Phoenix is the known as the heart of the Valley and it is now the fifth largest city in the country. It is pulsing with history, arts and is the cultural foundation of Phoenix as well as the region.

The Downtown area is rich with cultural venues like the newly renovated Symphony Hall, which is home to the Phoenix Symphony and the celebrated Herberger Theater Center. The Orpheum Theatre and Dodge Theater are also there and they offer their own exceptional stages for music and dance performances. For sports enthusiasts, there is the US Airways Center; it is home to many teams. There are the Suns and Mercury for both men and womenΏs basketball, the Rattlers, which is an indoor football team, and the Roadrunners, they are a minor league hockey team. This Center is also used for concerts and other events alike. The Diamondbacks are also located in Phoenix and they are housed in Chase Park, it is a modern ballpark equipped with a retractable roof as well as pool-side seating.

Copper Square is considered the urban center of Downtown; it is home to more than 90 restaurants, bars and markets, plus many shops. Also located in the Downtown area are the Phoenix Civic Center, the Valley's most popular convention site, and the Arizona Science Center.

North of the center of the Downtown area are multiple historic districts featuring charming older homes with older tree-lined streets. This area is just the beginning of the northern area of Phoenix. The Biltmore area to the east of Phoenix offers larger ranch-style homes, there are plenty of trees and quieter neighborhoods that seem to be tucked out of the way from the busy urban shopping centers. The northern Phoenix area also houses a beautiful escape for nature lovers known as Piestewa Peak. The northernmost edge of Phoenix presents a large area of bigger and newer homes that have a scenic view of the desert in their backyard. The Desert Ridge Marketplace is also located in this area; it provides popular restaurants choices and a large shopping center, one of the biggest in the Valley.

Ahwatukee

Ahwatukee, is a community located in the southern part of Phoenix, it represents the booming growth in planned residential communities in Arizona. Development companies purchased a large chunk of land next to South Mountain and proceeded to build thousands of houses in this area. The land had previously been known as the Ahwatukee Ranch, it was the area in which the first settlement in 1921 for Mr. and Mrs. W.V.B. Ames. Ahwatukee is very close to Phoenix and today is mainly a bedroom community.

Apache Junction

Apache Junction is on the edge of Maricopa County, at the base of the Superstition Mountains. The city overlaps the line between Maricopa and Pinal counties and is the entrance to many picturesque attractions. Apache Junction is a relatively new city; it was incorporated in only 1978. The town relies on retirement and tourism. Approximately 40,000 winter visitors come to Apache Junction each year. The city's location is at the intersection of U.S. Highways 60 and 89 make this a prime stop for sightseers on their way to areas such as the lakes and forests of central Arizona. Therefore, much of the commercial life in Apache Junction is geared toward the service industry. Apache Junction's position at the foothills of the Superstition Mountains makes it a trendy stop for people trying to find the famed location.

Buckeye

The town of Buckeye was founded in 1888; it sits 35 miles west of Phoenix, and 20 miles west of Avondale and Goodyear, which are both enjoying a four-year, double-digit annual growth spurt. As those southwest Valley cities expand and fill, developers are turning their eyes to Buckeye. At build-out, land surrounding the town could support a million people, according to projections by the Maricopa Association of Governments. In 1999, the population was estimated at 5,600. A future development, seven miles north of Buckeye, is owned by the Caterpillar Co., the maker of tractors, bulldozers and industrial equipment. Caterpillar is teaming with developer DMB of Phoenix to convert 8,800 acres, from McDowell Road to Northern Avenue, into homes, apartments, schools, offices, shops, golf courses, hiking trails and possibly a resort.

Town officials are also expected to take over the State Prison Complex-Lewis, which is 15 miles west of Buckeye. Once annexed, inmates will be added to the town's population and increase its portion of revenues shared by the state. Even though the town is jumping on the growth bandwagon, locals have said that they refuse to become big city snobs. Most residents have Buckeye roots going back generations. Many remember attending elementary and high school together and with city officials such as the mayor or fire chief.

Chandler

In 1891, Dr. Alexander John Chandler bought 80 acres of land from the federal government south of Mesa and built a ranch on what would soon be known as the town of Chandler. Dr. Chandler was interested in irrigation and helped to build several canal systems which were instrumental to desert farming. As a result, agriculture is a large part of ChandlerΏs roots. Farmers grew and cultivate still today various grains and alfalfa, but cotton was the most prosperous crop as well as raising cattle, sheep and ostriches. Ostriches are celebrated in the annual Ostrich Festival held in Chandler every March. In 1913, Dr. Chandler opened his famous Hotel San Marcos on the town's lush central park. The hotel quickly became a favorite for visitors from all around the country. Seven years later, the town's first charter was drafted and the citizens voted to incorporate into the Town of Chandler. Chandler's greatest population boom has been in the last two decades, growing from 30,000 in 1980 to more than 170,000 by 1999. The personality of the city's business community has also changed as agriculture has taken a back seat to the manufacturing companies and electronic industries that have moved into town and made Chandler their home.

El Mirage

Migrant farm workers established their selves in El Mirage on the west bank of the usually dry Agua Fria River in the early 1930s. Incorporated in 1951, it is a compact residential community covering a small ten square miles. The city founders were from working families and the residents still are today. It is very common to find families living in the homes their parents built decades ago. Until recently, the city had a small-town atmosphere. But it is now one of the West Valley's residential hot spots with more homes expected to be built in over a dozen subdivisions in the next decade. The city grew from about 6,000 residents to about 9,000 in 1999, and is expected to reach more than 20,000 residents in the next decade. With home prices as low as $60,000, El Mirage has been a spot for growing families and first-time home buyers to settle. Each year, the city holds a well-attended Fiesta de La Gente (Fiesta for the People) celebration in March that highlights the city's Hispanic heritage with Ballet Folkloric performances, and Mexican food and bands. El Mirage is planning a New City Hall that will be much times larger than current municipal headquarters. The complex will be at the southeastern corner of El Mirage and Thunderbird roads, across from the Elementary School and next to the city's two-bay fire station. Construction is expected to start in July and be completed by January 2001. The city hopes to create a Mercado theme for the area that would tie the architectural theme of City Hall into nearby business areas. El Mirage has several other projects planned, including street improvements. In addition, the city plans to revitalize its business district and construct a regional 40-acre park, seven wells and a $7.2 million expansion of the wastewater treatment plant.

Gilbert

Gilbert, known as the "Hay Capital of the World", was a small farming community until the population boom came to the town in the 1980s. Between 1980 and 1990, the town experienced a 410 percent population growth. Today, the town is well known for its quality of life and high caliber school systems. Several companies continue to move to Gilbert to take advantage of the pro-business approach Gilbert has on development.

Gilbert's location southeast of Phoenix makes it an attractive target for commuters to the city. The population continues to grow and is estimated to reach 100,000 by the year 2000. However, the town still clings to its rural roots, with country auctions and livestock shows. Every year in November, a rodeo is held for Gilbert Days.

Glendale

The city's history is indelibly tied to William J. Murphy, an entrepreneur who accepted the job in 1883 of building a 44-mile-long canal from the Salt River west to the Agua Fria River in the northwest Valley. Once the canal started flowing in May 1885, settlers followed. To make money off the venture, Murphy had to sell the canal's water rights and the land along the canal. He lured settlers and farmers from Chicago and beyond to come to the area that, for some unknown reason, Murphy began calling this area Glendale. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Over the years, Murphy's efforts to put Glendale on the map continued with the introduction of Grand Avenue and an electric trolley between Phoenix and Glendale. He swapped right-of-way along Grand Avenue with the Santa Fe Railroad for the construction of a rail line from Prescott to Phoenix, and he found financing for the Beet Sugar Factory, which helped expand Glendale's economy and attract other investments from outside the area. Today, the huge, red brick factory stands silent, a testimony to Glendale's rich history and a tribute to Murphy.

Glendale, itself, has been anything but silent over the years. Today, it is the fourth largest city in the state, covering 58.5 square miles and boasting a population of more than 209,000. While farming still survives on the city's border, fields of cotton and corn continue to give way to single-family homes, schools, shopping centers and major employers.

Glendale is Arizona's fourth-largest city and it hopes to lure those employers to the last large chunk of undeveloped land. It sits in the western half of the city between the Loop 101 and Luke Air Force Base.

Goodyear

The city of Goodyear was born from a company, but now thrives through its community. Goodyear which is located 17 miles west of Phoenix is named after the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. In 1916, the Goodyear Co. farmed cotton on a 20,000-acre plot for its tires. Later, Goodyear Aircraft built a plant and housing for workers building flight decks for Navy seaplanes. Those workers created a community and named it Goodyear.

Goodyear is intersected by the Union Pacific Railroad line and Interstate 10. As a result of its close proximity to transportation and to Phoenix, it offers affordable housing which brings newcomers to the area. Most new residents move into homes built in one of the city's four master-planned communities. By 2010, city officials estimate these communities will bring 18,000 new homes, and 54,000 residents, to the city.

Each fall, Estrella Mountain Ranch, the city's premier master-planned development, hosts the annual Cool Desert Jazz Festival, bringing top national and local jazz artists to Goodyear.

In the spring, the Phoenix Symphony performs an evening pops concert, also at Estrella Mountain Ranch, and Duncan's Family Farms offers annual pumpkin festivals, Easter egg hunts and a petting zoo.

Paradise Valley

Wildflowers the bloom in the spring inspired the name of this nice town. The town was incorporated in 1961 and is zoned almost solely for single family homes. Homes nestled in the town enjoy wonderful views of the Phoenix Mountain Range, Camelback and Mummy Mountains. During the 1980s, the Mummy Mountain Preserve was established, reflecting the townΏs desire to maintain its Sonoran Desert heritage. By 1995, the town had grown to 16.5 square miles. But this small community, with limited building, is also host to 11 resorts, including the Camelback Inn, El Chorro Lodge and Hermosa Inn.

Peoria

The West Valley's second-largest city got its name from that Peoria, the eternally average Illinois town whence came some of this Peoria's first residents. It was first a part of Valley pioneer William J. Murphy's vision for a new Western farm belt. He imagined acres of fertile fields fed by water from the Salt River.

As water began to flow, Murphy, who had an even greater hand establishing nearby Glendale, returned to Illinois and started sending folks West. Four families from Peoria, Ill., were among the first to arrive, purchasing 5,000 acres of land in what, in a burst of imagination, they began calling Peoria.

Peoria has been a small farm town for many years. The orange groves and alfalfa fields still hang about in between subdivisions and shopping centers. It was finally incorporated in 1954. The city's growth has given it a unique character. Its northern end wraps around Lake Pleasant, a popular reservoir built to store water first from the Agua Fria River and later from the Central Arizona Project. Older neighborhoods still stand further south, built up along the river and Skunk Creek. The city spent millions of dollars renovating its downtown area by building a sprawling City Hall with a library and public safety complex nearby.

Peoria has a stadium that has attracted major league spring training with its sports complex, now the home of baseball's Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres as well as acting as a host for concerts and other events.

Queen Creek

Queen Creek is named after the Silver Queen Mine, even though it is nearly 100 miles away. A creek used to run around the base of the mine and into an area surrounding the current Town of Queen Creek. The town boasts of 330 days of sunshine a year. Riding horses, bikesΏ, walking or just being outside is what the residents in Queen Creek like to do with their off time. Founded by farmers at the turn of the century, cotton, citrus, pecans and other crops were grown thanks to the Queen Creek Wash.

Queen Creek seeks to keep its agricultural roots and heritage while maintaining its growth. incorporated in 1989, the town feels that this will help preserve its rural life.

The city's most important attractions are the Queen Creek and the Sanokai Washes. Plans are in the works to preserve them as open space to protect the habitats of plants and wildlife that call it home as well as create recreational parks.

Mesa

One of the fastest growing communities in the nation, Mesa has exploded in size since its Mormon settlement in 1878. Mesa is home to many of "Fortune" Magazine's top 500 manufacturers, electronics, automotive testing and aerospace industries all call this area home.

In the spring, Mesa is home to the Chicago Cubs as they take on other teams in the Valley's Cactus League. The San Diego Padres and the Anaheim Angels also come to Mesa for a winter instructional league.

Museums, libraries, and theaters round out Mesa in the cultural department. The Arizona Museum for Youth teaches children through many hands-on exhibits, and Mesa Southwest Museum provides lessons in the history and culture of the region.

Scottsdale

Scottsdale is Arizona's fifth largest city; it was founded by an Army chaplain the farming community grew to be an area where artists retreat. It has since its inception emerged as a premier destination for tourists and businesses that stretch for 30 miles along Phoenix's eastern border. While Scottsdale grows by record numbers each year, the city and its voters have strived to save parts of the McDowell Mountains that make up the city's trademark vistas. Voters approved a sales tax to help buy more than 16,000 acres of private land for preservation.

Sun City

Popular culture holds a special place for Sun City. Just hearing the name of the community suggests images of cheery retirees sailing by in lavish golf carts. Developer Del E. Webb carved out Sun City 12 miles northwest of Phoenix, transforming 20,000 acres of cotton fields, sage brush and mesquite into a housing community designed for active retirement. It proved to be a model for success. The Webb Corporation has opened several similar retirement developments in Arizona and in other states.

Sun City celebrated its 40th anniversary On Jan. 1, 2000. There were those who never dreamed it would be a hit. A year before the opening, Webb conducted a national campaign focusing heavily on the cold, snowy regions of America. Visitors were invited to Sun City's grand opening. Full-page ads in newspapers and magazines promised "An Active Way of Life" for the new residents. Sun City was to be the place to be as young as you feel. Glossy brochures pictured retirees with big smiles and happily participating in outdoor and indoor recreation. One of the first model home brochures carried this line: "In Sun City, you will enjoy complete individuality, privacy and happy, satisfying living, and most important: the right to do what you want... when you want... to live exactly as you wish." Incorporation has been another hot topic during the past 40 years, causing bitterness between friends and even spouses. Although passionately debated over the years, the community remains part of Maricopa County. One aspect has never died in Sun City, the faithfulness of residents helping others - either by opening their wallets or being a volunteer. Many Sun City residents have donated thousands of hours volunteering in local school districts and with various agencies.

Sun City West

After the Del Webb Corp. finished work on Sun City 21 years ago, the Phoenix developer moved just two miles west to create a similar community, Sun City West. The 30,000-resident retirement community is an upscale, master-planned development designed as an active, adult community where senior citizens do a lot of golfing, swimming and socializing. Some residents retired early from top positions at the country's largest companies. Newcomers are lured to Sun City West by the lifestyle and $70 million worth of recreational facilities and golf courses, not to mention hundreds of clubs and civic organizations. Arizona State University's Sundome Center for the Performing Arts draws people from throughout the state for an assortment of entertainment events. Webb sold its last home in Sun City West in mid-1998 after building more than 16,000 homes in the 7,100-acre development. From 1,000 square feet to more than 3,000 square feet, there is a variety of single-family homes, town homes, and duplexes. There also are a wide range of lots from small lots to golf course or lake lots.

Tempe

Tempe has grown over the years to become a suburban community of cultural, academic and economic importance. It is close to Phoenix and two major freeways as well as playing mother to Arizona State University, which takes up 700 acres in the center of the city. It gives downtown Tempe an atmosphere of a close-knit college community.

Tempe has lively culture and sports scenes. The city is home to the Arizona Cardinals, who share the Sun Devil Stadium with ASU, and also hosts the Fiesta Bowl every January. Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, hosts numerous musicals and concerts each year, as well as speeches and debates.

Youngtown

Youngtown was founded in the mid-1950s. It was real estate broker Ben Schleifer and banker Clarence Suggs who built Youngtown. They bought 320 acres at the northwest Valley site in 1954. Youngtown falls south of Grand Avenue and is overshadowed by its giant retirement neighbor. Sun City is on the east and south of the community and a landfill flanks Youngtown's west side. If you drive around, you will find quiet streets, friendly neighbors and a tranquil lake surrounded by small but neatly kept houses. This town houses mostly retirees. Younger folks though once restricted from living in most of the community, are now welcome.

Youngstown has gone through many battles on whether or not there should be an age limit for residents of the city, despite such controversies; Youngtown remains a peaceful community, apart from the occasional attempt to recall council members. The effort failed. When not dealing with town politics, many folks simply like to enjoy their 2.8-acre Maricopa Lake. The spot has been maintained since its creation in 1955. In the early days, it served as a hub for fishing, swimming, picnics, parties and church socials.