Cities & Towns

Ahwatukee

Website      Chamber of Commerce

Nestled in the foothills, Ahwatukee is conveniently located close to the I-10 freeway and centrally located in the Phoenix valley.

Apache Junction

Website     Chamber of Commerce

bA town with mining and transportation roots from the late 19th and early 20th century, Apache Junction was incorporated in 1978 and encompasses 37 square miles.  It is located at the foot of the Superstition Mountains and is one of the eastern most communities of the Phoenix metro area 35 miles east of downtown Phoenix.

Avondale

Website       Land Use Map       Chamber of Commerce

Avondale's founding father, Billy G. Moore, arrived in Arizona in the late 1860's and settled near the Agua Fria river around 1880.  He called his little settlement "Coldwater", which was later changed to Avondale. The city was incorporated in 1946. 

Casa Grande

Website      Chamber of Commerce     General Use Plan Map

bNamed for the Hohokam Indian Ruins, Casa Grande was founded in 1879. It is located at the intersection of two highways, Interstate 10 and 8. With a rural beginning, Casa Grande's economic base is a mix of agriculture, retail, and manufacturing. As the growth of the Phoenix area continues, many are forecasting that Casa Grande and the surrounding areas to the south will be the next frontier of the expansion.

Chandler

Website   City of Chandler Profile    Chandler School District

Chamber of Commerce     Map of Chandler

Chandler is named after Alexander John Chandler, the territory's first veterinary surgeon who settled in Arizona in 1887. Chandler is now home to many high-tech manufacturers.

Gilbert

Website    Town of Gilbert Profile

Chamber of Commerce     Maps of Gilbert

Gilbert was established in 1912 on donated land from Robert Gilbert, and at one time was known as the Hay Capital of the World. Now, it is one of the fastest growing communities in the country.

Glendale

Website     City of Glendale Profile     Chamber of Commerce

Glendale City Map (Land Use)

With the inception of the Arizona Canal Co. in the 1880's, settlers had a reason to homestead in what is now central Glendale. Shortly thereafter, the diagonal Grand Avenue was constructed as well as Glendale's first school, the Glendale Grammar School. During WWII, the army used Thunderbird Field to train civilian pilots for the military. In the meantime, Luke Airforce Base was being built. Glendale's Thunderbird Field would soon become the Thunderbird American Graduate School for International Management. The notable jewel for Glendale is the new Cardinals stadium, which will be open for the 2006 season.

Maricopa

Website    Maricopa Chamber of Commerce   Map of Maricopa

On Oct. 15, 2003, Maricopa became Arizona's 88th city.  It is located approximatley 17 from the I-10 and Highway 347 exit.  Being 15 - 20 minutes from Chandler and the I-10, Maricopa is seen as an attractive alternative housing location compared  to it's higher priced neighbors in the east valley.

Mesa

Website      City of Mesa Profile    

Chamber of Commerce      Map of Mesa

Mesa was settled in 1878 by pioneers from Utah and Idaho. It received its' name because of the broad plateau, or mesa upon which it is located.

Peoria

Website        City of Peoria Profile     Peoria Chamber of Commerce

Fertile farm land made possible by the Salt River fed from the Arizona Canal became a reality in 1885 with the completion of the Canal. Shortly after, William J. Murphy went east to persuade people to settle this new community. He was successful in attracting attention - over 5,000 acres were purchased by settlers from Peoria, Illinois in what would become Peoria, Arizona.

Phoenix

Website      City of Phoenix Profile      Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

Now known as the sixth-largest city in the United States, it was as recent as 1950 when Phoenix was a city that had a population of a little over 100,000 and included 17 square miles. Times have changed. Now it has a population over 1.4 million, including almost 400 square miles. Between 1990 and 2004, the population has grown 44%

Queen Creek

Website      Chamber of Commerce       Land Use Map

Queen Creek City Map      Queen Creek Unified School District

Town of Queen Creek Profile

Before it was called Queen Creek, the small farm community was known as Rittenhouse, because of the railspur located near Rittenhouse and Ellsworth roads.  Residents would flag down the train in order to catch a ride into Phoenix. Now Queen Creek is experiencing tremendous  growth  similar to many parts of the valley.

Queen Creek is located on the boundary of Maricopa and Pinal County. It is important to understand which areas are located in the incorporated Town of Queen Creek, the unincorporated portion of Maricopa County or the unincorporated portion of Pinal County, even though all three have a Queen Creek postal address. (See map) This will affect the services you receive. (Do I live in Queen Creek?)

Scottsdale

Website       City of Scottsdale Profile   Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce

In 1881, Major Winfield Scott homesteaded on the site of the city that would eventually carry his name. Scottsdale became the official name in 1896. Even thought Scottsdale has been advertised as "the West's most Western town", this image has been eclipsed by the upscale shopping and resorts. Scottsdale luxury real estate continues to showcase much of Phoenix upscale real estate in communities such as Desert Mountain, DC Ranch, Estancia, Whisper Rock and Troon North.

Tempe

Website     City of Tempe Profile

Tempe came into existence in 1871 when Charles Trumbull Hayden built a flour mill and established a ferry to cross the Salt River. Soon a community grew up around Hayden's Ferry and Hayden's Mill. Tempe, received it's name upon the suggestion of Lord Darrell Duppa because he believed it resembled the Valley of Tempe in Greece.