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A Quick Tour of Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona, a city located in the Valley of the Sun, is a gorgeous place to live and visit, and has a population of 158,625 as of the year 2000. Tempe was founded in 1865, when early farmers began to move into the area. The town was named Tempe in 1879 after two settlements, known as the Tempe Butte and Hayden's Ferry were combined to form one community. Throughout its history, Tempe has been a small community focused on agriculture, but began to grow rapidly after World War II. Today, Tempe is a thriving modern town, and also home of the Arizona State University's main campus.
Interesting Facts about Tempe
There are some very unusual structures in Tempe, such as the local City Hall, which is shaped like an inverted pyramid, made of solar-bronzed glass and steel! The City Hall was constructed this way to encourage growth and innovation in the city. Tempe's City Hall is listed as one of the nation's top municipal masterpieces in America's City Halls, and is now a very popular tourist attraction. A new emerging structure that will be just as unique is the Tempe Center for the Arts, which will be an artistically structured building. This attraction is designed to spark an interest in teens and young adults for modern art.
The main office of US Airways is also located in Tempe. The airline is the seventh largest in the United States, and merged with America West Airlines in September 2005. Another interesting fact about Tempe is that it is where one of the nation's largest New Year's Eve parties is held. It's also home of the Super Bowl XXX, the 30th Super Bowl played in 1996 at the Sun Devil Stadium. The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17, during this game.
Places to See and Things to Do While in Tempe
There's the Tempe Historical Museum for history lovers, where visitors can learn about the history and development of Tempe. Hand-on exhibits, a gift shop and two changing galleries, make the tour interesting. For those who enjoy historic facts about the medical industry, Tempe is also home to the American Museum of Nursing, which houses over 3,000 health industry related artifacts such as equipment and uniforms. The Art in Metal U.S.A. Gallery of Tempe is another great place to tour while in town.
Sports fans will love visiting the Sun Devil Stadium and Tempe Diablo Stadium. Tourists can see where the 30th Super Bowl game was played and where the Anaheim Angels Baseball Team does their training in Spring.
Fun for the entire family is at the Tempe Big Surf, a 20-acre theme park with more than 15 water slides and also a kid's play area. Or, for a more peaceful scene, visitors enjoy taking a stroll in the park at the Arboretum, which is located at Arizona State University. The Arboretum has walking trails with a gorgeous collection of deciduous and fruit-bearing trees, palm trees and gardens. There's also tubing down the Salt River, which is very popular during the summer months.
Situated to the north of downtown Tempe, the Tempe Town Lake offers sailing, canoeing, rowing and fishing. Surrounded by a hiking park and highrise condos, the lake sits next to the Sun Devil (ASU) stadium.
The "pedestrian friendly" Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe has an abundance of shopping, fine dining and night life. There are more than 175 restaurants, shops and night clubs downtown. This area is a magnet for college students with ASU being right next door.
Special Events in Tempe
Mill Avenue Merchants Association (MAMA) hosts a Spring and Fall Festival of the Arts each year. Art, sculptures, wood toys, oil paintings and pottery are on display by more than 400 artists during these festivals.
Learn more about this city
City of TEMPE, AZ official site
City of TEMPE, AZ chamber of commerce
City of TEMPE, AZ general information
City of TEMPE, AZ yellow pages
County of MARICOPA, AZ official site