Growth Rate Slows During the Great Depression The population growth rate of the Phoenix metro area has been nearly 4% per year for the past 40 years. The population growth was further stimulated in the 1950’s, in part because of the availability of air conditioning, which made the very hot dry summer heat tolerable, as well as an influx of industry, led by high tech companies. The post-World War Two years saw the city beginning to grow more rapidly, as many men who had trained in the military installations in the valley, returned, bringing their families. and was gaining a national reputation among winter tourists. The city provided retail, wholesale, banking, and governmental services for central Arizona. Until World War II, the economy was based on the “Five C’s”: cotton, citrus and cattle, climate and copper. Phoenix served as an agricultural area that depended on large-scale irrigation projects. The city of Phoenix’s story begins as people from those settlements expanded south, in conjunction with the establishment of a military outpost to the east of current day Phoenix. Horse-drawn trolley cars in Downtown Phoenix from 1887 to 1948. As Phoenix became the center of commerce in the territory, the capital was moved to Phoenix, with temporary offices being set up in Downtown. This opened up the economy of the young city, as goods now flowed in and out by train as opposed to wagon. Independence Day of 1887 heralded the arrival first Southern Pacific train. The Phoenix Street Railway system was eventually electrified and expanded to several different lines that connected Downtown Phoenix to other neighborhoods and cities in the Valley. Throughout the 1880’s the newly incorporated city made many strides toward modernization with the construction of one of the first electric plants in the West as well as the opening of the horse-drawn streetcar line. The town continued to grow, and was eventually incorporated as a city on Februcentered around downtown. But, they were changed to more easily remembered numbers, with everything east of Center Street (later Central Avenue) named as streets and everything west as avenues. Originally, the north-south streets originally bore Native American tribal names. With the first survey of the new town, streets were laid out in a grid, with Washington Street as the main east-west thoroughfare. Regional headquarters for several major banks, including JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Bank of America, Compass Bank and MidFirst Bank are all located within or close proximity to the area. And, is an equally prominent center of banking and finance in Arizona. Downtown Phoenix is a center of major league sports activities, live concert events. Major arts and cultural institutions also call the area home. The area is a major center of employment for the region, with many financial, legal, and other national and international corporations housed in a variety of skyscrapers. The new high-rise condos emerging are quickly changing the skyline.ĭowntown Phoenix, being the county seat of Maricopa County and the capital of Arizona, serves as the center of politics, justice and government on the local, state and federal levels. Many are classic, vintage homes attracting people from all walks of life. It’s located in the heart of the Phoenix metropolitan area or ‘Valley of the Sun’ with a large variety of designated historic districts housing. It’s all a matter of perspective as our city continues to grow.ĭowntown Phoenix is one of a the few major business districts in the city and is the central business district of the City of Phoenix, Arizona.Ĭentral Phoenix and Downtown Locations are Loaded with Old and New Properties Then, from Jackson Street to the south and to McDowell Road at the north. However, others define it from from 16th Street on the east, to 19th Avenue on the west. Some define the boundaries from 7th Street on the east, the railroad tracks south of Jackson Street and Interstate 10 on the north. Location Perspective for Historic Phoenix Downtownīut due to major, recent growth, it depends on who you ask. Historic Downtown and Central Phoenix is generally defined “between the 7’s.” However, the majority of downtown development is concentrated in the smaller area surrounding the intersection of Washington St. Known as The Valley of the Sun, Downtown is now the 5th largest metropolitan city in the nation. It’s history is rich dating back to 1867. The history of Downtown Phoenix and Central Phoenix history runs deeper than most would expect. The City of Phoenix defines Downtown as the area between 7th Street and 7th Avenue, from McDowell Road on the north to Buckeye Road on the south.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |