Glendale, Arizona

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In the late 1800s the area that is now Glendale was all desert. William John Murphy, a native of New Hartford, New York, who resided in the town of Flagstaff in what was then the territory of Arizona, was in charge of building the 40-mile-long Arizona Canal from Granite Reef to New River for the Arizona Canal Company. In 1885, he completed the canal, which would bring water to the desert land. Murphy was deep in debt, since he had agreed to be paid in Arizona Canal Company stock and bonds and land instead of cash. In 1887, Murphy formed the Arizona Improvement Company. His objective was to sell the land and water rights south of the canal. Murphy raised capital from out of state sources in order to meet payroll and construction expenses. Murphy decided to refer to this land as "Glendale". In order to develop and interest potential investors and settlers in this new town, Murphy decided to provide a better way of access from Phoenix to Glendale and ending in the town of Peoria by building an 18-mile-long diagonal road which he named Grand Avenue. In 1891, Burgess Hadsell worked with Murphy to bring 70 Brethren and River Brethren families to Glendale to form a temperance colony. Soon settlers, attracted by the town's ban on alcoholic beverages, continued to arrive. In 1895, Murphy platted the original town site and amended the plat to include a town park and some business lots. It was bounded by Lamar Road on the south, 55th Avenue on the east, Myrtle Avenue on the north, and 59th Avenue on the west. The construction of a railroad from Prescott to Phoenix was made possible with an exchange of the right-of-way made by Murphy along Grand Avenue. The railroad allowed Glendale settlers to transport goods to the north and easily receive building materials. The construction and commercial applications of the Beet Sugar Factory in 1906 also contributed to the growth of Glendale. Though the operations of the factory only lasted until 1913, it played an important role in the increase of immigrant and migrant settlers in the city. Several other businesses were founded around this time such as Glendale Ice Company, Pacific Creamery Company, Glendale Milling Company, and Southwest Flour and Feed. World War I ushered in a renewal for Glendale, with cotton prices rising throughout the period. Cotton continues to be a source of economic prosperity in Glendale with many farms still along the Loop 101, despite many farmers switching to more profitable crops. A high demand for food also kept farmers busy. Numerous farms and orchards were established and thrived through the early 1900s. World War II brought the birth of Thunderbird Field to train civilian pilots for the Army. In late 1940, a few Hollywood actors and businessmen, headed by Leland Hayward, approached the Army to establish a primary flight training school. This group chose the site of Thunderbird Field primarily because of its abundance of space, excellent weather, and good visibility. While this field was being built in 1941, the Army was busy working on a larger base for $4.5 million, Luke Field (now Luke Air Force Base). This base was named for the first pilot to receive a Medal of Honor, Lt. Frank Luke Jr. Thunderbird Field would later become the Thunderbird American Graduate School for International Management. The military and college presence, as well as the increase in population (nearly doubling between 1950 and 1960), sparked a need for utilities, parks, schools and streets. Over the next 40 years, the city added a landfill, water treatment plant, sewage plants, libraries, parks, public safety facilities, an airport, a city hall and a civic center. In the 1970s, Glendale practiced strip annexation to claim future territory to annex that another city couldn't claim. Current strip borders are along Northern Avenue, Peoria Avenue, Perryville Road, and Camelback Road. Arrowhead Towne Center opened in 1993, and the surrounding neighborhood, Arrowhead Ranch, made the area a hotspot for housing and shopping. The completion of Loop 101 throughout Glendale opened the city to the rest of the Valley. In recent decades, the city has begun major investment into tourism. The establishment of the Westgate Entertainment District, housing Desert Diamond Arena, and State Farm Stadium in the early 2000s made Glendale a destination for locals and visitors. Construction of the VAI Resort and Mattel Adventure Park will continue to grow Glendale's tourism economy creating hundreds of new jobs and providing more than a thousand new hotel rooms for the city. The completion of Loop 303 in 2011 also resulted in an increase in industrial development. In 2024, the city called on the Department of Defense to lobby for Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to veto bipartisan legislation to increase housing supply in Arizona. Ryan Lee, the city's intergovernmental-programs director, confirmed to Jerusalem Demsas of The Atlantic that he was behind the move but refused to otherwise comment. Demsas speculated the Department of Defense was "doing a favor for a NIMBY local government" due to Luke Air Force Base being located nearby. State Representative Analise Ortiz, whose district includes parts of Glendale, criticized the city for going behind legislators' back to lobby against the legislation, "This is not the way we typically go about creating policy."

In Their Own Story

The city's history is rich with specific moments: William John Murphy completed the 40-mile-long Arizona Canal in 1885, which brought water to the desert land. In 1891, Burgess Hadsell worked with Murphy to bring 70 Brethren and River Brethren families to Glendale to form a temperance colony. The Beet Sugar Factory operated from 1906 to 1913, playing an important role in the increase of immigrant and migrant settlers. World War II brought the birth of Thunderbird Field to train civilian pilots for the Army, chosen for its abundance of space, excellent weather, and good visibility. Luke Field (now Luke Air Force Base) was built for $4.5 million and named for Lt. Frank Luke Jr., the first pilot to receive a Medal of Honor. Arrowhead Towne Center opened in 1993. The Westgate Entertainment District, Desert Diamond Arena, and State Farm Stadium were established in the early 2000s. In 2024, the city called on the Department of Defense to lobby for Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to veto bipartisan legislation to increase housing supply in Arizona.

Reader's Guide

Glendale is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, bordering the state capital as a suburb of Phoenix. It is known for State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals football team, and contains the Arrowhead Towne Center shopping mall. As of the 2020 census, the population was 248,325. The city has a total area of 65.1 square miles, of which 0.4 square miles is water. The New River and Agua Fria River flow southward through the western extremities of the city. Glendale has a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh) typical of Southern Arizona, with very hot and dry summers and mild winters. The 2020 census reported a racial makeup of 51.14% white or European American (43.37% non-Hispanic white), 7.66% black or African-American, 2.01% Native American or Alaska Native, 4.69% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 18.59% from other races, and 15.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 39.31% of the population. The median household income from 2016-2020 was $56,991, and 17.2% of the population was below the poverty line. Attractions include Adobe Mountain Desert Park and Cerreta Candy Co. factory tour.

Did You Know?

• Glendale's population was 248,325 as of the 2020 census.
• William John Murphy completed the 40-mile-long Arizona Canal in 1885, bringing water to the desert land.
• The Beet Sugar Factory operated from 1906 to 1913, contributing to the increase of immigrant and migrant settlers.
• Luke Air Force Base was built for $4.5 million and named for Lt. Frank Luke Jr., the first pilot to receive a Medal of Honor.
• In 2024, the city called on the Department of Defense to lobby for Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to veto bipartisan housing legislation.