Before the rise of the motor court and luxury resort, Phoenix tourism was defined by a different sort of refuge. Out in desert, the enterprising tourist could find himself staying at the guest ranch, a resort that catered to would-be adventures…

Scottsdale Road started out as a dusty corridor for travelling horse and wagon teams, cattle herds, and pedestrians; by World War II, it was Scottsdale's first and only fully paved road. This transition mirrored the slow but steady shift in…