In the Center of this "HUB of the Southwest" is Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix is one of the three fastest growing cities in the country and is now the fifth largest city with a population of 1.4 million...(the total Valley of the Sun having a population of 3.7 million). Phoenix, in the heart of The Sonoran Desert, has an elevation of 1,117 feet and is surrounded by mountain ranges and six lakes within a 75 mile drive.
Before World War II, Phoenix was a sleepy little southwest town known for the "Four C's"..cotton, cattle, citrus and copper and in 1940 the population was approx 65,000. During World War II defense contractors needing land, water and a work force discovered the fledgling little town and in a short time the farmland and desert scrub saw massive plants bearing names of Goodyear Aircraft Corp, Motorola, General Electric, AiResearch to name a few (many are still here). And pretty soon the word got out that Phoenix was a pretty civilized city with a fabulous climate and recreational areas, waves of families wanting a fresh start began coming...and they're still coming!
Today tourism is one of our leading industries employing well over 250,000....keeping our property taxes very reasonable and providing year around activities for everyone to enjoy. Phoenix is economically, ethnically and culturally diverse and provides a full calendar filled with Hispanic, African-American, Oriental, Native American and Anglo festivals and events year around in all areas of the valley as well as the metro-downtown areas with the Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Convention Center, Central Library and Margaret T. Hance Deck Park.
We are a car-dependent city for sure but it is easy to navigate the grid-like pattern with Central Ave (running north/south) as the dividing line and, to the west of Central are the numbered avenues and to the east are the numbered streets. All east/west streets are named, with the major ones easy to remember (Camelback, Indian School, etc.) and this system extends from the far west valley to the North and East Valley. The fairly recent freeway system is constantly under expansion but provides easy access to anywhere in the Valley.
The areas of North Phoenix, Cave Creek, Carefree and Scottsdale are considered in the NorthEast area of the Valley.
