Scottsdale tourist information

Scottsdale was originally inhabited by Hohokam. From circa 300 BC to 1400 AD, these ancient civilizations farmed the area and built some of the most ingenious irrigation canals the world has ever known. The name Hohokam translates as "vanished," as the civilizations mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

Pima Village
Before Anglo settlement, Scottsdale was a Pima village (Indian) known as "rotting hay." Some Pima remained in their original homes well into the 20th century. For example, until the late 1960s, there was a still-occupied traditional dwelling on the southeast corner of Indian Bend Rd. and Scottsdale Rd. By now, however, all Pima have either moved into modern homes within Scottsdale (mainly in South Scottsdale), to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, or elsewhere.

Canals
The Hohokam's unbelievable legacy was in their creation of more than 125 miles (200 km) of canals to provide water for their agricultural needs. The remnants of this ancient irrigation system were adapted and improved upon in 1868 by the first Anglo company to stake a claim in the Valley of the Sun, when Jack Swilling set up the Swilling Irrigation Canal Company.

Twenty years later Scottsdale's future would turn sharply upwards, when a U.S. Army Chaplain, Winfield Scott, paid the paltry sum of $2.50 an acre for a 640 acre stretch of land where the city is now located. Winfield's brother, George Washington Scott, was the first resident of the town that was then known as Orangedale and later changed to Scottsdale in 1894.

Frank Lloyd Wright
In 1937, internationally renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright set up his "winter camp" at the foot of the McDowell Mountains, creating what is now known as Taliesin West. Scottsdale, and the rest of Phoenix, have seen a huge influence from Frank Lloyd Wright. Many buildings throughout the area were designed by the famous architect. Today, there is a Frank Lloyd Wright memorial in Northern Scottsdale.

Most Livable City
In 1951 the Town of Scottsdale was officially incorporated with a population of 2000. Since then it has grown to a 2004 Census estimate of 221,792. It has grown to become Arizona's fifth-largest city, and one of its most celebrated. Scottsdale is commonly defined by its high quality of life, and in 1993 was named the, "Most Livable City," in the United States by the United States Conference of Mayors.

This title is notoriously lampooned across the state since the cost of living in Scottsdale is quite high. It is continually ranked as one of the premier golf and resort destinations in the world, with a sizable portion of tax revenue being derived from tourism. It is also home to the FBR Open Golf Tournament held at the Tournament Players Club, which carries the distinction of the best-attended event on the PGA Tour. The city continues to see rapid growth, mainly in the northern areas of the city.

Weather

Phoenix's arid climate is characterized by some of the hottest seasonal temperatures anywhere. In fact, out of the world's large urban areas, only some cities around the Persian Gulf, such as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Baghdad, Iraq have higher average summer temperatures. The temperature reaches or exceeds 100 °F (38 °C) on an average of 89 days during the year, including most days from early June through early September.

On June 26, 1990, the temperature reached an all-time high of 122 °F (50 °C). The dry Arizona air makes the hot temperatures more tolerable early in the season (105 degrees in Phoenix is same as 85 degrees else where in the country where there is more humidity). However, the influx of monsoonal moisture in August makes it a liitle bit humid. On the other hand, mild, sunny weather in the winter months makes the area a mecca for golfers and others seeking to escape the cold typical of the northern U.S. and enjoy the out doors.

Temperature - Yearly Average

Phoenix sees some 300 sunny days per year and scant rainfall, the average annual total at Sky Harbor International Airport being 8.4 inches (210 mm). March is the wettest month of the year (1.07 inches or 27 mm). Rain is particularly scarce from April through June. Although thunderstorms occur on occasion during every month of the year, they are most common during the monsoon season from July to mid-September as humid air surges in from the Gulf of California. These can bring strong winds, large hail, or tornadoes. Winter storms moving inland from the Pacific Ocean occasionally produce significant rains but occur infrequently. Fog is observed from time to time during the winter months.