Glendale
Brief History/ Chronology/Sites to See/ Websites/ Books/
Manuscripts/Articles/ Photographs/Weather

Brief History

"The basis of Glendale's economic progress throughout its 100 year history as a community might be best summed up by two words: water and transportation. More than just supporting the usual needs of the city's population, water actually created Glendale's industry. The Arizona Canal and Roosevelt Dam assured a stable water supply and freedom from the effects of droughts and floods.As a result of these water sources, Glendale became an agricultural mecca, specializing in lettuce, melons, sugar beets, and cotton."

"Phoenix's founder, a saloon brawler and drug addict named Jack Swilling,  re-excavated a network of prehistoric Hohokam Indian canals that irrigated thousands of acres of farmland along the Salt River. His efforts also helped give birth to Southeast Valley Settlements that became the cities of Tempe and Mesa.

Unfortunately, for the northern and western portions of the Salt River Valley, no Indian Canals were there to restore. So the lands that make up Northwest Phoenix, Glendale and Peoria today remained raw desert more than 15 years after the East Valley cities had already been settled. For the baren Northwest Valley to come to life, it, too, needed that all-powerful
resource--water."

The idea was soon born to build a canal 44 miles long from its headingon the Salt River westward across the northern part of the Valley to the Agua Fria River. Thus, the Arizona Canal Co. was incorporated on December 20, 1882, by M.W. Kales, William A. Hancock and Clarck Churchill, three prime builders of pioneer Arizona... After conquering giganitic engineering problems, (William James Murphy) watched triumphantly  as the first water flowed through the newly-constructed Arizona Canal in May 1885."

From Glendale A Century of Diversity.

"On Ash Fork branch of A.T.&S.F.R.R. 8 miles northwest of Phoenix. Important cotton, hay and farming center. Arizona Magazine, August 1913. says: "Town established 1892 by New England Land Company. Settlement was made by some members of the "Church of the Brethren" from Illinois, who sent B.A. Hatzel out to locate a place for them. He chose this spot, named the town, and bough 360 acres of land for the site. There is a prohibition clause in every deed. On May 20, 1921, citizens donated 10 acres of land to the U.S. for a poultry experiment station."

Barnes, Will C.; Granger, Byrd (ed.) Arizona Place Names University of Arizona Press. 1997
P. 180

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Websites

Arizona Department of Commerce Community Profile- Glendale, Arizona
http://www.commerce.state.az.us/pdf/commasst/comm/glendale.pdf

Glendale, Arizona Local Government Website
http://www.glendaleaz.com/

The Arizonan.com Glendale, Arizona
http://www.arizonan.com/Glendale/

City History
http://tour.glendaleaz.org/history.html

Arizona Republic-Glendale Edition
http://www.azcentral.com/community/comstories/comglendale.html

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Sites to See

Glendale Public Library
http://www.glendaleaz.com/Library/

Glendale Historical Society
Historic Sahuaro Ranch Park, P.O. Box 5606,
59th Ave. and Mountain View Rd., Glendale 85312-5606
(623) 435-0072
http://www.ci.glendale.az.us/seeanddo/tourism/azguide.html

Historic Saguaro Ranch Park
59th & Mountain View avenues, 2.5 miles north of Downtown Glendale,
9802 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85302
Phone: 623.939.5782
http://www.ci.glendale.az.us/seeanddo/tourism/azguide.html

Adobe Mountain Railroad Museum and Desert Railroad
23280 North 43rd Avenue #75, Glendale 85310
9 a.m.-noon 2nd and 3rd Sat., December-April
(623) 974-0125/Free

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Colleges

American Graduate School of International Management

Arizona State University West

Glendale Community College
 
 

Books/Manuscripts found in the ASU Library Catalog

Glendale, century of diversity : an illustrated history / by Dean Smith (West Stacks, Arizona Collection)
F819.G48 S6x

From dale to hollow? : the urban transformation of Glendale, Arizona, 1940-1990/ by John Harrison Akers. (University Archives)
LD179.15 1997 .A357

W. J. and the Valley : the story of W. J. Murphy and his part in developing the Salt River Valley in Arizona/ by Merwin L. Murphy.
F817 .S2 M8x

William J. and Laura Fulwiler Murphy collection, 1781-1924, (bulk 1872-1924) [manuscript]
MS CM MSS 63

Catlin Court District plan : a planned area development  / prepared by the Catlin Court District Committee.
XUGD 1.2:C 17

General plan for Glendale, Arizona.
XUGD 1.2:G 35

Glendale, Arizona story.
XUGD 1.3:M 85/2

My First Ninety-Six Years  by Florence Shields McGill
F819.G48 M3x

Glendale historic building survey  / prepared by Janus Associates ; James Woodward, project coordinator.
F819 .G48 G5x

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Items on the Arizona and Southwest Index

The Glendale Colony: How the Colony Originated and Why Located Here, N.D.
FM MSM-41

Molokan Culture, 1971
FM MSM-46

The Cultural Landscape of the Russian Molokan Colony-Glendale, Arizona, 1976
FM MSM-47

Glendale, Arizona Manuscript Material, N.D.
FE EPH DTO-GLENDALE.2

Bert Fireman Research Grant Paper: Sine Brothers Company: Reflections on Glendale, Arizona's History.
FM MSM-230

Russian Immigration in the Salt River Valley, C.1917
FE EPH R-2

Biography of Velma Teague, 1903-1969.
CB BIO TEA,VEL

Sahuaro Ranch Park, Glendale, Arizona: Informational Brochures. Varied Dates from 1995-
CE EPH DM-242

Glendale's Glitter & Glow.
CE EPH DTO Glendale.14

Glendale Development Information; 1981
CE EPH DTO-GLENDALE.1

Glendale: Then & Now
CE EPH DTO-GLENDALE.10

Glendale, Arizona Historical Society: Informational Brochures.
CE EPH HA-133

Mexican American who pioneered Glendale are recognized for their contributions to the history & development of Glendale
ME CHI H-37

Family History: Elizabeth Leyva Weaver, 1990.
MM CHSM-361

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Articles

Krause Collection 11/11 Newsclippings about Glendale

Arizona Rep. Sept 12, 1897
Glendale Mercantile Company receives a car of steel windmills, towers and pipe; markds the beginning of what is destined to be a very important business in the valley

AZ Rep Feb 27, 1898
The improvement in the appearance of things between here and Peoria is quite marked. Several new houses have been erected and much of the vacant land on both sides of the railroad is being brought under cultivation

AZ. Rep 1/9/1912
60 coming from Lincoln to buy land. Grow Sugar Beets

AZ Rep 1/30/1912
Personal mention of the Glendale People

AZ rep 5/30/1912
Glendale not a Desert

Arizona the New State Magazine F806 A7 April 1912
What about Glendale

Arizona The State Magazine Jan. 1922
Glendale-The Garden City

Arizona Days and Ways Nov. 6, 1955
The Glendale Story

Arizona Days and Ways Sept/. 23, 1956
Glendale's "big hole" gapes defiantly at a face-lifting

Arizona Days and Ways May 22, 1960
Sands Mansion on 51st and Northern

Arizona Business April 1975
Arizona Business scene

Phoenix Magazine Nov. 1986
Glendale: former agricultural Community move quietly towards big city status.

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Photographs

Photograph: Apricot orchard at Greenhut Ranch, near Lateral 20 and Grand Avenue. Glendale, Arizona, C.1890
CP MCL 98156.PHX106

Photograph: Home of the H. C. Mann family on the Greenhut Ranch. Glendale, Arizona, C.1890
CP MCL 98157.PHX106

Photograph: Glendale State Bank located on the corner of Glendale Avenue and 58th Drive. Glendale, Arizona, C.1900
CP MCL 97678.G5

Photograph: Glendale Merchantile, Glendale, Arizona, 1900
HP SHM BU-B-8156P

Photograph: Family in a Horse Drawn Wagon, Glendale, Arizona, 1900.

Photograph: Bunk and cook house on the Samuel Bartlett Del Higo Ranch. Glendale, Arizona,
CP MCL 97677.G5

Photograph: Ostrich farm. Glendale, Arizona, C.1907
CP MCL 97640.G5

Photograph: Family Posing in Front of Bales of Hay, Glendale, Arizona, 1913
CP SPC 294:276

Photograph: House in Glendale, Arizona, 1913.
CP SPC 294:281

Photograph: International Harvester tractors lined up in front of the O.S. Stapley Company implements and tractor store. Glendale, Arizona, 1924
CP MCL 97195.A3

Photograph: Street scene of Central Avenue & Glendale. Phoenix, Arizona, C.1930
CP MCLMB A538

Photograph: Workers in A Strawberry Field; Glendale, Arizona, 5-1-1933
CP MCLMB-A868A - A868B
CP MCLMB-A930A - A930C

Photograph: Streetscene Downtown; Glendale, Arizona, C.1945
CP SPC 90:L1

Photograph: Street scene. Glendale, Arizona, C.1946
CP MCL 4141.G5

Photograph: Glendale-Avenue; Glendale, Arizona, 8-22-1946

Photograph: Members of the Future Farmers of America with a tractor at Nineteenth Avenue and Glendale. Phoenix, Arizona, 1947
CP MCL 4422.A3

Photograph: Aerial looking north with the Black Canyon Highway in the center and Glendale Avenue. Phoenix, Arizona, 1954
CP MCL 31512.A2

Photograph: Aerial from 10,000 feet looking north showing Glendale Avenue and the Black Canyon Freeway Phoenix, Arizona, 1955
CP MCL 37231.A2

Photograph: Aerial. Glendale, Arizona, 1960
CP MCL 72254.G5

Photograph: Aerial of showing area around Olive and Fifty- First Avenue. Phoenix, Arizona, 1960
CP MCL 72254.PHX110

Photograph: Aerial of Site of Proposed New Shopping Center Near Bethany Home Road and 59th Avenue, Glendale, Arizona, 1964
CP CTH 559

Photograph: Panoramas of Site Proposed for New Shopping Center Near Bethany Home Road and 59th Avenue, Glendale, Arizona, 1964
CP CTH 560-562

Photograph: General Site and Surrounding Area of the Southwest Poultry Research Station, Glendale, Arizona, 1967
CP CTH 701-742

Photograph: Aerial. Glendale and Northwest Phoenix, Arizona, 1970
CP MCL 98477.PHX110

Photograph Collection: Albert J. Ross, 1907-1966.
CP SPC 257

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Chronology

1884--- Alex Silva settles in Glendale, becomes first official resident along with a high population of Hispanics.

1886- Arizona Canal Completed

February 27, 1892--- W.J. Murphy's New England Land Company, along with Burgess Hasdell completes a survey and platte of Glendale's first residential area. This date is celebrated as Glendale's official birthday. The same year, advertisements for all settlers were produced in papers throughout the United States originating in the Arizona Weekly Gazette. Glendale Temprance Colony founded. City founded for the Church of the Brethren of Illinois

1895---  Santa Fe Railroad Depot established along Grand Avenue. First Elementary School built

1909--- 22 Glendale residents are first to use the telephone, by 1912 there are over 250 users.

June 18, 1910--- Glendale incorporated with a population of over 1,000 people, First Mayor is A.W. Bennet and the first Town Clerk is Victor E. Messinger.

February 15, 1912--- Glendale News founded by Fred C. Woodward.

1926--- The Glendale Herald Established

1927--- Chamber of Commerce founded

1930--- Glendale becomes one of the nation's top produce shippers; Town of Glendale becomes City of Glendale

1938--- Library built in Murphy Park

1940--- Population 4,500

1941--- Desert land cleared for Air School Site. Thunderbird Airfield created for training pilots for Army Air Corps in World War II. Construction of Luke Air Force Base also begins.

1946--- Thunderbird field transformedinto Thunderbird School of International Management.

1948---Glendale becomes only city in Arizona with 100% of its streets paved.

1950--- Population 8,179

1960---Population 15,696, Annexation of Maryville in May 1961 brings Glendale's population over 30,000.

1964-1975 Population grows from 42,000 to 67,000.

1965--- Glendale Community College opens

1977--- Glendale Star founded

1981--- Sperry (now Honeywell) builds Glendale's first Aerospace facility

1986--- New Glendale Municipal Airport opens

1988--- ASU West Opens

1990--- Catlin Court Historic Shops District created, revitizes Downtown Glendale.

1993--- Arrowhead Towne Center mall opens

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Last Updated: July 18, 2002
If you would like to know more about the author of this site, Jeffrey Scott, feel free to visit his homepage.
In addition, if you have any questions about this site or Arizona History, feel free to e-mail Jeffrey