In the bustling area of Downtown Tempe, two prominent buildings stand side by side catching the attention of passersby: Shady Park and Mirabella at ASU. Shady Park, located at 26 E University Drive, has a rich history, having served as an art shop for ASU students in the 1960s and later as a restaurant, renowned for its unique feature - a palm tree inside the building. Since 2015, Shady Park has been a popular spot offering delectable ramen, sushi, and live entertainment, attracting a lively crowd near downtown.

However, the opening of the towering Mirabella at ASU, situated across the street at 65 E University Drive, created a clash of interests. Mirabella is a high-rise residential building for seniors, reaching an impressive height of about 240 feet with twenty stories. Developed by McCarthy Buildings Inc. and funded by private, nonprofit developers associated with Arizona State University, Mirabella offers its residents a chance to enjoy urban sophistication alongside the vibrant university environment. This combination, intended to provide a unique retirement experience, inadvertently led to a dispute with its neighbor, Shady Park.

The issue arose when Mirabella residents, who moved in when it opened in December 2020 during the COVID-19 closure of Shady Park, raised concerns about the restaurant's live music. They found the noise "unnecessary and excessive," disturbing their sleep throughout the night. In response to the complaints, Mirabella filed a lawsuit against Shady Park, seeking resolution to the noise dispute. The lawsuit eventually led to a court ruling in favor of Mirabella in April 2022, resulting in Shady Park suspending its live entertainment due to insufficient measures taken to mitigate the noise as previously instructed.

The conflict sparked debates over high-rise construction in the ASU/Downtown Tempe area, questioning why a residential building like Mirabella was placed near the lively and boisterous Downtown Tempe scene. However, historical context sheds light on the city's long-standing issues with nuisances and its growth in high-rise construction. In the 1975 Urban Design Study, Tempe's Planning Department emphasized the importance of sensitively designed high-rise buildings in their locations to gain community acceptance. Despite this, ASU's close proximity to Downtown Tempe has consistently driven the pressure for high-rise construction, with several major projects proposed over the years.

The area has a history of grappling with nuisances arising from its vibrant downtown scene. ASU's expansion and the influx of students led to issues like traffic, construction, and noisy parties in the past, prompting some older residents to move away to quieter retirement centers. Interestingly, Mirabella's presence, offering retirement options in the heart of Downtown Tempe, adds a new chapter to this historical narrative.

After a period of discord, both Shady Park and Mirabella at ASU found common ground. On March 30, 2023, an agreement was reached where Shady Park pledged to implement sound mitigation measures, allowing them to resume live music while minimizing noise impact on the surrounding community. Scott Price, the owner of Shady Park, expressed their commitment to being good neighbors and their satisfaction in finding a solution that benefits both parties.

Ultimately, the clash between Shady Park and Mirabella at ASU exemplifies the ongoing challenges posed by high-rise construction and nuisances in the vibrant Downtown Tempe area. However, through cooperation and willingness to find middle ground, the two parties managed to resolve their dispute, setting a positive precedent for the coexistence of high-rise residential buildings and local establishments in this lively community.

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The Eisdendrath House, managed by the Tempe History Museum, is one of the best examples of Arizona's Pueblo Revival style of architecture. It was built in 1930 by a wealthy Chicago widow, Rose Eisendrath. At the time, many affluent Northerners flocked to the Southwest to escape the ice and snow, and Mrs. Eisendrath was no exception. However, she was refused accommodations at a valley resort due to her Jewish heritage.

Undeterred, Rose Eisendrath purchased enough land to construct her own winter refuge. She acquired a 44-acre parcel in the hills above the Salt River on on April 23, 1930. The home was designed and built by architect Robert T. Evans, a family friend.

As materials were scarce - and costly - during the Great Depression, Evans relied on mud adobe blocks sourced from the nearby Salt River. The two-story structure is the largest and best-preserved example of Pueblo Revival architecture in Tempe.

After Mrs. Eisdendrath died in 1936, the home passed through several hands. It fell into disrepair before the City of Tempe acquired it in the early 2000s. The house has since been restored and renamed the Eisdendrath Center for Water Conservation. The property has become a focal point for water conservation efforts. An onsite Water Education Facility provides a free meeting space for water conservation classes.

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Sometime between 1200 and 1450 AD, Loma del Rio was the site of a small Hohokam community. Located on a hill in Papago Park, overlooking Tempe Town Lake, this site was home to approximately fifteen to twenty people, probably several generations of an extended family.

A block of six rooms remains, as well as an isolated room and several agricultural terraces. Archaeologists believe that the isolated room on the east side of the site may have been used for cooking, while the other rooms would have been residences. The walls were constructed of adobe, which was formed around stones taken from local bedrock. The agricultural terraces are particularly unique, as this terraced gardening was ideal for growing agave. The Hohokam utilized all parts of this plant, using the leaf fibers to make rope and eating the nutritious heart. Agave probably played an important part in trade with other villages as well. Evidence of trade with people as far as three hundred miles away has been found at the site, including distinctive pottery and stone tool fragments.

The site was first rediscovered in 1887 by Frank Hamilton Cushing, who led the first archeological expedition to the Salt River Valley. He initially identified the site as “Los Pueblos Arriba.” In 1928, Gila Pueblo archeological staff surveyed the site and identified it as Mesa 1-6 (GP). Then, in 1939, archaeologists Odd S. Halseth, Albert H. Schroeder, and Julian T. Hayden recorded the site as part of the large-scale archaeological projects funded by the Works Progress Administration under the New Deal.

Unfortunately, the site fell to neglect and vandalism until the 1960s, when it once again became a source of interest. In 1961, the site was officially identified as Loma del Rio.

In the 1970s, the site came to the attention of Arizona State University. From 1984 to 1986 archaeology students carried out excavations of the site under the supervision of Dr. Alfred E. Dittert, Jr. In 1991, the Arizona Parks Board awarded a Heritage Fund historic preservation grant to the City of Tempe, in partnership with Arizona State Parks, to stabilize the site. Finally, in 1995, the Loma del Ri Archaeological Site was dedicated by the City of Tempe and is part of Papago Park.

This 650 year old archaeological site can now be enjoyed by visitors along an interpretive trail, forever memorializing this piece of Hohokam history.

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Until 2012, the Alpha Drive fraternity community occupied this campus district, with thirteen houses (ten occupied) providing a unique gathering place for men affiliated with the University's fraternity community. For better or worse, Alpha Drive represented something much bigger than just a simple series of homes--it reflected the University's commitment to signature architecture and fraternity life. Looking carefully at the history of the lost fraternity houses also reveals much about the changing University - and even the changing place of the University in Tempe.

In the 1950s, the University began exploring the possibility of building a housing community for male students involved in fraternities, comprising about 18 percent of male undergraduates. As enrollments increased dramatically in the post-war boom, fraternity membership also grew at Arizona State University (formerly known as Arizona Teachers College.) Fraternity life also had outgrown the Adelphi complex. The much smaller Adelphi complex had represented the University's first attempts at housing five of the most prominent Greek organizations. Housing demand was not the only factor in deciding to build fraternity housing. School officials also wanted to maintain control and supervision over the sometimes unruly and rowdy fraternities that hosted functions at private, off-campus locations. Thus, in 1962, Arizona State University greenlit and financed plans of several very prominent local architects to put to construction.

When completed in 1963, Alpha Drive dwarfed the nearby dorms in size and architectural style. Imagined by several groups of prominent Arizona-based mid-century architectural firms and created under the guidance of nine different contractors--all of whom were given a limited selection of materials to keep costs to a minimum--the buildings of Alpha Drive nonetheless displayed a common architectural and stylistic language. They showcased the distinctive sleek geometries, contrasting materials, minimal ornament, and functional forms that characterized mid-century architecture. This modern style emerged across the American west in the 1950s. It served as a defining characteristic for many buildings in Tempe.

For example, the Phi Sigma Kappa house displays an excellent instance of the mid-century modernist style found along Alpha Drive. Aside from the general designs of the structure, the homes' entrance featured the fraternity's letters cemented onto a porch-like concrete overhang commonly referred to as a "porte-cochere," which was a functional reinterpretation of a feature in many of the extravagant modernist homes in the 18th and 19th century. Elements such as the porte-cochere existed to create a much more dramatic entrance to the building, which exemplifies the architectural direction the creators of the Phi Sigma Kappa houses' designs decided to embark upon.

Prominent local architect Kemper Goodwin designed this very same building. Goodwin (and his son, Michael) designed many signature buildings across the region as part of the larger mid-century architectural movement. Arizona natives, Goodwin's family solidified itself prominently in the history of the University when the first football stadium was named after Goodwin's father, Garfield, a former Mayor of Tempe. The Goodwins' work would include municipal buildings in Tempe and West, Memorial, and Wilson Halls (among other notable buildings) on the Tempe campus. Kemper and his son Michael also created the Tempe Municipal Building in 1970, with its unconventional inverted pyramid design.

Kemper Goodwin's work on the Phi Sigma Kappa house and his fellow architects lent Arizona State a modernist sensibility during the building boom of the 1950s and 1960s, which more than doubled the size of the campus. Alpha Drive reflected the aspirations of the University as it sought to grow from a regional teacher's college into a national University. Through its innovative use of design in designing Alpha Drive, ASU had begun to reimagine itself using the idiom of the distinctive mid-century architectural style that emerged following World War II. Likewise, it represented an expansion of the University's physical plant that included construction across campus and the creation of a new sports stadium nearby, straddling Hayden Butte. Even so, the buildings never achieved wide use, even as ASU expanded. However, Alpha Rows' low-density feel--two stories, with thirteen buildings on a broad open space involving a little over 13 acres--was appropriate to Tempe's relatively sparsely populated areas and ASU of the 1950s. But as the city and University continued to expand, the Alpha Drive community became an ever-more attractive option for a different use that would meet the demands of the campus.

For more than forty years, Alpha Drive served as a hub for fraternity functions. Still, development and maintenance pressures, as well as skepticism about the role of fraternities at ASU and on college campuses in general, worked against these historic buildings. Alpha Drive gradually fell into disuse, demolishing its last building in 2012. Even so, Alpha Drive reveals the history of the campus and community, its architecture and ambitions--even as the site of the fraternities is re-purposed toward another grand vision for ASU's growth in the 21st century.

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It all began with two men. One, is a master architect. The other, is a university president leading a small school toward becoming a major university. Gammage Auditorium resulted from that collaboration--becoming a symbol for ASU and Tempe and emerging as a representation of Wright's enduring late-career ideas and influence. Frank Lloyd Wright is arguably the greatest (or at least most influential) American architect. His impact is visible everywhere in the United States. Not just evident in his artistic master creations such as Taliesin or Falling Water, Wright's influence extends to the ranch-style homes ubiquitous across American suburbs and the midwestern and western United States landscapes, especially in Phoenix and the southwest. 

In 1958 Proposition 200 passed in a statewide election by a 2-1 vote, and Arizona State College became Arizona State University. Sun Devil Stadium opened that same year, and the team moved from the smaller Goodwin Stadium. The new stadium opened with seating for 30,000 fans, twice the capacity of the 15,000-seat Goodwin Stadium. Later renovations increased the size to nearly 75,000 seats. In many ways, the construction of Sun Devil Stadium represented a coming-of-age for ASU.

University President Grady Gammage, who became President in 1933, led the statewide campaign to pass Proposition 200, through which the college became a full-fledged university. Also, under his leadership, the school added the first Master's program and saw enormous growth in attendance. The most significant increase in attendance occurred following World War II, primarily due to the GI Bill, when student populations increased across the United States. For example, from a population of about 3,000 students in 1945, enrollments tripled to more than 10,000 by Gammage's death in 1959. Increasing student populations allowed Gammage to secure federal funding for several new buildings to accommodate the students' needs, including Sun Devil Stadium and Grady Gammage Auditorium.

Naming the field at Sun Devil Stadium after former head coach Frank Kush in 1996 reveals another aspect of the stadium's history--the growing importance of college sports on campus. Kush came to Arizona as an assistant coach for the Sun Devils in 1955 and was promoted to head coach in 1958. He was also active in the drive to pass Proposition 200. During his 22-year tenure as head coach, the Sun Devils only had one losing season. The Sun Devils won several conference championships and the first three Fiesta Bowl Games. Kush's legacy was not without controversy. Kush was fired as coach in 1979 for interfering with an investigation into allegations of physical harassment of a former player. He was found not liable, but in 1980 the NCAA punished ASU for multiple violations while Kush was coach.

Sun Devil Stadium emerged as one of the most prominent sports venues in the Valley, contributing to the broader sports tourism industry with the inauguration of the Fiesta Bowl in 1971. In the 1960s, then-President G. Homer Durham originally suggested the Bowl. Eventually, a committee was formed to petition the NCAA. The Fiesta Bowl was founded to ensure that Western Athletic Conference champions would have a bowl game to compete in after multiple years of champion teams, including the Sun Devils, on two occasions, were not invited to any major bowl games. In 1968 Sun Bowl officials said they would ask the winner of the territorial cup (the game between ASU vs. University of Arizona). Still, UofA insisted on an invitation ahead of the game, saying they would otherwise decline following their assumed victory against the Sun Devils. The Sun Bowl organizers agreed. The Sun Devils beat the Wildcats 30-7 in the game, which would have garnered them an invitation had the Wildcats not issued their ultimatum before the game. In 1970 the Sun Devils were undefeated - but were only invited to the Peach Bowl. The Sun Devils have won five of their six Fiesta Bowl games, including the first three years of the Bowl. The game was moved in 2006 to Glendale when the city created a larger, more modern venue to host the Arizona Cardinals professional football franchise.

Sun Devil Stadium also was home to Arizona's first professional football team. In 1988 the stadium became the home of the Arizona Cardinals. They would share the stadium with the Sun Devils until moving to their new facility in 2006. Traditionally NFL teams wear uniforms in their colors during home games and white for away games. The Cardinals did so for their first home game at Sun Devil Stadium then switched to wearing white at home during the warmer months so the opposing team would have to wear darker colors in the heat. In 1996 Sun Devil Stadium hosted Super Bowl XXX. The field was painted by ASU Athletics Facilities Maintenance Manager Peter Wozniak, who has painted the Sun Devil Stadium field prior to games since he was a student at ASU in the 1980s. Following Super Bowl XXX, the NFL asked him to continue painting the field for pro title games. He has done so internationally, spending about three weeks working on each field.

The Cardinals remained at Sun Devil Stadium much longer than anyone expected. The Cardinals came to Arizona with an agreement that a dedicated stadium would be built for the team. This would allow the organization to access revenue streams they were cut off from as a university tenant. Funding for the new stadium was delayed due to the savings and loan crisis of the 1990s but was eventually approved by Arizona voters. The original plan called for a new stadium in Tempe to take advantage of the existing infrastructure. However, it was blocked due to the proximity of Sky Harbor International Airport. The state-of-the-art stadium was built in Glendale, at the cost of $455 million, with over $300 million paid by the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority and the city of Glendale. Naming rights were awarded to the University of Phoenix for $154.5 million for twenty years. However, they were terminated after eleven years due to financial problems at the for-profit school. The new stadium also generates revenue from luxury skyboxes and outdoor concerts. The 2018 Taylor Swift concert brought in over 7 million dollars for the team.

As a central venue for large events, Sun Devil Stadium also played an important role in regional music and arts. In March 1976, a press junket and concert was held for the filming of Barbra Streisand's remake of "A Star is Born." The show was a full-day event featuring multiple artists, and several songs were filmed for the movie. Other performers included her movie co-stars, Kris Kristofferson, Peter Frampton, and Santana. The tickets were $3.50. Part of The Rolling Stones' concert film "Let's Spend the Night Together" was filmed at Sun Devil Stadium in 1982, as well as some footage for U2's rockumentary "Rattle and Hum" in 1988. In 1987 Pope John Paul II performed Mass at Sun Devil Stadium. Before his visit, all images of Sparky, the Sun Devils mascot, were covered. In 2009 President Barack Obama spoke at the Spring Commencement Ceremony, held at Sun Devil Stadium. The University did not grant an honorary degree to the President during his visit, citing his lack of accomplishments at the time. This caused some controversy prior to his visit, but Obama joked about it during his speech, saying his wife would agree with the statement and that he would "never pick another team above the Sun Devils in his NCAA bracket."

Sun Devil Stadium has undergone several changes in recent years as it finds its place in the community with the move of the Arizona Cardinals to the newer stadium in Glendale. ASU asked a group of student interns to come up with ideas on how to better utilize the stadium year-round, not just during Sun Devil games, and how to make it more profitable for the University. It was due for renovations anyway - the original construction did not use waterproof concrete because of the desert location. What wasn't taken into account? The water that was used for cleaning. The stands were hosed down after each of the Sun Devil and Cardinal games, leading to rusting foundation supports. Three phases of renovations totaling $307 million were done between seasons to minimize the disruption for the team, with the third finished in August 2018 before the first game of the season. The renovations reduced the overall seating capacity to approximately 53,000, but combined the two student sections and connected the east and west sides of the stadium. Now, the entire stadium can be accessed from any entrance. Amenities such as restrooms and concessions were also upgraded. A new video board was installed, and a Student-Athlete Facility was constructed. The University plans to use the stadium to host events year-round.

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The Victory Acres neighborhood of Tempe highlights the unique story of Mexican-American suburbanization. La Victoria, a tight-knit, predominantly Mexican American, community, emerged during the post-War growth of Tempe and the surrounding region. La Victoria is the story of the perseverance of Mexican Americans in the face of discrimination. The community also survived a highway being built next to it and its partial destruction. The families in this neighborhood played a vital role as the area underwent a change from “rural farmland to urban landscape.”

In 1945, following World War II, local farmers George and Mary Tishbraney decided to partition their eighty acres of farmland into individual plots and sell them to others. They named it “Victory” Acres because the term had become popular in the war effort. Over time, the neighborhood grew to become a mostly Mexican American neighborhood, or barrio. Many of the first families that moved to Victory Acres came after their homes in the old San Pablo neighborhood were destroyed so that the university could expand. But despite their challenges, the people are close and lifelong members of the community remember feeling safe and at home among their neighbors and friends. “Many long-time residents and their families continue to reside here. They are proud of their community and are surrounded by strong ties of memory and friendship.”

Victory Acres was the home of many World War II veterans and their families. The legacy of service to their country continued, and many who lived in Victory Acres went on to serve in the Vietnam War before returning back home to their neighborhood in Tempe. Many veterans, like Carlos Labastida who served in Vietnam, described how their memories of Victory Acres helped them get through the difficulties of the war. He said, “My memories would always come back to the Acres. I swore that if I ever came back alive that I would always walk the streets again. I would remember the Acres so fondly.” David Johnson, the owner of Watson’s Flower Shop in Victory Acres remembered Memorial Day as being one of the busiest days of the year for his family’s business. He described, “On Memorial Day here at the flower shop it would get very busy. Everybody from Victory Acres would come over and buy flowers for their departed relatives or for deceased fathers who had previously served in the military. We would spend all morning selling flowers.” This common characteristic of many of these families having military ties contributed to the deeper community connection.

Places such as Bill’s Market, formerly known as Kalil’s Market, are remembered by many as significant community gathering places. Bill’s Market is especially remembered for the kindness of its owner Mary Tishbraney. This store “provided more than a place to buy groceries,” because “the market owners gave poor residents credit, delivered groceries, sponsored local youth sports teams, and even lent money to people in need.” Other prominent places like St. Margarita’s Church, Tempe Beach, and other sites provided gathering places for the children and community as well. These and many other places served to help establish the very close and interconnected community that Victory Acres is known to be.

Over the years, Tempe became more and more developed. Victory Acres remained where it was while other small neighborhoods were lost in the modernization and redevelopment. The freeway was built right next to Victory Acres, destroying several of the houses, yet the community remained. More recently, the light rail was extended and now passes by Victory Acres as well, but again, the neighborhood stayed where it was. Victory Acres does not have the typical modern development story like the rest of Tempe. It was largely ignored for decades. Not until the mid-1980s did this neighborhood first receive street lighting and paved roads. Because the freeway somewhat isolated Victory Acres from the rest of Tempe, and also because it was a predominantly Mexican American neighborhood, it was not given priority in redevelopment projects and was often the last to receive improvements. Some residents, though they love Victory Acres and have no plans of leaving, expressed some anxieties for their children. They worry about the heavy traffic of the freeway and Price Road being so close, and about a lack of city and recreational facilities for their children’s use. So, although it has come a long way, Victory Acres is still waiting for further city development in certain areas of need.

Although it was not given priority for redevelopments, and much needed improvements took a long time to come to Victory Acres, residents are still grateful that the neighborhood has remained through it all. One man, Elias Esquer, who grew up and still resides in Victory Acres discussed the vitality of the community. “It’s a good model on how to develop a community without destroying it-without having to go in and buy everybody out and sell it to developers which is happening in a lot of cities, it destroys the culture of the neighborhood. La Victoria remains a very stable Hispanic community.” Victory Acres is unique in its resilience to last through the redevelopment of Tempe.

Victory Acres sprang up at the end of World War II and really developed into the neighborhood it is today during the post-war years. Following World War II, the housing economy was booming and there are many trends that are common to see in neighborhoods built in this time. Big companies came in and built houses quickly and so they were very similar in their architecture. Victory Acres houses share some similarities, such as a majority of them being single story and single family homes built by the individuals and families who bought the land. However, there is one significant way in which the Victory Acres neighborhood fit in with the general trend of the post-war suburbs, and that was in its “economic and racial homogeneity.” Many Mexican American families were relocated to Victory Acres when the San Pablo neighborhood was demolished to build up the university in Tempe. Although Victory Acres didn’t start out as a segregated neighborhood, it quickly became predominantly Mexican American and has largely remained that way throughout the years.

Victory Acres is an example of a neighborhood that became a close community and one that tells a unique story of redevelopment in Tempe. Whether through military service or through associations at local gathering places, through struggles and redevelopment, Victory Acres has grown over the years and remains a tight-knit community today.

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In 1899, after his father became ill, Carl Hayden dropped out of Stanford University, returning to Arizona to care for his family. Hayden soon became active in the Democratic Party and pursued a political career. Early in the new century, Hayden became involved in the Democratic Party in Maricopa County and was elected to the Tempe Town Council. He built solid and productive relationships within the party, which later helped him run for a higher political office. Agricultural interests in Tempe sent him to Washington to lobby for the funding of the Salt River Project--a role that both precipitated and augured Hayden's long interest in the politics of water. His political connections and stellar reputation paid off. Hayden was elected Maricopa County Treasurer in 1904. He later claimed that those two years as treasurer provided him with practical experience with public finance and budgets. During this period (in 1903, to be precise), Hayden enlisted in Arizona Territorial National Guard and was elected Captain within two months of joining.

In 1906, Hayden ran for the position of Sheriff at a time when Maricopa County was but a small agricultural settlement. The Sheriff's job carried a modest travel budget and was considered a relatively lucrative position as the Sheriff's wages were based upon a percentage of fees collected. Hayden set upon the mundane tasks of maintaining order and transporting prisoners. He carried an unloaded revolver, which he later admitted was never used once during his time as Sheriff. Hayden spent a good portion of his time traveling throughout the region to meet other elected officials and build long-term relationships with Arizona's regional leaders. Hayden built on these connections, and when Arizona was admitted to the Union in 1912, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming Arizona's first representative to Congress.

After serving in the House for almost 15 years, Hayden took a leap into the United States Senate, where he served from 1927 to 1969, making him the longest-serving member of Congress in history. During his time in Congress, Hayden was known by his colleagues to be a reclamation expert, given his expertise on water conservation.

He was a stalwart defender of Arizona while the state was amidst a water rights dispute with California. The Supreme Court of the United States ultimately intervened and sided with Hayden in the case of Arizona v. California.

Overall, Hayden was known for his sense of fairness while serving in Congress. While Chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Hayden ensured members from both sides were treated fairly and given a voice on how and where to allocate federal funds. Hayden's fair treatment of his colleagues earned him respect, and he maintained order and collegiality while serving as the President pro-tempore of the Senate. Maricopa County's farmland enjoyed order and civility while Hayden served as the county Sheriff, and the United States Senate was the most deliberative legislative body in the world while Hayden served as its President pro-tempore. In the end, Hayden was a results-oriented politician who fostered amicable relationships wherever he went.

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Charles Trumbull Hayden was born in 1825 in Hartford County, Connecticut. After moving from Connecticut to Missouri, he began working with a freighting business and traveled to Arizona frequently. In 1870, Charles Hayden and his business associates laid claim to part of the Salt River, which resides in Yavapai County. This land would eventually become the community known as Hayden's Ferry, and in 1879, the community became the city of Tempe.

Throughout Charles Hayden's life, he remained a proponent of education, assisted in acquiring funds from external sources, and even donated personal funds to create the Tempe Normal School in 1885. The Tempe Normal School was renamed the Arizona State Teacher's College in 1928, and in 1958 the college was officially recognized as Arizona State University. Due to Charles Hayden's significant impact on the university and his continued endeavors in Arizona's educational funding and legislature, Arizona State University named the central library on campus after him.

Charles Hayden did not live long enough to see the library dedicated in his name. Still, his son, Senator Carl Hayden, was present. Senator Hayden joined 1,500 spectators packed onto Hayden Lawn on November 22, 1966. During the library dedication, Carl Hayden had the opportunity to speak about his father and the legacy he left behind at Arizona State University and the city of Tempe. He stated, "By these remarks, I'd softly indicate the manner of man my father was, and I am proud to be his son."

During the library's construction in the 1960s, the architects created an office for Carl Hayden, tucked away on the fifth floor. While he did not need this office during his tenure as a Senator, Carl was an avid student and used his office frequently for research. Today, the office has been turned into a museum to honor Hayden and his family. The most significant piece of living history in this space is his Senate desk, donated to Arizona State University by Congress in 1968. Other items in this museum are paintings of Carl, photographs, and some of the books that Hayden himself used.

Today the Hayden Library welcomes approximately 1.5 million visitors annually through the underground entrance. Many of these visitors are students of Arizona State University, seeking refuge in a quiet place to study or digging for course materials in the stacks. What many of these patrons may not know, however, is that the Hayden Library is more than just a space to hold books. In 2016, Hayden Library announced plans to renovate the library and bring it into the 21st century. Since many students have stopped using tangible books in favor of online databases, ASU is adopting a new method of digital curation. Another major project during the remodel is to realign the library's volume collections into student view, allowing for the 4.5 million books to be better utilized.

In 2018, a multi-year renovation of Hayden Library began, seeking to give the library a renewed sense of identity while also hearkening back to some of its original design elements.

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The Hayden House, or La Casa Vieja as it came to be known, is the longest-standing Mexican-adobe structure in Arizona. It was originally constructed in 1873 near the South bend of the Salt River by local Mexican and indigenous craftsmen for Charles Trumbull Hayden. "The original house was a single-story row house constructed of adobe in the Sonoran style," according to the City of Tempe. With an "L" shape, the house fronted Mill Avenue for 80 feet and First Street (now Rio Salado Parkway) for 120 feet.

Charles Hayden settled in Tempe after he relocated his freighting business and implemented plans to build a flour mill. In 1877, Carl Trumbull Hayden was born inside the Hayden House, where he and his two sisters, Sally and Mary, grew up. The Hayden House was refurbished throughout 1876-1883 by adding three more rooms to the west side and a second story of adobe on the north end. Throughout the life of the old house, it has always served as an epicenter for the growing community.

In 1889, when the Hayden family moved to a larger ranch north of the Salt River, they added a wood-framed second floor to the simple adobe structure. The former Hayden residence became a boarding house and general store and remained so for more than thirty-five years. Recognizing the structure's historical importance, Sally and Mary Hayden commissioned what was arguably the first historic restoration and preservation project in Arizona. Hoping to maintain the original adobe design, they hired noted local architect Robert T. Evans, who often worked in building and renovating adobe buildings, to restore the property. The Haydens converted the house into a restaurant that became known as La Casa Vieja: "the old house."

In 1954 Leonard Monti purchased La Casa Vieja from Sally and Mary Hayden, who were forced to sell due to debts accrued during the Great Depression. Leonard Monti understood the importance of the old house to the area and kept the name. The Monti family operated the restaurant from 1956 until 2016. The family honored the house's history and incorporated pictures from 1920 into the menu. Monti also gave historical tours of the Hayden House. The house's location was significant because of the amount of traffic that flowed through Downtown Tempe, where Federal Highways 60-70-80-89 converged to cross the Salt River at the Mill Avenue Bridge. In 1979, La Casa Vieja continued to expand on the southern end of the building. Eventually, though, the interstate highway, suburban expansion, and rising land values in downtown Tempe created economic pressures that led the Monti family to sell La Casa Vieja in 2014.

Current plans call for a new multipurpose office and lifestyle hotel at the location, with plans to save the original Hayden House and incorporate it into the facility.

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Charles Trumbull Hayden came to the western half of the United States in search of economic gain and adventure like the many settlers before him. Shortly after the Gadsden Purchase in the 1850s, Charles Hayden opened a profitable general store in southern Arizona next to the settlement of Tubac. On a freighting business trip from Tucson to Prescott, high water from a heavy storm near the Salt River in present-day Tempe halted Charles' journey for several days. Inspired by the Swilling Irrigation and Canal Company's success and visions of a thriving agricultural community, Charles Hayden decided to set roots and purchase 160 acres of land in the region in 1870. He established a homestead named Hayden's Ferry, which included a grist mill, general store, blacksmith, and ferry.

The ferry was one of the only ways to cross the Salt River for travelers during flood season for a modest price and provided its services until the early 1900s. However, Charles Hayden's ferry was relatively inconsistent, as the dramatic rains of the desert would either bring impassable water rapids or no rain at all. As the owner of a freighting business, Charles Hayden still needed a reliable way to transport his goods, so the ferry remained in service until a better solution came forward. A viable option for crossing the Salt River during floods finally arrived with the creation of the Roosevelt Dam in 1911. The dam brought forth the ability to maintain - and somewhat manage - the rapids of the Salt River and subsequently helped to increase agricultural irrigation control and water retention in the Valley region. In many ways, the creation of this dam was emblematic of the economic, political, and population growth experienced in the area.

In 1911, Governor George W.P. Hunt commissioned the construction of what would be later known as the Ash Bridge as one of the only sources of crossing the Salt River during heavy floods. Using the designs drawn up by Arizona's first territorial engineer, J.B. Girand, work began constructing the bridge immediately. During this construction period, the public remained uneasy about the controversial decision to use a convict labor force to cut costs. Still, Governor Hunt assured the people of Tempe that if even one convict escaped, he would step down as Governor of Arizona. Fortunately for Hunt, there were no successful attempts to flee, and the convicts proved excellent workers in completing the project. In 1913, Ash Bridge was officially open to the public for use as the primary crossing of the Salt River.

While Ash Bridge served as Arizona's first highway bridge to cross the river and a solid passage form for walking pedestrians and wagons, its design was almost immediately outdated due to technological advancements. As automobiles grew heavier and wider, the narrow design effectively made a functional two-lane bridge impossible. This, coupled with a massive flood in 1916, which left the bridge's structural integrity in question, forced town leaders to close the bridge to all but pedestrian traffic. The fledgling city desperately needed a new solution. Within two decades, a push for a much broader and stronger bridge began that would soon leave Ash Bridge as a deteriorating asset to the city.

Around 1928, the most considerable push for a new bridge came from a group of Tempe businessmen who submitted a formal request to the Arizona Highway Commission. In the following year, with the designs drawn up by Arizona bridge engineer Ralph Hoffman, the construction of the Tempe Bridge, now known as the Mill Avenue Bridge, began. The bridge opened to traffic in the summer of 1931 after two years of construction. Two years later, Benjamin Baker Moeur, the 4th Governor of Arizona and prominent physician held and presided over a two-day dedication ceremony. Located in the exact location that Hayden's ferry had operated around 60 years prior, the bridge easily handled two-way automobile traffic - and all of the flooding rain that the Arizona climate could provide.

An essential element of the Mill Avenue Bridge, which contributed to the growth of the city, was the fact that it had now connected the transcontinental highways of the U.S. 60, U.S. 70, and U.S. 80 to Tempe, along with Arizona's only north-south route, U.S. 89. The newly formed interconnectivity of Arizona's highway systems crossing over the Salt River created easier travel opportunities for individuals all over the country, and it was pivotal in the development of the city of Tempe and the surrounding Phoenix Metropolitan Area. However, in the following decades, the single two-lane bridge slowly became inefficient for the population, quickly outgrowing its narrow system. As a result, an additional parallel bridge was completed in 1994 to relieve the increasing traffic.

Since the days of Hayden's Ferry, Tempe's inventiveness has introduced the prosperity Charles Hayden dreamt of during his time at Hayden's Ferry. Hayden opened the door for development and successful commerce in the region with his ferry. Since then, it has only expanded.

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In the 19th century, women migrating to the West had opportunities not available to those in the East. These include the right to vote, equal pay for teachers, and more liberal divorce laws. Women confronted and supported the creation of the mythical rugged and untamed frontier. Contradictions between increased rights and persistent gender norms shaped their lives. Even so, the West provided fertile ground for the women's suffrage movement as Western women gained the franchise well before their Eastern sisters.

Many political leaders in Arizona, such as the state's first member of Congress, Carl Hayden, supported the expansion of women's right to vote. While Carl Hayden was in office, from 1912-27 in the House and 1927-69 in the Senate, he also supported women's suffrage. Additionally, Hayden played a critical role in amending Arizona's state constitution to allow women to vote and hold office. When the Amendment passed by more than 60 percent in 1913, Arizona granted women the right to vote in state and local elections.

Hayden's efforts drew upon a long history of movement toward equal political rights. In 1866, the Territory gave women the opportunity to vote in local school board elections. In 1887, a group of local women formed the Arizona Women's Equal Rights Association (AWERA) in Phoenix. AWERA quickly expanded. The women worked tirelessly, and it is said that lawmakers submitted suffrage bills routinely in the last years of the nineteenth century.

Senator Hayden's mother, Sallie Davis Hayden, was an ardent supporter of suffrage and the expansion of women's rights. As she raised three children and ran the Hayden household, she worked on the local school board and actively participated in the local women's suffrage groups. It was there that her young son was first exposed to suffrage, the women's movement, and political activism. Additionally, Sallie Hayden created a household that demanded both physical and intellectual rigors. Young Hayden helped his mother haul water from the local river to tend to the garden and to hydrate the livestock. Mrs. Hayden also maintained a small library that included both classics of English literature and contemporary writings.

In his elective offices, first as Sheriff of Maricopa County and then as the first Representative from Arizona to Congress, the future Senator Hayden advocated for extending the right to vote. However, he and other political leaders also felt the need to negotiate the complex politics of the period, tempering their support for suffrage prior to Arizona's admittance to the Union. Hayden, among others, toned down the Territory's view on equal rights for women for fear of the President refusing them. Therefore, in 1912, Arizona won statehood into the Union, but women lacked important Territorial rights, such as the right to vote. Yet, Hayden already had a plan to get women the vote. Using unique elements of the Arizona Constitution--the civil powers of initiative and referendum--, Hayden helped bring women's suffrage to the state ballot. Through this referendum process, Arizona gave women the right to vote in November 1912, nearly a decade before women received the right to vote nationally through the 19th Amendment.

Almost immediately after the state of Arizona granted women the vote, Frances Willard Munds became the first woman in Arizona elected to a legislature. She was only the second in the nation to receive that honor. Some fifty years later, in 1960, Lorna E. Lockwood would become the first woman in U.S. history to serve as Chief Justice on a state supreme court. Carl Hayden also had recommended nominating Lockwood to President Lyndon B. Johnson when vacancies appeared on the U.S. Supreme Court. However, it would take another twenty years--when Ronald Reagan appointed another Arizona jurist, Sandra Day O'Connor--that a woman would be nominated and confirmed to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

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The Borden Milk Co. Creamery and Ice Factory was one of Tempe's largest employers when it operated from 1927 to 1953. Before it gained this reputation, however, its property at 1300-1360 East 8th Street originated as the Creamery Complex which was constructed in 1892 to serve as the ice plant of F. A. Hough, a pioneer ice maker. For ten years, the Creamery Complex worked as the Tempe Creamery and the Tempe-Mesa Produce Company. By 1907, the popular California business, Pacific Creamery Company, bought the property. Pacific Creamery had about fifty workers, making it one of Tempe's largest employers at the time. The company was most famous for its condensed "Lily" milk that was produced by Salt River Valley cows. The Borden Milk Company gained ownership of the property in 1927 and made many modern improvements and expansions, including updating the building to reflect the Spanish Revival architecture style. After its closure in 1953, the Four Peaks Brewing Co. moved into the property in 1995, keeping the legacy of the Borden Milk Co. and its predecessors alive today.

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Fast food restaurants emerged as a vital part of American auto culture, first as drive-in restaurants and later with drive-thru lanes. The term itself appeared in the dictionary for the first time in 1951, about the time that Apache Boulevard's first drive-in, an A&W Root Beer Stand, opened at 2057 E. Apache. (Later, it relocated to the 1205 East Apache.) A franchise that originated in California, A&W sold root beer and hamburgers to customers who parked their cars under an awning, receiving curbside service on trays. Drive-ins were becoming increasingly popular in the 1950s, and the number of A&W restaurants grew from 450 in 1950 to more than 2000. It would not be until the late 1960s that additional fast-food restaurants began to appear along Apache, as a veritable wave of franchises—McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell—opened.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the architecture of fast food chains would have been novel to most visitors who were experiencing mass-produced cuisine for the first time. McDonald's had Golden Arches; Burger King sandwiched its name between two buns; Taco Bell had its characteristic bells. The large neon signs and distinctive architecture of these restaurants added a unique flavor to the roadside architecture of Apache Boulevard.

Along with its neon lights, Taco Bell also brought distinctive wood, stucco, and brick Mission-style architecture to Apache Boulevard. Its unique building soon became easily recognizable with a clay-tile roof, arch-shaped entryways, and a large metal bell set in a cavity above the entrance. The restaurant was typically a small building with little indoor seating if there was any at all. A small kitchen, a window for ordering, and a few tables and chairs on the patio were all that were necessary to run a successful establishment.

Fast food joints such as these catered to travelers and locals alike well into the 1990s. These restaurants, including local chains, such as Pete's Fish & Chips, Filiberto's, and Mr. Hero, also served food to the construction workers building the freeway and Tempe's suburban neighborhoods, making Apache Boulevard's fast food culture a part of Tempe history.

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Arizona State University's football program grew dramatically from the first sparsely-attended football games played at Goodwin Stadium to the packed Sun Devil Stadium. It grew in tandem with Arizona State Teachers College (ASTC) as it matured into a full-fledged university. Goodwin Stadium bore witness to that growth. Completed in 1936 for $87,000, the stadium was originally just a set of bleachers with only 5,000 seats. The team playing at Goodwin Stadium was not the Sun Devils of ASU; they were the Bulldogs of Arizona State Teachers College. Over the 19 years that the stadium was used for football, the school saw drastic changes that helped shape ASU into what it is today.

The late 1930s saw the football program start to win as it had never before, and the program also became more diverse, heralding the future of sports in America and the University. The team only won 7 games during its first three years at Goodwin. However, the 1939 team won 8 games and finished the season with a tie in the program's first Bowl Game. The late 1930s also brought about change with the addition of Emerson Harvey. Harvey was the first Black football player, and only the second Black athlete, in school history. Not only did Harvey excel on the field, but he also was fundamental in breaking down barriers on campus. He helped break color barriers across the Southwest as many teams, especially in Texas, had never played against Black athletes.

After struggling in the 1940s, the ASTC Bulldogs morphed into the Sun Devils. During World War II, the school did not field a team, as was the case at many universities across the United States. When football returned after the war, it was not pretty. In 1946, the team went 2-7 and suffered the most humiliating defeat in the school's history: a 67-0 blowout against Arizona. As fan frustration grew, some boosters wanted to give the team a fresh new look. The Bulldog's boosters and other groups formed the Sun Angels, an organization devoted to improving ASTC athletics. They suggested that the school's teams should be called the Sun Devils. After a student body vote, the name was adopted in 1946. The school's mascot, Sparky, was created two years later by a former Disney employee, Berk Anthony. It was rumored that Anthony modeled Sparky after Walt Disney himself.

In the 1950s, the program started to turn a corner as it revamped its rivalry with the University of Arizona (U of A). The Sun Devils had a terrible record against their in-state rivals in previous years. U of A held a 20-2 advantage over ASTC and had not lost a game to them in 18 years. The rivalry was renewed when ASTC clobbered the Wildcats 34-7 at Goodwin Stadium. Between 1949 and 1957, the Sun Devils beat U of A five times. In 1955, Frank Kush came to the University as an assistant coach. When he first saw Goodwin Stadium, he thought, "God Almighty—this is it?" The stadium was just two bleachers with a field that seated 15,000. Compared to the stadiums at higher-profile schools, Goodwin was an afterthought.

Kush would lead the Sun Devils as both the team and the University rose together like a phoenix from the ashes of Goodwin Stadium, which was demolished in 1957. Slated to be replaced by a bigger stadium, built into the Hayden Butte, Goodwin had one last hurrah as the Sun Devils finished with their first perfect season at 10-0. Another first for the football team was getting ranked in the AP poll. The team finished the season ranked #12 in the country. The year's final game would go down as possibly the most critical game in Sun Devil history when the Sun Devils defeated the Wildcats 47-7. This victory and perfect season generated excitement and augured Arizona State University's subsequent great triumph. In 1958, the University promoted a ballot initiative as to whether Arizona Teacher's College could become a full-fledged university on par with the University of Arizona. Overcoming vigorous lobbying by the University of Arizona, the ballot measure passed by a 2-1 margin. Some believed that the previous season's football victory had had an impact on legitimizing Arizona State. Sun Devil Stadium would take over the following year for Goodwin, and Frank Kush would become the new head coach. Kush led the team to new heights and constant national recognition. Still, without the teams that played on the field at Goodwin, ASU might never have reached these accomplishments.

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Valley National Bank served the Valley from its founding in 1900 through 1992. During this time, the Bank's distinctive logo was a common sight throughout the Valley. Its branches often had an iconic architectural design.

Located at the corner of Apache and Rural, the Tempe branch was constructed in 1962 by local architects Weaver & Drover. Many people remember this particular location for the unique design of the building's roof: a gold geodesic dome that R. Buckminster Fuller designed. This unique design choice by the Valley National Bank was a response to the changing architectural trends in the Phoenix Metro Area.

The Bank sought to adopt a retail image centered on consumer services. The location on Apache Boulevard also adopted many new strategies to become a successful bank. The progression of automobile culture in the mid-20th century set the path for some of these strategies used by the Valley National Bank. The Bank's location was essential to its success; it allowed easy automobile access by being located on the corner of Apache Boulevard and Rural Road. This type of auto-friendly access right off the road was an uncommon feature in most urban banks at the time. Another innovation resulting from the expansive automotive culture of the mid-20th century was the introduction of television bank tellers. Now, customers could quickly turn off the road and into the Bank's parking lot to complete their banking business - without leaving the car.

Valley National Bank was very successful and opened several other branches in the Tempe area. However, in the early 1990s, Valley National Bank was purchased by BankOne, and the Apache Boulevard location was subsequently transformed into a visitor center for Arizona State University. The bank building continued to be used by ASU for the next two decades. However, in 2007 the University began construction on the Hassayampa Academic Village on the site of the former Valley National branch. The unique geodesic dome had become a well-known and popular landmark in Tempe. Unfortunately, the building was ultimately deemed unsalvageable after an intense fight by the Tempe Historic Preservation Commission. The plan to demolish the building inspired the local community, with the help of historical preservationists, to fight to save the Bank from the wrecking ball.

Still, the University attempted to save the famous dome, even if they couldn't preserve the building. After two years of hibernation in ASU's surplus yard, the golden dome was re-erected in 2009 at Vista del Sol, a student housing complex across the street from the original Valley Bank site. Some might argue, however, that relocating the dome diminished its uniqueness. Even so, Tempe's now iconic dome still lights the surrounding desert sky, a memory of a bygone age.

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Architect Frank A. Redford inaugurated the use of Teepee designs for mid-century hotels in Kentucky in 1933. This roadside hotel architectural style quickly captured the popular imagination and spread Westward across the country along the growing federal highway system, especially Route 66.

After his first Wigwam opened in Horse Cave, Kentucky, in 1933, Redford patented and sold the designs and rights to use the Wigwam Village name to Frank E. Lewis. Lewis installed coin-operated radios into the hotels and paid Redford a royalty--every dime inserted for 30 minutes of play was sent to Mr. Redford as payment. Lewis constructed six other teepees across the country: Alabama, another city in Kentucky, California, Arizona, Florida, and Louisiana. Located along the burgeoning federal highway system, the hotels emphasized the comforts of home. They included gas stations and restaurants to ensure the tranquility of guests.

The Wigwam lodges' historical import is deeply related to their connection to the roadside culture of the first federal highway system that emerged with the Hayden-Cartwright Act of 1926. Route 66 is perhaps the most mythologized route along that highway, where most of the Wigwam Lodges were built. In his 1939 novel, Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck nicknamed Route 66 "The Mother Road." Evoking Oklahomans' desperate search for freedom and opportunity as they fled the Dust, the book helped to define one aspect of the highway system. Middle-class travelers seeking adventure, truckers carrying shipped goods, and the military all used the roads heavily. Especially with the advent of the family-car vacation, which was popularized by Harry Truman's road-trip return to Kansas City at the end of his presidency, the highway system became a focal point for entrepreneurs seeking tourist dollars through evocative gas stations, motels, restaurants, and attractions.

At least part of the allure of the Wigwam lodges was how well they fit into a broader narrative of the American West that was sold to tourists. Like many other cultural expressions of the period, Redford's design appropriated the form of Native American dwellings used primarily by Plains and Woodland Indian tribes. The particular form of the houses mattered less than the connections the Wigwam lodges made to Native American culture broadly. In a similar vein, the Fred Harvey Company--which famously sold its Western resorts to tourists--hired Pueblo Indians to serve as guides on its "Indian Detours." The particulars of Native American culture mattered little in this performance, as the Pueblo Indians were outfitted in uniforms of feathers and buckskins--evoking the dress of Plains Indians but not their own culture. Accuracy mattered little to tourists whose road trips introduced them to the grand myths of the American West.

The story of the development of the Wigwam Auto Court in Tempe fits neatly into this broad story. The Mesa Tempe Highway--Routes 60, 70, & 80--played an oversized role in developing the Valley as a tourist destination. Highways 60, 70, & 80 converged East of Mesa, running along what is now Apache Boulevard through Tempe and then curving north along Mill avenue into Phoenix, where it split again. Like Route 66, the Mesa Tempe Highway was dotted with unique roadside architecture. Tourists traveled the highway to escape the drudgery of their lives, and the Mesa Tempe Highway became known as the "opportunity road."

A local entrepreneur, Maurice Barth built the Wigwams Auto Court in 1946 (four years before Lewis built a Wigwam Lodge along Route 66 in Holbrook.) Located adjacent to what is now McCalister and Apache, the Wigwam Lodge (as it was later renamed) had the typical tourist amenities, including a swimming pool, shuffleboard court and accommodations for travel trailers. It consisted of six thirty-five-foot tall structures--the only two-story wigwams--and were crafted to give the impression of teepees with their leather skins and lodgepoles. By the late 1960s, the expanding Interstate and Tempe's growth had begun to limit their appeal, and the Wigwam Lodge was converted to apartments. Half of the units were demolished in 1971.

According to preservationist Jay Mark, Arizona State University's expansion ultimately doomed the structures. In 1982 ASU acquired the property and, a year later, bull-dozed the remaining buildings.

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Double Butte Cemetery is located in southwest Tempe on land that once belonged to Niels Peterson. It was located far from what was Tempe in 1888 due to health concerns. The cemetery is part of the "Rural" cemetery movement but has its individuality. The cemetery is historic in relation to the population, not only to Tempe but also to Arizona, encompassing the area's military and health issues. The diversity of the cemetery is seen in the cultural practices of groups and economic diversity. With the increase in population, the cemetery expanded to include newer sections more in line with the "Rural" movement.

The "Rural" movement started with Mount Auburn Cemetery outside Boston. The city center cemeteries were replaced with park-like settings to dispel the terror and horror attached to cemeteries. They included lush landscaping and pieces of art. They promoted serenity and peace. Picnics, courting, and other activities were encouraged in the "Rural" cemetery. Double Butte uses natural landscaping, which is anything but lush. Some trees actually grow up through the center of a grave. There are 4 -5 benches in the entire cemetery placed next to the Veterans' Memorial and several placed by specific graves. They seem to be privately placed.

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In 1926, well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright was called to Phoenix to help with the building of the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. This was the beginning of Wright's long relationship with Arizona. In the early 1960s, Arizona State University President Grady Gammage wanted Wright to bring a new look to the university, so Wright promised that this structure would be the gateway to ASU. Wright's design for the auditorium was based on an earlier design of his for an opera house in Baghdad, Iraq, which was never built because of the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état. Shortly before construction took place in 1962, the president of the university, Dr. Grady Gammage, passed away. Under Gammage's presidency, the school went from a college to a university, among many other changes and additions. To commemorate his time as president, the new auditorium was named Gammage Auditorium. Gammage Auditorium opened in 1964 and has since been an icon of the university and the western anchor of Apache Boulevard.

Frank Lloyd Wright would have an indelible impact on the architectural modernism of the greater Salt River Valley region. This extended from his landmark Taliesin West to various designs for commercial and non-profit organizations throughout the region. Ironically, perhaps his most interesting design was ever built. In 1957, Wright designed the blueprints for the Arizona State Capitol Oasis. The design featured gardens, fountains, reflective pools, a gazebo, and more. Even though everyone was in agreement that Wright's design was spectacular, the state decided to instead construct a conventional building in front of the original state capitol. When President Kennedy's Secretary of Interior, Stewart Udahl, was later asked why Arizona had the ugliest state capitol, he said "Because we missed the boat and muffed the ball when we rejected the Oasis Design by Frank Lloyd Wright."

In 1964 Gammage Auditorium celebrated its grand opening with a performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Today Gammage hosts traveling Broadway shows and musicals, among many other programs that range from presidential debates to musical performances.

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Maple Ash began its construction in the early 1900' s and is considered one of Tempe's oldest existing historic neighborhoods. Its borders extend from the south side of University Drive to the north side of Hayden Lane and from the west side of Mill Avenue to the west side of Ash Avenue.

Along with the early development of this community, flood irrigation was a key aspect to what makes this neighborhood unique to this day. Flood irrigation was originally used for agricultural land by transporting water through channels of open ditches. Maple Ash took this system and used a distribution of pipe systems to replace the open ditches for residential purposes. This highly desirable watering system was so popular because it made having a green oasis in the middle of the desert a reality, providing lush green lawns and healthy shade trees year round. The healthy vegetation also dropped the ambient temperature in this area by an average of 3-11 degrees year-round. Problems began to arise in the 1950s, and water consumption became a financial issue. The city proposed raising the fee residents pay in exchange for the water service they provide. Residents disagreed with this idea, and it was later decided that the city would stop offering flood irrigation services and stop creating new ones for future use.

In the early 2000s, the neighborhood's association received a $12,000 grant to transform the historic irrigation standpipes into a public art display. Not only did the artwork beautify the community, but it also had historic stories built into the murals about the people and architecture that created Maple Ash into what it is today.

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For four decades, The Chuckbox has occupied the corner spot on University and Forest. The little shack consistently serves customers from throughout the valley. It stands as a reminder of the days when Tempe was an old frontier farmland.

The Chuckbox was built to resemble a wooden shack in the Old West, with a sign out front boasting their “real charcoal broiled burgers” and tree stumps for seating on the front porch.

The Chuckbox seems to have an ideal location sandwiched between Arizona State University and Tempe’s downtown. With high-rises popping up throughout the city’s core and Arizona State University’s constant expansion, the little western burger joint practically stands alone in the new high-density construction. Still, The Chuckbox has had a resurgence in popularity, catering to students and staff of ASU. According to the restaurant supervisor, Paul Marquardt, their motto is “If it hasn’t been broken, we don’t need to try and fix it.”

The growth of the Arizona State campus over the years, in student numbers and buildings, has been occurring since the school first opened in 1885, and it will continue to grow to support its increasing student body. The ASU Tempe campus is already 15.9 million gross square feet. While the restaurant has not changed much over the forty years it has been open, the land around it has been experiencing continual change. Downtown Tempe has become a thriving, attractive, diverse destination for tourists. Fans of The Chuck Box hope that the continued growth of Tempe as a whole will increase traffic in the restaurant and ensure that it remains despite the ever-expanding campus nearby.

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Hayden Butte, also known as Tempe Butte, is a 1,500-foot tall mound of rock and dirt covered by desert shrubs, cacti, and history.

The Butte has been here for centuries, but human activity around the Butte began in the 1400s when the Hohokam settled the land. They left behind pottery, petroglyphs, and an extensive canal system.

Charles Trumbull Hayden ran freight wagons along the Santa Fe Trail from Missouri to New Mexico. In 1860 he traveled to Prescott and came across the Butte. Ten years later, he returned and laid claim to 160 acres, opened a ferry across the river, and a flour mill at the base of the Butte.

Tempe Butte is now a preserve owned by the city, with trails going to the top. At the top of the Butte, you can see for miles over the flat landscape. To the right of the Butte is the vast ASU football stadium, and south of that is the ASU campus. ASU also has a 60-foot golden letter “A” on the Butte, which gives it the name of “A” mountain. The Butte is iconic to the city and ASU. Locals have fought many times to keep the Butte intact and free from buildings. The Butte is a landmark that is important to Tempe’s history and is a part of ASU’s history as well.

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Completed in 1892, The Niels Peterson House was designed by James Creighton. At the time of construction, the Tempe population was roughly under 1,000. After arriving from Denmark in 1871, Niels Peterson homesteaded 160 acres of the Salt River Valley. It is here he made the majority of his wealth in the ranching industry. Peterson’s new home was a reflection of his high status. Peterson was one of the valley's largest producers of cattle, hay, and grain.

Peterson passed away in 1923. After his death, the house passed through two families before the Tempe Historical Museum acquired it in 1979. The Tempe Historical Museum now maintains the home as a museum.

The Tempe Historical Museum collaborated with the Danish Immigrant Museum in order to bring some of the Danish activities that the Petersons once enjoyed here in Tempe. ​The Petersen House Museum is open to the public on weekends throughout December for Danish Christmas tours.

The Peterson House Museum is located on the Northwest corner of Southern and Priest.

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In the late 1880s, when horses pulled carts and delivered mail in Tempe, Mill Avenue was a nascent hub of commercial activity. What became known as the "Andre Block" was among the first buildings constructed along Mill Avenue. According to the nomination made to the National Register of Historic Places (in 1979), this block "displays the best integrity of territorial commercial architecture of any building continuously used for commercial purposes in the Salt River Valley and is one of the last remaining buildings with a cast-iron front."

Developed by R. G. Andre, a Phoenix entrepreneur, and skilled saddle maker, the property was built in 1887 and rebuilt after a fire in 1888. Andre enlisted the help of famed territorial architect James M. Creighton. He ran a successful saddlery business until 1899, when the building caught fire and burned down. The following year, it was rebuilt. Andre later sold the building to Jones, whose descendants kept ownership of the building until 1977. The building was used as a post office, dance hall, and armory throughout the years.

In 1999, Tempe Historic Preservation acquired federal grant money to restore the building to its original historical integrity. However, in the middle of the restoration, a grease fire in the neighboring restaurant set the building ablaze. Fortunately, due to stricter safety codes enforced during restoration, the fire did less damage to the building than the previous fire 100 years earlier.

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