History of Scottsdale

Phoenix is a sprawling metropolis, known as the Valley of the Sun, which encompasses several smaller towns surrounding the central downtown area. The upscale area of Scottsdale, which makes up part of the eastern flank of Phoenix, is one of the nicer parts of the city and has its own unique history.

Early civilisation

The original settlers in the Valley were the Hohokam Indians, who lived in and farmed the area now known as Scottsdale by building a vast network of irrigation canals which carried water from the Salt River to their settlements. Despite being desert land, the soil in this valley is relatively fertile, and this allowed the Hohokam to thrive.

Using only sharp wooden digging sticks and hoes made from thin slabs of rock they managed to build a thriving community in this harsh environment. Their civilisation reached its peak period between 700 and 1400 AD when they built and lived in the Pueblo Grande (Big City). The source of their success and survival was the irrigation canals which stretched over 217kms and remained in use until the Hohokam’s demise. They simply disappeared around 1450 AD, the reason for this still remaining a mystery. They are considered to be the ancestors of the modern Pima and Tohono O’odham Indian tribes who now occupy the Gila River and Salt River reservations of southern Arizona.

Humble beginnings

In 1888, a US Army Chaplain, named Winfield Scott, bought 640 acres of land in what is now Scottsdale. By the following year, he and his brother had dug irrigation channels as well as planted fields of barley, a vineyard and a citrus orchard. In 1891, Scott began soliciting settlers to come and live in his town, whose original name was Orangedale. When the Post Office arrived in 1897, the name was officially changed to Scottsdale in honour of its founder.

Winfield Scott was no Wild West gunslinger. He was a preacher, farmer, businessman and developer. Upon his arrival in the Valley, there were a mere 3,000 people living in the Phoenix area with seven hotels, eight restaurants and a few bars.

Economic growth

This peripheral community of Phoenix thrived off the larger city’s booming success and expanded its farming to satisfy the needs of its neighbour. As more businesses, such as a blacksmith, barber shop and school moved into Scottsdale, the village quickly turned into a town. During World War I, a cotton gin opened to help process locally grown cotton which was in high demand during the war.

A new town

Phoenix continued to boom with its wartime industrial and mass agriculture production, while Scottsdale quietly thrived as a retreat for the wealthy and artistic. In the early 1900s, the adobe home of an artist became the Jokake Inn, Scottsdale’s first resort. Soon after, the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright bought some land in the area and opened Taliesin West, his architectural school and winter retreat. As its popularity increased, the town of Scottsdale was officially incorporated in 1921 with a population of 2,000.

During the 1950s, a Life Magazine article named Scottsdale ‘one of the most desirable communities in the West’. As one of the most influential magazines of its time, this endorsement greatly helped the city’s population and building boom. People looking for a healthier life-style arrived in droves, seeking relief from Tuberculosis, asthma and simply the cold harshness of northern winters. Many of the fighter pilots who trained at Scottsdale Airfield during World War II spread the word and returned with their families, after the war.

Modern times

Today’s Scottsdale is a thriving southwestern city which combines all of the charm of the old west with the luxury of the new. This little farming community has evolved into an upscale resort area with some of the world’s finest hotels, spas and shopping.