Mesa, Arizona

Situated a few hundred miles directly south of the Grand Canyon's south rim, it is easy for the industrial city of Mesa, Arizona, to feel overshadowed. Although it isn't the first stop for tourists visiting Arizona, Mesa experienced significant population growth in the 1980s, and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.

Landscape

The 128-square-mile city of Mesa is situated along the Salt River, in Maricopa County, Arizona. Located approximately 16 miles east of Phoenix, Mesa is often regarded as an extension of the state capital. In fact, since both Phoenix and Mesa have seen such phenomenal growth in recent years, many have speculated that the two cities might merge someday, much like Raleigh and Durham in North Carolina.

The average annual temperature in Mesa is 85 degrees Fahrenheit. During winter, the temperature rarely drops below 45 degrees, and July temperatures often climb higher than the summer average of 104 degrees. With an average annual precipitation total of less than 8 inches, and more than 300 days per year described as "sunny," it's easy to see that water is at a premium in Mesa. Climate change is evident in increases in daytime and overnight temperatures, more severe weather, less precipitation, and other changes.

People

Mesa is the third-largest city in Arizona, and ranks 40th among US cities. A significant part of the Phoenix metropolitan area, Mesa's population was estimated to be 512,498 in 2022, according to the US Census Bureau. A relatively "new" city, Mesa is larger than such cities as Miami, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta, though it is not as well known.

Mesa may be considered young in population as well as in history -- the average age among its citizens is thirty-two, and only 16.9 percent of the population consists of people sixty-five years and older. As is typical of many other cities in the region, the majority of Mesa's population (72.1 percent) is white. The largest minority group is the Hispanic and Latino community, which accounts for 27.3 percent of the total population. The Black or African American community accounts for 4.6 percent of the population and Indigenous people account for 2.1 percent of the population.

Economy

Mesa has at least twenty businesses that employ over 500 workers. The city's major industry revolves around local fruit and vegetable farming activities. The manufacture of airline parts is another important business in Mesa, where the Boeing Company employs more than 4,000 workers.

The public school system is the largest single employer in Mesa. Another major source of employment is Banner Health System, which employs approximately 6,000 people. The town itself employs 3,000 workers in various government and public service positions. Telecommunications giant AT&T employs 2,800 workers at its Mesa facility.

The area's airports -- Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Williams Gateway, and the Mesa Falcon Field municipal airport -- together contribute more than $600 million to the local economy.

Landmarks

One of the most prominent natural attractions in the Mesa area is the Apache Trail, an 80-mile scenic drive through the desert. Along this route is the colorful Lost Dutchman Goldmine Museum, which along with Goldfield Mining Town (an authentic "ghost town") is part of the nearby Superstition Mountain Wilderness Area. The museum houses a variety of exhibits related to the Old West and the legend of the lost Dutchman mine.

Historical attractions within the city limits include the Sirrine House, first built in 1895. This home is the only fully restored Victorian building in Mesa, and is run by the Mesa Historical Society. The Lehi School, dating back to 1913, is the oldest remaining school building in the city, and houses the Mesa Historical Museum.

Further outside the city, the Grand Canyon itself is about half a day's drive north. Sedona, a popular pilgrimage site for "new age" enthusiasts, is 130 miles away. There are also 58 parks in Mesa itself.

There are five major museums, including the Mesa Southwest Museum, within the city limits. The $90 million Mesa Arts Center includes four performance spaces and offers live events and art exhibits. Phoenix provides all of the cultural resources and attractions of a major metropolis, and is only a 20-minute drive away.

History

The long history of central Arizona begins with the area's indigenous people, the Hohokam, whose name means "that which has vanished." They built the original canal irrigation system in present-day Mesa, parts of which are still used today.

The Hohokam disappeared mysteriously from the Southwest before the arrival of Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century. The Apache and Pima were living in Arizona at this time, but they were eventually driven off by the Europeans.

The First Mesa Company, a group of 85 Mormons, left Utah in 1877, and reached the area that would become Mesa the following January. By April, they'd cleared the Hohokam canals and the water was flowing. By July, they had built a town, first called Hayden's Ferry, then Zenos. Mesa was officially incorporated as a town in 1883, and as a city in 1930, twelve years after Arizona was admitted to the Union.

A former veterinary surgeon for the Arizona Territory, Dr. A.J. Chandler was one of the first land-barons in Mesa. He built the town's first office complex, enlarged the canals, and started an electric power plant in the late 1890s. The city purchased this power company in 1917, distinguishing Mesa as one of the first cities in the U.S. to own its own utilities. The power plant brought in income for the town during the Great Depression, and helped make Mesa relatively independent financially.

The local economy continued its upward turn during World War II, when two airfields, Falcon Field and Williams Air Force Base, were built in Mesa. Many military families stationed at the base decided to make Mesa their home after the war, boosting the city's population and economy.

In the late 1940s, as tourist activity increased in Mesa, the entire economy began to shift. Up until this time, approximately half of the city's residents earned their living by farming. By the 1950s, aerospace and high-tech employment began to take hold, and these industries remain a driving force in Mesa today.

Except for the 1920s, when the slump in cotton prices hurt the town, the local economy has continued to grow each decade. Mesa has shown more than 75 percent growth in each subsequent U.S. Census.

Mesa had the highest growth rate of any large city in the country in 1990. During that decade, the city's population nearly doubled, thanks in part to the decades-long boom in the high-technology sector.

Trivia

• Mesa is the spring training home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team.
• Arizona cities, including Mesa, do not celebrate Groundhog Day.
• The hottest recorded temperature for Phoenix and/or Mesa was 122 degrees Fahrenheit, in July 1995.

"Climate Action Plan." Mesa Government, 2022, www.mesaaz.gov/residents/environmental/climate-action-plan. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.

"Mesa City, Arizona." US Census Bureau, 2022, www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/mesacityarizona/PST045223. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.

"Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ." US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024, www.bls.gov/eag/eag.az‗phoenix‗msa.htm. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.