Phoenix, Arizona

For 40 years, The Bachelor's Beat, a paid weekly newspaper has covered local politics while selling ads for area strip clubs and escort services. Many fans hope that replacement J.P Losman can lead the Bills to the playoffs in the 2005-2006 season. In addition, the city is also served by numerous free neighborhood papers and weeklies such as the Phoenix New Times, Arizona State University's State Press, and the College Times. In the offseason, the Bills released quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who was then signed by the Dallas Cowboys. The city has two major newspapers: The Arizona Republic serves the greater metropolitan area and The East Valley Tribune tends to focus on East Valley issues. Though they would lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game of the season, costing them a playoff berth, the late season surge gave the team a positive direction to approach 2005. By this time, the paper had progressed from a weekly publication to semiweekly. This, along with the emergence of Willis McGahee taking over the starting running back role from the injured Travis Henry, and emergence of Lee Evans to give the Bills a second deep threat, sparked the Bills to go 7-2 in their next nine games. This string of victories allowed the Bills to be in the hunt for a final AFC wildcard playoff spot.

It later changed its name to the Phoenix Herald in 1880. The team finally managed to turn things around with a victory at home against the also winless Miami Dolphins. Phoenix's first publication was the Salt River Valley Herald. Additionally, each loss was heartbreakingly close. FM. The Bills started the 2004 season 0-4, with Bledsoe and his offense struggling in their run-first offense, averaging only 13 points per game. AM. And indeed, Bledsoe did continue to struggle in 2004.

This list is incomplete.. Losman, to be used if Bledsoe continued to struggle in 2004. Phoenix is served by several major television stations:. The Bills also drafted another quarterback, J.P. Out of the total population, 21.0% of those under the age of 18 and 10.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Gregg Williams was fired as head coach after the 2003 season and replaced with Mike Mularkey. 15.8% of the population and 11.5% of families were below the poverty line. In one game, however, the Bills' fans gained a small measure of satisfaction when the defense sacked Rob Johnson multilpe times in his relief effort for Washington.

The per capita income for the city was $19,833. After beating eventual champions New England 31-0 in the first game, and crushing the Jaguars in their second game, the Bills stumbled through the rest of the season, finishing 6-10. Males had a median income of $32,820 versus $27,466 for females. Another Patriot castoff, safety Lawyer Milloy, joined the Bills days before the 2003 season began and gave the team an immediate boost on defense. The median income for a household in the city was $41,207, and the median income for a family was $46,467. However, in a tough division with all other teams finishing 9-7, they were still in last place. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males. Bledsoe revived the Bills for the 2002 season, leading them to an 8-8 record, setting 10 team passing records in the process.

For every 100 females there were 103.5 males. After the season they traded for quarterback Drew Bledsoe, deemed expendable by the Patriots after Tom Brady led them to a Super Bowl victory. The median age was 31 years. The Bills even lost a much-hyped mid-season matchup with "Bills West" (the Flutie-led Chargers). In the city the population age distribution was 28.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. Buffalo finished 3-13. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.39. Rob Johnson went down in mid-season with an injury and Alex Van Pelt took over.

25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams took over as head coach for the 2001 season, which proved to be the worst in recent memory for the Bills. There were 465,834 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. Smith would be quickly replaced by rookie Travis Henry. 34.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any country origin. Both Flutie and Smith were dominant in their final game as Bills, in a rout of the Seahawks. The racial makeup of the city was 71.07% White, 5.10% African American, 2.02% Native American, 2.00% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 16.40% from other races, and 3.28% from two or more races. Antowain Smith also left as a free agent for the New England Patriots, where he was the starting running back on their two Super Bowl championship teams.

There were 495,832 housing units at an average density of 403/km² (1,044/mi²). Doug Flutie left the Bills with a .677 winning percentage in 31 starts. The population density was 1,074/km² (2,782/mi²). Flutie controversy, general manager John Butler departed for the San Diego Chargers - and took Flutie and Wiley with him. At the census of 2000, there were 1,321,045 people, 465,834 households, and 307,450 families residing in the city. Antowain Smith, Eric Moulds and Marcellus Wiley respectively had long since eclipsed them on the depth chart. After a dismal 8-8 season, and the team still caught up in the Johnson vs. At its height, in the 1940s, the Phoenix area had 3 military bases: Luke Field (still in use), Falcon Field, and Williams-Gateway Field, with numerous auxillary air fields located throughout the region. The final ties to the Bills' Super Bowl years were cut in 2000 when Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed and Bruce Smith were all cut.

The military has a significant presence in Phoenix with Luke Air Force Base located in the western suburbs. Others believe it wouldn't be an issue, had Johnson not taken sack in the endzone early on, allowing Tennessee to get 2 points, and good field position, which they used to score a touchdown. Due to the warm climate in winter, Phoenix benefits greatly from seasonal tourism and recreation, and has a particularly vibrant golf industry. The Titans ended up advancing to the Super Bowl. Numerous high-tech and telecommunications companies have located in the Valley of the Sun. Arizona State University has enhanced the area's population through education and its growing research capabilities. Many Bills fans still think that the lateral was actually a forward pass, and the touchdown should not have counted. Many of the area's residents are employed by the state government since Phoenix is the capital of Arizona. The Bills scored a field goal with 16 seconds left to give them a 16-15 lead, but the Music City Miracle, a lateral from Frank Wycheck to Kevin Dyson that led to a Tennessee touchdown on the ensuing kickoff lost the game for Buffalo.

Formerly an agricultural economy dependent mostly on cotton and citrus farming, Phoenix in the last two decades has diversified as rapidly as the population has grown. Flutie's popularity continued into the 1999 season, with the Bills finishing 11-5, two games behind the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC East standings. However, Johnson was given the starting job in the first playoff game against the Tennessee Titans (the former Houston Oilers) in Nashville. Public education in Phoenix if provided by about 30 school districts. They faltered in their first playoff game against the Dolphins, though the game's poor officiating was one of many poorly called games which caused instant replay to be brought back in 1999. The new annexation is sparsely populated (if at all) and new development is not expected in the near future. After Johnson and the Bills stumbled to begin the season, Flutie came in and led the Bills to a playoff spot and 10-6 record. The 15th remains unnamed; it is listed as "New Village" on the city's Village Planning Committee website [1] (http://phoenix.gov/PLANNING/vpcommtt.html). This village was created in 2004 after the approval of new annexations in extreme northern Maricopa County. Despite many Bills fans wanting Flutie to get the starting job, Phillips named Johnson to the position.

14 of the urban villages are:. This started one of the biggest controversies in the NFL at the time. Their primary purpose is to assist the City Council with zoning and planning ordinances. The Bills, under new coach Wade Phillips signed two quarterbacks for the 1998 season, Rob Johnson and former Canadian Football League star Doug Flutie. Phoenix is divided into 15 "urban villages". Coach Marv Levy retired after the season. There is an 8-person city council that represents 8 individual districts in the city of Phoenix. Kelly's loss was felt in 1997, with the Bills stumbling to 6-10.

The current mayor of Phoenix is Phil Gordon. Thurman Thomas gave way to new running back Antowain Smith. The city of Phoenix is served by a council-manager form of government. Jim Kelly retired after the season, signalling an end to the most successful era in Bills history. Snow also fell on March 12, 1917 November 28, 1919, and December 11, 1985. They still made the playoffs, but as a wild card - and the first victim of the cinderella Jacksonville Jaguars. Most recently, 0.4 inches (1 cm) fell on December 21-22, 1990. In 1996 the Bills saw their commanding lead in the AFC East race disappear to a surging New England Patriots team.

Another 1.0 inch (2.5 cm) fell on January 20, 1933. On February 2, 1935, 0.5 inches (1 cm) fell. They would not get a chance to get back to the Super Bowl - the Pittsburgh Steelers beat Buffalo in the divisional playoff and ended up being the AFC's representative there. The heaviest snowstorm occurred on January 20-21, 1937, when 1 to 4 inches fell (2 to 10 cm) in parts of the city and did not melt entirely for four days. In 1995 Buffalo, with free agent linebacker Bryce Paup anchoring the defense, again made the playoffs with a 10-6 record, and defeated Miami in the wild card round. Snow falls roughly one year in four, but since recording commenced in 1896 it has accumulated to 0.1 inch (0.25 cm) only 7 times. The 1993 Bills also proved to be the first of twelve different teams to lose the Super Bowl, with no NFL team doing so twice since then. Successive winters without any frosts at the airport have been recorded, and the longest period without a freeze stretched from November 23, 1979 to January 31, 1985. The outcome of Buffalo's 1994 season has proven to mark the start of what has become known as the "Super Bowl Runner-up Jinx:" Beginning with the 1993 Bills, no Super Bowl loser has since reached the conference championship game the following year in either the AFC or the NFC, and only one has advanced that far in the postseason in either of the next two seasons after losing a Super Bowl (the Steelers, who lost to Denver in the 1997 AFC Championship Game two years after having lost Super Bowl XXX to Dallas); furthermore, only one Super Bowl loser since the 1989 Denver Broncos (who lost the game the year before the first of Buffalo's four defeats) has won a Super Bowl in any season since losing one (the New England Patriots, who lost the game in 1996 but won it in 2001, 2003 and 2004) and starting with the 1998 Atlanta Falcons, five out of six Super Bowl losers have finished with losing records the season after.

The earliest frost on record occurred November 3, 1946, and the latest April 4, 1945. The team stumbled down the stretch and finished 7-9, fourth in the division and out of the playoffs. Some areas of Phoenix may see frost for a month or more before and after the airport readings. The Bills would not get a chance to make it five straight in 1994. At the airport, the mean date of first frost is December 12 and the last is February 7; however, these dates do not represent the city as a whole because the frequency of freezes varies considerably among terrain types and elevations. A Thurman Thomas fumble returned for a touchdown by James Washington put Dallas in the lead, however, and the Bills were stunned again, 30-13. Severe thunderstorms—bringing strong winds, large hail, or tornadoes—can occur during any month of the year, but only happen an average of once or twice per year somewhere in the metropolitan area. The Bills became the only team ever to play in four straight Super Bowls, and looked ready to finally win one when they led at halftime.

The wind-front creates a haboob, a wall of dust thousands of feet high. They won the AFC East championship with a 12-4 record, and again won playoff games against the Los Angeles Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs, setting up a rematch with the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII on January 30, 1994 . Blowing dust and sand, which also can restrict visibility, accompany the collapse of monsoonal thunderstorms. They looked to rectify the situation in the 1993 season, but the same result happened. Fog is observed from time to time during the winter months. By now the Bills had become laughingstocks, poster children for failure in the eyes of many. Winter storms moving inland from the Pacific Ocean occasionally produce significant rains but occur infrequently. Lett held the ball out long enough for Tasker, who had made up a considerable distance to get to Lett, to knock it out of his hand.

Although thunderstorms occur on occasion during every month of the year, they are most common during the monsoon season from July to mid-September as humid air surges in from the Gulf of California. One of the sole bright spots for the Bills was Steve Tasker's rundown and strip of Leon Lett after Lett had returned a fumble inside the Bills five and was on his way to scoring. Rain is particularly scarce from April through June. Buffalo committed 9 turnovers en route to a 52-17 thrashing. March is the wettest month of the year (1.07 inches or 27 mm). Super Bowl XXVII, played against the Dallas Cowboys, turned out to be a mismatch. The normal annual rainfall at Sky Harbor International Airport is 8.29 inches (211 mm). They then handily defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional playoff and upset the archrival Dolphins in the AFC Championship to advance to their third straight Super Bowl.

The dry Arizona air makes the hot temperatures more tolerable early in the season; however, the influx of monsoonal moisture has been known to make August in Phoenix almost as humid as summers in the Southeastern United States. Undaunted, the Bills scored touchdowns on several consecutive possessions to tie the game and force overtime. Steve Christie kicked the game-winning field goal in the extra session to cap the biggest comeback in NFL history, 41-38. On June 26, 1990, the temperature reached an all-time high of 122 °F (50 °C). Backup quarterback Frank Reich started their wild card playoff game against the Houston Oilers, and they were down 35-3 by the third quarter. In every year except 1911, the temperature has soared to 110 °F (43 °C) or higher. The Bills lost the 1992 AFC East title to the Miami Dolphins and Jim Kelly was injured in the final game of the regular season. The temperature reaches or exceeds 100 °F (38 °C) on an average of 89 days during the year, including most days from early June through early September. The Redskins opened up a 24-0 halftime lead and never looked back, handing the Bills a 37-24 loss (an embarrassing moment occurred as the teams were leaving the field at the end of the first half when Bills center Adam Lingner angrily ordered a cameraman to "Get that f***in' camera out of my face;" the comment was picked up by a nearby microphone and everyone watching or listening to the game on television or radio would have had an opportunity to hear it).

Clear blue skies are typical, with an average of 300 sunny days a year. The Bills looked to avenge their heartbreaking Super Bowl loss a year earlier by playing the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI, but it was not to be. The total area is 0.05% water. The Bills steamrolled through the 1991 regular season as well, finishing 13-3 again and with Thurman Thomas winning the Offensive Player of the Year award. They also had an easy time with the Kansas City Chiefs in their first playoff game and beat the Denver Broncos in a defensive struggle in the AFC Championship. 1,229.9 km² (474.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. Norwood's miss set the stage for future failures by the Bills in the early 1990s. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,230.5 km² (475.1 mi²). It went wide to the right, and the Giants emerged victorious; however, some criticized Levy for not calling one more offensive play in an effort to make the field goal try shorter.

Current development (as of 2005) is pushing rapidly beyond the geographic boundaries to the north and west, south through Pinal County towards Tucson, and beginning to surround the large Salt River and Gila River reservations. The game featured many lead changes, and with the score 20-19 in favor of New York with eight seconds left, Bills kicker Scott Norwood attempted a 47-yard field goal. Within the city are the Phoenix Mountains and South Mountains. The Bills were overwhelming favorites to beat the New York Giants, but the defensive plan laid out by coach Bill Parcells and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick kept Buffalo in check (and without the ball) throughout the game. The Phoenix metropolitan area is surrounded by the McDowell Mountains to the northeast, the White Tank Mountains to the west, the Superstition Mountains far to the east, and the Sierra Estrella to the southwest. The team finished 13-3 and blew out the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Raiders in the playoffs on their way to Super Bowl XXV. During periods of increased precipitation such as late 2004/early 2005 its current can become quite strong and regular. In 1990 the Bills switched to a no-huddle offense and it started one of the most successful runs in NFL history.

The dams are deflated to allow the river to flow unimpeded during releases. 1989 was a relative disappointment, with a 9-7 record and a first-round playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns. The city of Tempe has built two inflatable dams in the Salt River to create a year-round recreational lake, called Tempe Town Lake. After having an easy time with the Houston Oilers in the divisional playoff, they lost the AFC championship to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Salt River runs westward through the city of Phoenix; it is typical to see the riverbed entirely dry except when unexpected runoff forces the release of water from any of the several dams upriver. In 1988, the rookie season of running back Thurman Thomas, the Bills went 12-4 and finished atop the AFC East for the first of four consecutive seasons. Major retirement communities include Sun Lakes, Sun City, and Sun City West. The community of Ahwatukee is a part of the City of Phoenix itself, but is almost entirely separated from it by South Mountain. In addition to new coach Marv Levy, a receiving game featuring Andre Reed and a defense led by first-overall draft pick Bruce Smith, the Bills started marching back to the top.

The Greater Phoenix area has a population of 3.2 million and includes Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Peoria and many smaller communities such as Goodyear, Fountain Hills, Litchfield Park, and Anthem. After the USFL's demise, Jim Kelly joined the Bills for the 1986 season, and immediately proved to be worth the wait. It lies at a mean elevation of 1,117 feet (340 m) in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. In 1984 and 1985 the Bills went 2-14. Phoenix is located at 33°31'42" North, 112°4'35" West (33.528370°, -112.076300°)¹ in the Phoenix Valley or "Valley of the Sun" in central Arizona. Knox left his coaching position to take a job with the Seattle Seahawks, and new coach Kay Stephenson proved to be less than stellar. Thousands of citizens have served on various city committees, boards and commissions to assure that major decisions are in the best interest of the people. In the famous 1983 draft the Bills selected quarterback Jim Kelly as their replacement to an aging Joe Ferguson, but Kelly decided to play in the upstart United States Football League instead.

The hallmark of an All-America City is the extent to which its private citizens get involved in the workings of their government. The following year — the strike-shortened season of 1982 — the Bills slipped to a 4-5 final record. Phoenix has been selected four times since 1950 as an All-America City, rare among larger cities. The team's players and fans alike adopted the informal slogan "We're Talkin' Proud" during this period. The city had 148 miles (238 km) of paved streets and 163 miles (262 km) of unpaved streets, a total of 311 miles (501 km) of streets within the city limits. They lost in the second round to the eventual AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. In 1950, 105,000 people lived within the city limits and thousands more lived in adjacent communities and depended upon Phoenix for their livelihoods. The following season they lost their title to the Dolphins, but won their first NFL playoff game (over the New York Jets).

Luke Field, Williams Field and Falcon Field, coupled with the giant ground-training center at Hyder, west of Phoenix, brought thousands of men into Phoenix. They beat the archrival Miami Dolphins for the first time in 11 years in their season opener, en route to winning their first AFC East title. Phoenix rapidly turned into an embryonic industrial city with mass production of military supplies. 1980 marked another breakthrough for the Bills. 1940 marked another turning point, as the war changed Phoenix from a farming center to a distribution center. Chuck Knox was hired as head coach and he would end up leading the Bills back to the top. By 1920, Phoenix had a population of 29,053 inhabitants, which by 1930 had grown by 60%, to 48,118. After the 1977 season Simpson was traded to the San Francisco 49ers (his legal troubles were still years down the road).

Phoenix began to grow into a young metropolis. After a mediocre 1975 season the Bills had internal troubles in 1976 as the team dropped to the bottom of the AFC East, where they stayed for the rest of the 1970s. At its present size of 16,500 acres (67 km²), South Mountain Park is the largest metropolitan park in the world, and it entertains 3 million visitors each year. They made the NFL playoffs for the first time in 1974, but lost in the first round to the eventual champion Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge sold 13,000 acres (53 km²) of South Mountain to the city of Phoenix for $17,000. 1973 was a season of change: Joe Ferguson became their new quarterback, they moved into a new stadium, Simpson recorded a 2000-yard season and was voted NFL MVP, and the team had its first winning record since 1966. Phoenix was one of the first cities in the United States to have this form of city government. Lou Saban, who had coached the Bills' AFL championship teams, was rehired in 1972.

In 1913, Phoenix changed its form of government from mayor-council to council-manager. In 1971, not only did the Bills finish in sole possession of the NFL's worst overall record at 1-13, but they also scored the fewest points (184) in the league that year while allowing the most (394); no NFL team has since done all three of those things in the same season in a non-strike year. On February 14, 1912, President William Howard Taft approved Arizona's statehood, making Phoenix the state capital. The Bills became part of the NFL when the latter absorbed the AFL in a merger in 1970. It created Roosevelt Lake, expanded irrigation of land in the Valley for farming, and increased the water supply for the growing population. Simpson, who would become the face of the franchise through the 1970s. On May 18, 1911, the Theodore Roosevelt Dam, then the largest masonry dam in the world, began operation. Before the 1969 season, the Bills drafted running back O.J.

It functions to this day as the major agency for controlled use of irrigation water in the Valley. Tragedy struck the Bills in when Bob Kalsu, an offensive lineman, quit the team after his 1968 rookie season to serve in the Vietnam War, where he was killed in action in 1970. Valley of the Sun residents were quick to supplement this federal action by organizing the Salt River Valley Waters Users' Association on February 4, 1903, to assure proper management of the precious water supply. In addition to their defensive prowess, the Bills had offensive muscle as well, in stars such as fullback Cookie Gilchrist, quarterbacks Jack Kemp and Daryle Lamonica, and receivers Elbert Dubenion and Ernie Warlick. In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the National Reclamation Act making it possible to build dams on western streams for reclamation purposes. The Bills won AFL championships in both 1964 and 1965, were one of only three teams to appear in an AFL championship game for three consecutive years, and the only AFL team to play in the post-season for four straight years, 1963 through 1966. This building also provided temporary offices for the territorial government when it moved to Phoenix from Prescott in 1889. The only player ever inducted to the "pro football" hall of fame, without ever playing in the NFL, was a member of the 1964 Bills; guard Billy Shaw.

In early 1888, the city offices were moved into the new City Hall, built where the downtown bus terminal now stands. Three were eventually named to the American Football League's All-Time Team, six to the second team, and sixteen are in the American Football League Hall of Fame. In recognition of the increased tempo of economic life, the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce was organized on November 4, 1888. Eight members of the 1964 squad were on that year's AFL Eastern Division All-Star Team. Phoenix became a trade center with its products reaching eastern and western markets. In 1964, the Bills defense allowed only four touchdowns rushing all season, and started a string that would extend into the 1965 season: seventeen straight games without allowing an opponent to score a rushing touchdown. Merchandise now flowed into the city by rail instead of wagon. They were the first American Football League team to win 13 games in a season.

The coming of the railroad in the 1880s was the first of several important events that revolutionized the economy of Phoenix. The same defense registered fifty quarterback sacks, a team record that stands today, even though it was established in a 14-game season. Monihon, 127 to 107, to become the city's first Mayor. The 1964 Bills allowed their opponents only 300 rushing attempts and held them to 913 yards rushing during the regular season; a pro football record, just over 65 yards per game. Alsap defeated James D. The 1964 Buffalo Bills squad was one of the great teams in professional football history. Phoenix was incorporated with a population of approximately 2,500, and on May 3, 1881, Phoenix held its first city election, in which Judge John T. With a linebacking corps of Harry Jacobs, Mike Stratton and John Tracey; and defensive line stalwarts like Tom Day, Tom Sestak, Jim Dunaway and Ron McDole.

Fremont on February 25, 1881. In the AFL, a predominantly offensive league, the Buffalo Bills were a great defensive team. The 11th Territorial Legislature passed the Phoenix Charter Bill, incorporating Phoenix and providing for a mayor-council government. The bill was signed by Governor John C. After a public contest, the team adopted the same name as the former All-America Football Conference team in Buffalo. By 1881, Phoenix had outgrown its original townsite-commissioner form of government. The Bufalo Bills were a founding member of the American Football League in 1960. The total cost of the Phoenix Townsite of 320 acres (1.3 km²) was $550, including all expenses for services. The Buffalo Bills are a Buffalo, New York-based National Football League team which plays its home games in the suburb of Orchard Park.

On April 10, 1874, President Grant issued a land patent for the present site of Phoenix. Drew Bledsoe. Miss Nellie Shaver, a newcomer from Wisconsin, was appointed as the first female schoolteacher in Phoenix. Scott Norwood K. By October 1873, a small adobe school building was completed on Center Street (now Central Avenue), a short distance north of where the San Carlos Hotel now stands. Ruben Brown LG. The first public school in Phoenix opened on September 5, 1872, in the courtroom of the county building. Ernie Warlick.

The first county election in Maricopa County was held in 1871, when Tom Barnum was elected the first sheriff of Maricopa County. Ted Washington DT. Maricopa county gave up portions in 1875 and 1881 to help form Pinal and Gila counties, respectively. John Tracey. On February 12, 1871, the territorial legislature created Maricopa County, the sixth in the state, by dividing Yavapai County. Thurman Thomas RB. They recommended the North 1/2 of section 8 Township 1 N., Range 3 E. and that the town be called Phoenix. Steve Tasker WR-Special Teams.

The area was surveyed in 1870 and mass meeting of the citizens of Salt River Valley was held on October 20, 1870, to select a suitable piece of unimproved public land for a town site. Bruce Smith DE. The Phoenix post office was established June 15, 1868, with Jack Swilling as postmaster. Andre Reed WR. The town of Phoenix was officially recognized on May 4, 1868, when the Board of Supervisors of Yavapai County (which at the time encompassed Phoenix), formed an election precinct there. Frank Reich QB. Darrel Duppa recommended the name Phoenix, memorializing the birth of a new civilization from the ruins left by the Hohokam. Reggie McKenzie OL.

As for the town that was to be built, Swilling, a former Confederate soldier, wanted to name it Stonewall, after Stonewall Jackson; others suggested Salina. Ron McDole. It would later become Hellinwg Mill, Mill City, then East Phoenix. Paul Maguire P. The area was named Swilling's Mill in his honor. Daryle Lamonica QB. By 1868, he and others from Wickenburg had dug a short canal from the Salt River and founded a small farming colony approximately four miles (6 km) east of the present city (about 22 miles west of Mesa, which was already a city of 1,000 people; and a few miles northwest of a similar farming community at Hayden's Ferry, which would become Tempe). Doug Flutie QB.

All it needed was water. Phil Hansen DE. He saw farmland, predominantly free of rocks, and beyond the reach of heavy frost or snow. Cookie Gilchrist. He looked down across the expansive Salt River Valley and his eyes caught the rich gleam of the brown, dry soil turned up by the horse's hooves. Booker Edgerson. In 1867, Jack Swilling of Wickenburg stopped to rest his horse at the foot of the north slopes of the White Tank Mountains. Jim Dunaway.

Prolonged drought may have destroyed or displaced them; or, they may be the ancestors of the modern Pima Indians who now live on the Salt River and Gila River reservations, or the Tohono O'odham Indians who live in southern Arizona. Tom Day. remains a mystery. Shane Conlan. 1450 A.D. Wray Carlton. Their disappearance ca. Larry Centers FB.

Their irrigation system comprised some 135 miles (217 km) of canals. Butch Byrd. They were industrious, enterprising, and imaginative. Cornelius Bennett LB. They also lived in the Pueblo Grande ruins between 700 and 1400 A.D. Don Beebe WR. Their name is derived from the Pima (Akimel O'otham) phrase, Ho Ho Kam, "the people who have gone". The 12th Man (Fans).

They were the first to farm there, building an elaborate canal system that brought water from the Salt River. (Founder). The earliest settlers in the Valley of the Sun were the Hohokam people, who lived there as early as 300 BC. Wilson Jr. 'the place is hot') in Navajo (a language spoken in Arizona & New Mexico) and Fiinigis in Western Apache (a language spoken in Arizona). Ralph C. Phoenix is called Hoodzo (lit. Marv Levy (Head Coach).

It is the county seat of Maricopa County and the principal city of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Patrick J. McGroder (Vice President). Phoenix was incorporated on February 5, 1881. Eddie Abramowski (Trainer).
. Darryl Talley. Phoenix ranked:. Mike Stratton.

Phoenix is the capital, largest city and largest metropolitan area in the state of Arizona, United States. Fred Smerlas. U Turn. Simpson. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. J. Used Cars. O.

The Prophecy. Billy Shaw. Bad Santa. Tom Sestak. Jerry Maguire. George Saimes. Waiting to Exhale. Jack Kemp.

Raising Arizona. Jim Kelly. Psycho. Bob Kalsu (1945 - 1970, one of only two pro football players to die in the Vietnam War). The Gauntlet. Robert James. Chastity (http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/issues/2005-03-17/film/film.html). Kent Hull.

Modem. Joe Ferguson. Mr. Elbert Dubenion. Frank Lloyd Wright, renowned architect. Joe Delamielleure. Felicity Willis. 12 - Jim Kelly.

Dot Wilkinson. Losman QB. Danny White, former pro football star. J.P. Michele Timms. Mike Williams OT. Tovrea. Troy Vincent CB/FS.

Edward A. Takeo Spikes LB. Shannon Smith. Aaron Schobel DE. Ahmed Santos. Eric Moulds WR. Axl Rose. Lawyer Milloy S.

Rick Romley, former Maricopa County attorney. Willis McGahee RB. Freddie Roach. Terrence McGee CB. Dan Quayle, former US Vice President. Travis Henry RB. Naibe Reynoso. London Fletcher LB.

Nicole Powell. Lee Evans WR. Sandra Day O'Connor, US Supreme Court Justice. Nate Clements CB. Brandy Norwood. Sam Adams DT. Leslie Nielsen. Rozelle Award winner Van Miller.

Stevie Nicks. McCann Award winner Larry Felser. Arturo Moreno. James Lofton. Phil Mickelson. Simpson. Alex Kump. J.

Elizabeth Kübler-Ross. O. Keating Jr. Billy Shaw. Charles H. Marv Levy. Bil Keane. Jim Kelly.

Randy Johnson. Joe Delamielleure. Kevin Johnson. Jenna Jameson. Carl Hayden, former US Senator.

Gordon Liddy. G. Jesus Gonzalez. Luis Gonzalez.

Barry Goldwater, former US Senator and 1964 presidential candidate. Cotton Fitzsimmons. Terri Fields. Louie Espinoza.

Milton Erickson. Hugh Downs. John Dillinger. Joe Diaz.

Jose Miguel Cotto. Alice Cooper. Jerry Colangelo, founder of Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks. Linda Cobb.

Michael Carbajal. Glen Campbell. Yori Boy Campas. Michelle Branch.

Danny Bonaduce. Erma Bombeck. Charles Barkley, former basketball player for Phoenix Suns. Bruce Babbitt, former governor of Arizona, and US Interior Secretary.

Joe Arpaio, sheriff of Maricopa County. The Tradition, PGA Champions Tour. Standard Register Turquoise Classic, LPGA. FBR Open, PGA TOUR.

Insight Bowl at Bank One Ballpark. Fiesta Bowl at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium. Sun Devil Stadium, home of the Arizona State Sun Devils. Phoenix International Raceway, Indy Racing League and NASCAR.

Manzanita Speedway, sprint car racing. Glendale Arena, home of the Phoenix Coyotes. Firebird International Raceway, boat racing, drag racing, road course. Bank One Ballpark, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

America West Arena, home of the Phoenix Suns. Arizona Sting, National Lacrosse League (team plays in Glendale). Arizona Rattlers, Arena Football League. Phoenix Roadrunners, ECHL.

Phoenix Coyotes, National Hockey League (team plays in Glendale). Phoenix Mercury, Women's National Basketball Association. Phoenix Suns, National Basketball Association. Arizona Cardinals, National Football League (team plays in Tempe, and is building a stadium in Glendale).

Arizona Diamondbacks, Major League Baseball. 107.9 - KMLE - Country. 103.9 - KEDJ - Alternative Rock (The Edge). 103.1 - KCDX-FM- 60s-80s album rock (no DJs, no commercials).

101.5 - KZON - Alternative Rock (The Zone). 100.7 - KSLX - Classic Rock. 97.9 - KUPD - Album Rock (98 KUPD). 96.9 - KMXP - Adult Contemporary.

95.5 - KYOT - Smooth Jazz. 93.3 - KDKB - Album Rock - Mesa. 92.7 / 101.1 KNRJ-FM - Dance/Club Music - Payson. 91.5 - KJZZ - Public Radio: News/Talk days; Jazz: M-F eve; Blues: Sun eve.

89.5 - KBAQ - Classical - Phoenix. 1580 - KMIK - Radio Disney - Mesa. 1510 - KFNN - Finance - Fox - Mesa. 1480 - KPHX - Comedy Radio (via satellite) - Phoenix.

1440 - KAZG - Oldies - Scottsdale. 1400 - KSUN - Regional Mexican Music - Phoenix. 1360 - KPXQ - Religious/Talk - Glendale. 1310 - KXAM - Talk - CNN - Mesa.

1280 - KXEG - Christian - Phoenix. 1230 - KOY - Nostalgia - CNN - Clear Channel. 1190 - KMYL - Talk - NBC - Tolleson. 1150 - KCKY - Spanish Christian - Coolidge.

1100 - KFNX - News/Talk - CNN - - Cave Creek. 1060 - KDUS - Sports - Sporting News - Tempe. 1010 - KXXT - Air America Radio - Tolleson. 960 - KKNT - "The Patriot" - News/Talk Radio - Salem Broadcasting.

910 - KGME - Sports - Clear Channel. 860 - KMVP - Sports - ESPN. 740 - KDIR - Spanish talk (Radio Formula network from Mexico) - Phoenix. 710 - KMIA - Spanish News/Talk (Radiovisa network) - Black Canyon City.

620 - KTAR - News/Talk Radio - ABC. 550 - KFYI - Conservative Talk Radio - Fox - Clear Channel. KASW-61 (WB 6, WB). KPPX-51 (PAX 51, PAX).

KDRX-48 (Telemundo). KUTP-45 (UPN 45, UPN). KTVW-33 (Univision). KAZT-27 (AZTV 27 Prescott, Independent).

KPAZ-21 (Channel 21, TBN). KNXV-15 (ABC 15, ABC). KPNX-12 (Channel 12, NBC). KSAZ-10 (FOX 10, FOX).

KAET-8 (Channel 8, PBS). KPHO-5 (CBS 5, CBS). KTVK-3 (3TV, Independent). The Vanguard Group.

Wells Fargo. Wal-Mart. UPS. Industries.

Trujillo Corp. Southwest Airlines. Safeway. Shamrock Foods Company (Private).

Qwest Communications. Pulte Homes, Inc (Owner of Del Webb). Motorola. Kroger (Parent of Fry's Food).

Intel. Morgan Chase (Acquired Bank One). J.P. Honeywell International.

General Dynamics. Gannett (Arizona Republic). Freescale (Spin-off of Motorola). Dial Corporation (Owned by Henkel KGaA).

Cyclone Commerce Inc. Cox Communications. Boeing. Bashas' Inc (Private).

Banner Health Systems (Formerly Samaritan Health System). Bank of America. American Express. Amerco Inc (Parent of U-Haul).

Albertsons. Viad Corp. U-Haul. Industries.

Trujillo Corp. Three-Five Systems Inc. Taser International Inc. Swift Transportation Co.

(Goodyear-based Potato Chip maker). Poore Brothers, Inc. Chang's China Bistro, Inc. P.F.

Pinnacle West Capital Corp (Parent Company of APS). Phelps Dodge Corporation. Petsmart Inc. Mobile Mini Inc.

MicroChip Technology, Inc. Mesa Air Group Inc. Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. Knight Transportation Inc.

JDA Software Group Inc. Inter-Tel Inc. Insight Enterprises Inc. FINOVA group inc.

eFUNDS Corp. Discount Tire Co. The Dial Corporation. Cold Stone Creamery.

Best Western. Aztar Corp. Avnet, Inc. Arizona Land Income Corp.

Apollo Group Inc. Amkor Technology. America West Airlines. Allied Waste Industries Inc.

It has had many students with prestigious distinctions. North Canyon High School is located in the north valley and features an International Baccalaureate program. High schools