado

For patrons of the performing arts, Phoenix has a lot to offer. Some of the more notable attractions include:

The Actor's Theatre of Phoenix

The Arizona Opera

Ballet Arizona

The Herberger Theater Center

The Orpheum Theatre

The Phoenix Symphony Orchestra

The Phoenix Theatre

Phoenix Sports and Leisure

Phoenix has plenty to offer to keep sports fans happy. Phoenix is home to the following major sports teams:

Baseball - The Major League Baseball (MLB), Arizona Diamondbacks. In addition, in the spring of every year, nine major league baseball teams come to the Phoenix area for spring training.

Basketball - The National Basketball Association (NBA) Phoenix Suns, and the WNBA Phoenix Mercury.

Football - The National Football League (NFL) Arizona Cardinals.

Hockey - The National Hockey League (NHL) Phoenix Coyotes.

Lacrosse - The National Lacrosse League (NLL) Arizona Sting play in nearby Glendale.

Nearby Tempe is also home to the NCAA College Football Fiesta Bowl and Insight Bowl. Phoenix is also often referred to as the "golf capital of the world" with more than 200 golf courses in the greater Phoenix area.

Phoenix's dry and sunny climate make it an ideal location for a wide variety of outdoor activities. In addition to "normal" outdoor activities such as roller-blading, biking, horseback riding, hiking, boating and more, Phoenix is an ideal location for more exotic outdoor activities such as hot-air ballooning, or soaring in a glider.

Phoenix "Must See" Attractions

Phoenix has attractions too numerous to do justice in a simple list. Some of Phoenix's more unique attractions include:

The Desert Botanical Garden

The Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum

The Pueblo Grande Museum and Cultural Park

South Mountain Park, the largest municipal park in the world

Phoenix at Night

As one would expect of a city in the southwest, Phoenix restaurants offer wonderful southwestern, Latino, and Mexican cuisine. But Phoenix also offers a good selection of other cuisine, including eastern cuisine such as Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese, as well as the cuisine of many other cultures. If interests turn more to the evening nightclub scene, Phoenix offers everything from brew pubs, to sports bars, dance clubs, and country. Good places to look for the latest venues and happenings include "The Rep Entertainment Guide" section of the Arizona Republic, the weekly New Times, and Where Phoenix/Scottsdale Magazine.

Downtown Phoenix

The downtown area of Phoenix has been undergoing a major facelift since the building of the US Airways Center (formerly America West Arena) and Chase Field (formerly Bank One Ballpark). Coffeehouses, restaurants, nightclubs and shopping in the Arizona Center continue to draw people downtown for the hopping nightlife. Many new restaurants have blossomed, including A League Of Our Own. Incorporating the themes of Phoenix's early history with culture and local events, Copper Square is a full square-mile hotspot for activities and action. Downtown attractions include a walk in the park at Patriots Square or delve into the new Arizona Science Center, Phoenix Museum of History or the Phoenix Art Museum.

Phoenix Historical Homes Districts

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