| The first people to settle and
farm in the Phoenix area were the Hohokam Native Americans who arrived around 300 AD. They
built 135 miles of waterways which fed their crops and villages from the water of the Salt
River. It is still a mystery why these ancient people vanished, but the accepted theory is
their settlement was destroyed by a long drought. It wasn't until the 1800s that modern history began to rebuild from these
prehistoric ashes. In 1867, a farmer by the name of Jack Swilling of Wickenburg discovered
the conditions of Phoenix to be quite suitable for farming. He established an irrigation
canal company and began digging canals.
 Not long after water began flowing into the region, a growing number
of settlers arrived to establish permanent homesteads. A resident by the name of Darrell
Duppa suggested that they name the town "Phoenix" after the Phoenix Bird of
Egyptian legend -- a bird that was burned in its nest and from the ashes a new and more
beautiful bird arose. Druppa and other settlers felt that the town would rise from the
ashes of the ancient cultures who had occupied the land so long before and grow into a new
and more beautiful city.
In 1874 a patent for the site of Phoenix
was issued by Ulysses S. Grant and the city was officially incorporated on Feb. 15, 1881.
Phoenix was surveyed and lots were established within the 96 blocks of the townsite.
Phoenix remained a small farming community
until the 1930s when tourism began to flourish due to the warm climate and healthy
environment. The population grew in rapidly, making Phoenix the 7th largest city in the
U.S. today.
Downtown is the core of one
of America's largest cities. The state's tallest buildings and professional sports
stadiums are found there along with a symphony hall, libraries and theaters.
Call Bill to help you find
a downtown view, a sububan adobe home, Golf Course home or Water Front home in a
surrounding community.
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Real Estate 
