Did You Know These About Scottsdale?

Medicine tourism and a thriving tourist industry are the highlights of Scottsdale’s economy. But what about its rich history and unique geography and demography? Explore these and more at this amazing city, The West’s Most Western city/town.

Historical Fast Facts About Scottsdale

• The foundation for Scottsdale was laid in 1888 when a army chaplain from the US, American Winfield Scott visited the Salt River Valley and started a farming unit there
• Scottsdale is known for its pleasant climate and beautiful scenery; at one point in time, agriculture was the main occupation but now many industries have set shop here
• Many of the persons who originally settled in Scottsdale hailed from Eastern and Midwestern areas and were educated and cultured lot
• They formed a public school system in Scottsdale in the year 1896 supporting an artists and writers culture during the early 20th century and prompted this city’s connection with resort inns
• Scottsdale was originally planned near the new Arizona Canal located within close proximity of the Salt River. Its population grew as farmers were involved in agricultural activities and ranches were formed when new constructions such as Roosevelt Dam came into being
• During the 1930s,Scottsdale grew rapidly at a steady pace as “West’s Most Western” Town gained its identity and earned its nickname
• During the Great Depression in the 1930s, many artists and cultural experts came to settle in Scottsdale and contributed to its rich cultural heritage. 
• The most notable occurrence during WW2 was the opening of the Thunderbird air-field and a German PoW camp was also located in Scottsdale
• An advanced technologies industry was born during the 1940s when the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce was conceived. 
• It was during the 1950s that Motorola opened its company plant in Scottsdale; Other companies followed suit
• Modern Scottsdale has many attractions which can be traced to the 1950s such as the Parada del Sol festival and the Arabian horse shows.
• Scottsdale’s population has risen 6 fold since this city was incorporated; it now has a thriving tourism industry and attracts close to 6 million visitors on an annual basis.  
• Scottsdale’s official moniker is The West’s Most Western Town and it was adopted in 1951
• Scottsdale Airpark surrounding the airport attracts a vast number of businesses from auto to manufacturing-Scottsdale is one of the 100 largest cities in the United States. 
• The Arizona Canal was constructed in 1883 and Winfield Scott acquired the land on which this city is built 5 years after this
• The town was named after Scott and formed by Albert G.Utley who named the city Orangedale.
• In 1903, Scott was appointed chancellor at the Tempe Normal School of Arizona currently ASU.
• The first newspaper Scottsdale Bulletin was published by R. George in the 1920s. In the late 1930a, Frank Llyod Wright established a rustic outdoor camp at the foothills of McDowell Mountain later acquiring the name Taliesin West
• It was 1951 when the town of Scottsdale was incorporated and its first mayor was Malcolm White; in 1962, the town passed a city charter and became Scottsdale City. 
• Scottsdale was one of the first cities to have a generalized plan; in the last year of the 1960s, Scottsdale Historical Society was formed. During 1974, Scottsdale Symphony was firmed with I.Fleming as the director. 
• It was in 1982 that Desert Highlands and Pinnacle Peak Village East or Troon Village projects commenced 
• Scottsdale Historical Society also provided space for office and displays when United Cable Television arrived in Scottsdale during the 1980s

Geographical and Demographic Fast Facts about Scottsdale

• Scottsdale is located in Salt River Valley. Another name for this is the Valley of the Sun and it is located within the Sonoran Desert.
• Scottsdale is close to 30 miles in length and 11 miles in width at its broadest point
• Scottsdale has Phoenix, Paradise Valley and Maricopa County as its borders. Scottsdale has Tempe to its Southern border and a national forest on the northern. 
• US Census Bureau has estimated the total area of the city to be 478 square kilometer land and 0.52 square kilometer water. 
• City is divided into 4 areas namely South, Old Town, Central also called the Shea Corridor because it extends from Shea Boulevard) and North. 
• Scottsdale is among the top real estate markets for luxury homes and one of 2 cities outside of California which is ranked high up in sales for luxury homes
• Scottsdale is home to 250,000 people belonging to different ethnicities such as Latin American, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and African Americans. 

Economy Fast Facts About Scottsdale 

• The principle economic industry in Scottsdale is tourism and it hires close to 39% of the city’s workforce
• City of Scottsdale is tied with Atlanta for having the most give star hotels and resorts after cities like Las Vegas and Chicago
• Scottsdale is the spa capital of United States whereby its warm weather and considerable sunshine make it ideal for winter visits from “snow-bird” tourists
• Trendy hotels, plush restaurants, chic art galleries and elegant luxury stores make Scottsdale a premier employer. 
• Medical tourism has flourished in Scottsdale; the aviation industry has grown in the city as well with the construction of the airport in the 1960s
• Massive number of employees (65,000) can be found within the metropolitan area of Phoenix. 
• Some of the popular companies with HQ in Scottsdale include Fender, Dial, Go Daddy, Kahala, Taser and more. 

Interesting and Fun Filled Facts about Scottsdale 

• If you yearn for the beach anywhere in Scottsdale, it just takes 4 hours because Mexico’s rocky point is located at a distance of 200 miles
• This is the sixth largest city in Arizona state with a population of 250-200,000. 
• Lots of movies have been filmed in Scottsdale including Wayne’s World and Raising Arizona.
• Scottsdale has 6 sister cities in Alamos, Cairns, Haikou, Marrakech, Ontario and Uasin Gishu. 
• Scottsdale was also named the 4th best US city by Business week Dot Com in the year 2011; It has also scored high on livability
• Parada Del Sol began to be celebrated as the Sunshine Festival in the 1950s before earning its current moniker bequeathed by Scottsdale Jaycees
• Scottsdale has over 350 days of sunshine each year and winter is around 72 degrees average in terms of temperature
• If you want to savor the true Wild West, go to the Old Town which has cowboys and really amazing saloons
• Arizona Diamondbacks are the rivals of San Francisco Giants, the latter of which train at the Scottsdale Stadium creating a very interesting and fierce competition