History

Early Tempe visitors came in 1536 when Cabeza de Vaca ventured into the area and in 1694 Father Eusebio Kino arrived there but was discouraged by the Apaches that lived there at the time. Tempe was first settled in the 1860’s by Mexicans who called their town San Pablo east of Tempe Butte with another settlement called Hayden’s Ferry west of Tempe Butte that was founded by Charles Trumbull Hayden in 1867. Hayden recognized the potential of the land south of the Salt River to be good for agricultural development so he managed to divert water to the fields to further his dreams.

By 1879 these two towns merged and became Tempe which began to thrive with a flour mill powered by water and other businesses that included a blacksmith shop, merchandise store, brown sugar mill, soap factory and carpenter’s shop. Hayden also started a regular ferry business to cross the Salt River. In 1883 cotton was first planted as a major crop and in 1887 the first train service arrived in Tempe which caused a period of significant growth in the city with more homes being built to double the number of residences.

In 1885 Tempe was selected as the site for the Territorial Normal School to train teachers – and is now called Arizona State University. Arizona became the 48th state in the nation in 1912 and Tempe continued as a small agricultural community until after World War II when it began to grow. In 1918 the first hospital was built due to an outbreak of the Spanish influenza. By the 1920’s the cotton crop no longer flourished due to the economic collapse of the country.

After World War II the returning veterans and others who settled in Tempe increased the population to over 13,000 people with over 5000 students attending the university. As the town grew the agricultural businesses began to diminish to be replaced by housing developments, shopping centers and other businesses. Many of the veterans had received their military training in the area so decided to settle here attracted by the great weather year round. This area became popular with new electronics and aerospace businesses that were also attracted by the same things.

In 1958 the college was renamed Arizona State University as it is known today. The 1960’s saw a decline in the downtown area of Tempe that led to the decision in 1970 to redevelop the downtown and the Mill Avenue Merchants Association was formed to preserve and promote the value of the area by introducing and enhancing the area aesthetically and culturally. Today the area is one of the most prosperous and forward thinking areas with profitable and thriving businesses – restaurants, bars, shopping, and entertainment – to offer a focal point for visitors and residents alike to enjoy their city. In 1975 the city of Tempe purchased another thirty acres to make room for their growing population that had almost reached the 100,000 mark.

Tempe Town Lake was introduced in 1999 and was created by filling a dry riverbed of the Salt River with water. This venue provides businesses, residential and recreational facilities with boating, fishing, hiking, and other entertainment and activities available to everyone in the city.