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Tempe, Arizona

Following the establishment of Fort McDowell on the eastern edge of central Arizona’s Salt River Valley in 1865, enterprising farmers moved into the area. They dug out the irrigation canals left by the prehistoric Hohokam people and built new ones to carry Salt River water to their fields. Valley farms soon supplied food to Arizona’s military posts and mining towns.

The first settlers to move to the Tempe area, south of the Salt River and east of Phoenix, were Hispanic families from southern Arizona. They helped construct the first two irrigation canals, the Kirkland-McKinney Ditch and the San Francisco Canal, and started small farms to the east and west of a large butte (Tempe Butte). In 1872, some of these Mexican settlers founded a town called San Pablo east of Tempe Butte.

Tempe is well known nationally as the home of the Fiesta Bowl and the Arizona Cardinals. It is the seventh largest city in Arizona, with a strong modern economy based on commerce, tourism, and electronics manufacturing.

Attractions and Upcoming Events

ASU Planetarium

Evening shows are offered Tuesday and Thursday nights from Sept.-Nov. and Feb.-April. Shows begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. and last approximately 30 to 50 minutes. Weather permitting; viewing though ASU telescopes follows each show. Reservations are required for all evening shows.

Tempe, AZ Planetariums

Kiwanis Community Park

Tempe's premier 125-acre park has 12-acre lake, urban fishing, boat rentals, two group picnic ramadas, sand volleyball courts, softball/soccer fields, playgrounds and Kiwanis Park Recreation Center. Batting Cages

Tempe, AZ Recreation

Arizona Historical Foundation (ASU)

Political papers, business records of the Goldwater family and other prominent Arizona individuals/

Tempe, AZ Museums

ASU Mars Global Surveyor Facility

The facility supports the Thermal Emission Specrometer experiment that was sent aboard the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft when it launched in November 1996. The Mars facility has a visitor area with displays about Mars and a television tuned to NASA TV.

Tempe, AZ Learning Centers

Arboretum at ASU

Arizona's largest public urban arboretum, ASU'

Tempe, AZ Arboretums

Things to do near Tempe, AZ

Desert Highlands Golf Club

Course Access: PrivateHoles: 18Reserve Advance Tee Times: 7 days...

Coyote Ridge Golf Club

Course Access: PublicHoles: 18Reserve Advance Tee Times: 7 days...

Lakes Golf Courses's At Sun City -Lakes West

Course Access: PrivateHoles: 18Reserve Advance Tee Times: 1 days...

Surprise Aquatics Center

Looking for some cool and affordable summer fun? Surprise's 10,562-square-foot Aquatics Center takes swimming beyond the box....