A Quick Recap of The History of Phoenix.

Phoenix Is The Nation's Fifth Largest City.

Phoenix is all grownup. It is now the nation's fifth most populated city with a population of about 1.5 million residents within the city limits. The population of Metro Phoenix which includes its suburban communtites is by some estimates approaching 4 million people. Not only is Phoenix thriving, but real estate in Phoenix AZ has been gaining in appreciation value for decades.

But Phoenix Has Not Forgotten Its Past.

It's rich history, Southwestern architecture, and Native American and Mexican influences are interwoven into this modern metropolitan lifestyle. The earliest of Phoenix Arizona inhabitants were the prehistoric Hohokam Indians who thrived in the area for thousands of years until about 1450 A.D when they mysteriously vanished since there is no evidence they existed after the year 1450. However, today's Pima Indians are believed to be the descendants of the Hohokam. In the Pima language, "Hohokam" means "those who have gone".

The ancient times of the Hohokam is preserved in several its ancient ruins, including the Pueblo Grande Museum in Phoenix which has a full-time archaeologist on site to help visitors explore and understand the ancient culture and traditions of the Hohokam people.

For over 25,000 years the only residents of the area known today as Arizona were Native Americans. Archaeological evidence supports the existence of three major tribal groups including the Anaszai who primarily occupied the Arizona's Northern Plateau Highlands which includes the areas of Flagstaff and Sedona. The ancient Mogollon people occupied the Northeastern and Eastern Mountain Belt of Arizona and the Hohokam in the Phoenix and Central Regions of Arizona.

Today there are 23 Native American reservations throughout Arizona that are home to an estimated 300,000 Native Americans representing 21 different Indian Tribes. The Phoenix and Scottsdale area reservations include Fort McDowell, the Salt River and Gila Indian Reservations. Combined, they feature five Native American Casinos in the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale area.

The Spanish and Mexican Influence.

Spanish Conquistadors arrived in the Arizona Territory in the mid-1500s searching for the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola and it gold treasures. Although they found little gold, the Spanish introduced the Native people to cattle raising and agricultural crops of European variety. The Spanish missionaries also introduced Christianity to the Native peoples.

At one point in past history, the Arizona Territory belonged to Mexico and the flavor of Mexican cultures are permanently embedded into the Phoenix area society.

More Modern History of Phoenix.

The present City of Phoenix originated in 1860 as a settlement on the banks of the Salt River. With the construction of its first railroad in 1887, Phoenix began its rapid growth as it drew new settlers from all areas of the United States. In 1889 it displaced Prescott and became the capital city of the Arizona Territory. Arizona became the 48th State of the USA on February 14, 1912 and George P Hunt became its first governor.

Today, Phoenix Is Still America's Boom City.

Metro Phoenix continuously ranks as one of America's fastest growing metropolitan areas as tens of thousands of new residents relocate to the Valley of the Sun every month. In fact, the Phoenix Metropolitan are grew by 787,306 people from April 2000 to July 2006, a gain of 24%. bringing the total population to over four million. It was the fourth largest gain during that period by a metropolitan area trailing only Altanta, Dallas and Houston.

If you are considering relocation to the Greater Phoenix area and are not too sure which suburban city or town best complements your lifestyle desires, read our Overviews of Phoenix and Scottsdale areas. Roam around our Phoenix MLS Listings to get a "good feel" of home styles and selling prices in the various Phoenix area communities and when you are ready to begin the search for your idea Phoenix Dream Home, our Preferred Phoenix area Realtors would love to begin that journey with you.

Links of Interest.