Many factors were at work, including the mechanization of farming, the availability of affordable air conditioning units that made living year-round in the desert comfortable, the advent of the cold war, and the rising popularity of the Old West.

In the years following WWII, the economy underwent a major transformation. The Roosevelt Dam became the main attraction along with prehistoric ruins including the Hohokam ceremonial site Mesa Grande. Surprisingly, agriculture was an important factor in attracting tourists to Mesa by the early 20th century. Much of the Mesa workforce was employed in agricultural-related industries. Dairy farming and stock-raising were an ever-increasing sector of the agricultural economy. The town saw a major boom as construction of nearby Roosevelt Dam brought ample opportunity for work and leisure in town.Īgriculture was the foundation of the Mesa economy until after World War II. The people who made up the companies of the Mormon pioneers, white Europeans in terms of ethic background, and the Native American people already living in the area were soon joined by other immigrants including African Americans, Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, and Arabs, came to farm, to open businesses, and to work construction. By the early 1880’s, nearly 300 people had settled in the Mesa area, most living within one square mile of downtown.Ĭultural, diversity has been a part of Mesa’s history from the earliest days of the settlement. Arriving on 1878, this group distinguished themselves by settling on the mesa top and by clearing ancient Native American canals so that water could be diverted to the higher ground. The second group of Mormon settlers to arrive in the area was known as the Mesa Company. Additionally, Tempe founder Charles Hayden loaned money to the company and other resources to help the colony create a community. The Pima and Maricopa living in the area helped the pioneers carve out a life in the desert. The rich soil near the Salt River was perfect for growing crops. They built their first homes and businesses in what is known as Lehi, now in Northern Mesa. Sent from Utah by Brigham Young, the “Utah Company” was originally sent to establish “stations on the road” supporting the Church’s expansion into Mexico. The effectiveness of the Fort helped to pave the way for Anglo settlements in Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa.ġ877, the first pioneers settled the Mesa Area. It was not until the establishment of Fort McDowell by the United States Army in 1865 that permanent settlement was created in the area. Intermittent conflicts between the Pima and Maricopa along the Gila River and the Yavapai and the Apaches in the Salt River Valley ensured that the region would not be settled during that time. They disappeared from the area by around 1450 and there has been no explanation as to where they went.īetween the time of the decline of the Hohokam culture in the 15th century and the mid-1800s, no long-term settlement existed in the Mesa area. Eventually, the Hohokam began to move from the area as they experienced a period of overpopulation, nutritional stress, and warfare. The Hohokam traded cotton cloth for seashells from the Gulf of California and for exotic birds from the Yucatan. The Hohokam irrigation system transformed the soils of the Salt River Valley, allowing them to grow abundant crops for their use and for trade. Hohokam Mesa Grande Ruins in Mesa Arizona The hand-dug system, irrigated over 110,000 acres and was the largest in the prehistoric world.

The prehistoric Hohokam canals were incredible works of labor and engineering. They are best remembered for their construction of a large network of irrigation canals. They were farmers and canal builders who lived in large communities of up to 500 people. The first prehistoric people to live in Mesa were the Hohokams who flourished in the valley for over 1,500 years. From its prehistoric roots to today’s dynamic business and residential community, Mesa has seen it all.

The City of Mesa has a complex and rich history.

Hohokam irrigation canals