Whenever someone mentions the city of Phoenix, one thing immediately comes to mind: the heat. While it is true that Arizona temperatures can be sweltering, it is easy to conjure up images of a fiery bird rising from the ashes. While a mythical phoenix is most likely not responsible for the desert heat, there might be something to the origin of this dessert city’s name.
The Origin
According to the official City of Phoenix history, the name “Phoenix” can be traced back to one of the town’s original settlers, Phillip Duppa. Duppa was an Englishman who came to America in search of new business opportunities. He eventually made his way to the Valley of the Sun in Arizona.
Jack Duppa became friends with one Jack Swilling, who has been noted as one of the original founding fathers of the city of Phoenix. Jack eventually settled nearby and set up a farm in the Nearby Salt River Valley. It is here that he suggested that the settlement decides on a name for their new home.
It was also Duppa who originally suggested the name of “Phoenix.” It might be easy to imagine that the new name was inspired by the fiery elements of the mythical bird, but that is not the case. The reason behind selecting a phoenix to represent the city was to symbolize rising from nothing and a rebirth.
If you know anything about the legend of the Phoenix, it is a tale that focuses on a new life from destruction. Duppa concluded that this would be a fitting name for a settlement that is located where the ancient Hohokam tribe lives thousands of years prior.
The founders believed that the town of Phoenix would rise from the ruins and spring to life from the rise of irrigation. The idea was widespread, and the name was agreed upon. On May 4, 1868, the official name of “Phoenix” was established, and the governing bodies set up the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors. The rest, as they say, is history.
Modern Phoenix
Phoenix became the capital of Arizona on February 14, 1912, over neighboring city Tucson. Phoenix was chosen under President William Taft due to its centralized location. The construction of local damns helped to control the Salt River and substantially increased the local population. By 1920, Phoenix had over 30,000 residents.
By the year 1950, Phoenix was host to over 100,000 residents, who lived both within the city and the surrounding developments. At this time, there were well over 148 miles of paved roads, in addition to the 163 miles of unpaved roads.
In the years since, Phoenix has seen a massive growth trend that is comparable only to nearby Las Vega. Since 2000, the city has experienced a 24.2% population expansion. In just 50 short years, the fiery town grew from a meager 100,000 to over 3 million residents. That is only about half of the entire population of Arizona.
It is predicted that this growth will steadily continue over the years. Expected growth in 75 years could reach over 5 million people. If you are looking for luxury homes for sale in Phoenix, AZ, there are many great homes to choose from.
Ready to make a move to the Phoenix area? We’ll help you find your dream home here. Give us a call at 480.581.1011 or email us at info(at)synergyrepartners(dotted)com today.