Here is a list I pulled together that includes interesting and entertaining facts about Scottsdale and Scottsdale’s history. Enjoy!
1. You Can Actually Get a Degree in Cowboying – Scottsdale is home to the Arizona Cowboy College, where students earn degrees in ranching and rodeo skills. Classes include horseback riding, cattle ranching, and livestock psychology. A perfect offering for “The West’s Most Western Town.”
2. We Invented the Robot Arm on Garbage Trucks – You know those mechanical arms that grab trash cans so sanitation workers don’t have to? That innovation came from Scottsdale in 1969.
3. Mail Still Gets Delivered by Horse – Since 1958, the Hashknife Pony Express has been delivering mail by horseback from Holbrook to Scottsdale. It’s one of the last remaining Pony Express rides in the country, and it happens every year in February. If you are around, it is worth heading to Old Town to catch their arrival.
4. The City Was Almost Named “Orangedale” – Founder Winfield Scott originally wanted to name the town after the area’s citrus groves. But a newspaper misidentified the town as Scott’s, and the name stuck.
5. A WWII POW Escape Happened Right Here – During World War II, Papago Park (technically in Phoenix) housed German prisoners of war. It was also the site of the largest POW escape attempt on American soil. (This was a new one for me! I had no idea.)
6. The Arizona Canal Has 1,400 Years of History – Are you familiar with the Scottsdale Waterfront along the Arizona Canal in Old Town? The Hohokam Indians actually laid the foundation for it around 600 CE. Today’s canal, built in 1883, follows those same ancient routes.
7. Scottsdale Is Home to the Longest-Running Art Walk in America – The Scottsdale ArtWalk has been going strong every Thursday night for over 40 years. It’s the country’s oldest continuous art walk, with more than 100 galleries participating. Be sure to catch the special-themed Gold Palette ArtWalks that occur monthly.
8. The Official City Food is Chili – Scottsdale has declared chili its official municipal food. No one’s quite sure why this Southwestern staple got the honor, but local restaurants take it seriously. (This was also a new one to me…)
9. The Phoenix Open Broke Golf’s Attendance Record – In 2013, 179,022 fans showed up to TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course for the Phoenix Open. It’s the highest attendance ever recorded at a PGA Tour event. For those in the know, the Phoenix Open can sometimes feel more like an outdoor party with occasional golf…
10. We Have More Spas Per Capita Than Anywhere in America – Scottsdale has more day spas and destination spas per person than any other U.S. city.
11. Our Wilderness Area is Bigger Than an Entire City – The McDowell Sonoran Preserve spans over 30,000 acres, making it larger than the entire city of Tempe. It’s the largest urban wilderness area in the United States. If you like to hike, bike or ride, the Preserve has a trail for you!
12. You’re Only Four Hours From the Beach – Despite being in one of America’s hottest deserts, Scottsdale is just a four-hour drive from the ocean. Rocky Point in Mexico offers beachfront access and fresh seafood closer than most people think.
13. Cult Classic Movies Were Filmed Here – Wayne’s World, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and Raising Arizona were all filmed in Scottsdale. The unique desert landscape made it the perfect backdrop for these ’90s favorites.
14. Arizona Doesn’t Do Daylight Saving Time – While the rest of the country changes their clocks twice a year, Scottsdale and Arizona stay put.
15. Frank Lloyd Wright Made Scottsdale His Home – The legendary architect built Taliesin West here in 1937 as his winter home and studio. His influence is woven throughout the city, with multiple buildings showcasing his architectural genius and a major street named after him.
I hope you found this list entertaining and if you have any other fun facts about Scottsdale, feel free to add them in the comments!
