Historical Background

The historical roots of Scottsdale run deep in agriculture, which Native people were the first to develop. Prior to written history, the Hohokam farmed this area, from about 300-1500 CE. These resourceful people built a unique irrigation system that included more than 200 miles of complex canals. Believed to have originated in Mexico, the Hohokam traveled to the Central Arizona area sometime around 300 CE, forming an agricultural community. Progressive farming techniques afforded this ingenious group the opportunity to support a larger than normal community for that time period.

Around 1500 CE, this group appears to have mysteriously vanished for reasons that remain unclear. The local Pima Indians originally referred to these industrious and intelligent people as the Hohokam, which translates "Vanished Ones." Theories have arisen regarding their disappearance, with plausible explanations including plague or drought.

Early European settlers found the area enchanting, and many continued the farming tradition. The founder of Scottsdale, Winfield Scott, moved to the area on the advice of his brother who had relocated with his wife to the Valley of the Sun due to health concerns. The two men farmed together, producing peanuts, sweet potatoes and oranges.

Low humidity levels and low pollen counts brought many here in the early years that had allergies or other chronic ailments. As the population grew, the need for more services arose. In 1896, the first one-room schoolhouse appeared. Fewer than 2,000 people lived in this farming community at that time.

More people began visiting and relocating to the area, enjoying the clean air and abundant spaces. J.L. Davis opened the first retail store in 1897 in order to serve the needs of the people. World War I brought with it a demand for the long fibered Pima cotton produced by Scottsdale farmers. In 1920, the invention of the cotton gin made it possible to process this resource. More services and jobs continued to cause population growth.

Maybe it's in the subtle continuity of the spacious vistas, or the natural order of the desert wildlife. Whatever the attraction, many designers and artists are drawn to this area, among them Frank Lloyd Wright and Paolo Soleri.

The 1940s brought World War II and a need for pilots, so a training facility was built in the location that is currently the Scottsdale Airport.

Incorporated in 1951, Scottsdale's popularity as a vacationing oasis has since increased substantially. Mayor Malcolm White first coined the well-known phrase calling Scottsdale "the West's most Western town." Catering to both leisure and business travelers, the community successfully found ways to balance both the need to preserve the past while ensuring a successful future.

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