Scottsdale’s Intriguing History

Scottsdale was settled around 1888 by Winfield Scott and his brother, the town was then called Orangedale, after the vast citrus groves, the brothers planted. Later it was found in 1894, then renamed in Scottsdale after its founder. Much later Scottsdale was incorporated in 1951 with a population of 2000, the current population is 217,385. In 1896 the Scottsdale Public School system was established by the settlers. Many of the original settlers were educated and loved cultural activities. By 1897 the first general store was opened as well as the town’s post office, the town supported artists and writers, which inspired the opening of the first resort in 1909, the Ingleside Inn, located just south of the Arizona Canal. Cavaliers Blacksmith Shop was also opened in the same year it has moved locations but is till operating. Also in 1909, the school house was replaced with an extensive Little Red Schoolhouse that still stands today. Pictured above is Winfield Scott and his wife Helen.

 In 1920 the second resort was opened by Jessie Benton Evans, called the Jokake Inn meaning “mud House” (pictured below). It sat one 12, acres of land, and is still standing on the property of the Phoenician Resort.  The depression caused many artists to come to Scottsdale including Frank Lloyd Wright in 1937. He and his wife bought 600 desert acres at the foot of the McDowell Mountains, where he developed the Taliesin West, is winter home and architectural firms headquarters here in the southwest. You can see many of Wrights architectural designs across the valley, from Arizona State University to streets that bear his name, his influence is everywhere. 

In the 1950’s the city began a huge population growth after its incorporation growing from 2000 residence to over 10,000. Due to the risk of flooding over the vast amounts of desert flood plain known as “Indian Bend Wash” the Maricopa County Flood District was formed in 1959. During the same time, the Army Corps of Engineers began developing plans to protect the city from flooding as well. After a large flood in 1972, the city quickly began the Greenbelt project, which is 12-mile greenbelt that connects 4 city parks while diverting the flood waters to the parks to keep them beautiful while saving water. The four parks are Vista del Camino Park, Eldorado Park, Indian School Park and Chaparral Park, these parks are also connected by a 25-mile bike path.

By 1970 the population had grown to 68,000 and the square miles of the city had grown from 5 square miles in 1959 to 62 square miles in 1970. The majority of the northern and eastern parts of the city was covered with ranch tracts, the largest was McCormick Ranch, a 4,236-acre ranch owned by Fowler and Anne McCormick (pictured left). Fowler is the grandson of John D. Rockefeller, and Cyrus McCormick, the inventor of the grain reaper. After the death of his wife in 1970, the property was sold for 12.1 million, which started a large amount of planned upscale communities within Scottsdale such as Scottsdale Ranch-1978, Gainey Ranch-1980, Desert Mountain-1986, DC Ranch-1990’s and McDowell Mountain Ranch-1992. The East Shea area near Fountain Hills was annexed by the city in 1975, expanding the city to 88.6 square miles, in the next for years the city would annex almost 80 more square miles.

In 1991 due to the continued rapid growth, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy was created, to protect the scenic southwest view, partnering with developers the city planned to set aside the McDowell mountains and a large acreage surrounding as a preserve. The residence loved the idea so much the voted in a sales tax to purchase the acreage for this purpose, completed the 36,000 preserve is equivalent to one-third of the cities acreage. (Mcdowell Mountain Conservancy Pictured below)