The first known inhabitants of the Tempe area were the Hohokam Native Americans who occupied much of southern Arizona from AD 1 to 1450. Pottery and tools of the Hohokams are on display at Tempe museums and examples of their petroglyphs (rock etchings) can be viewed on outcroppings along the trails on “A” Mountain.
In 1865, Fort McDowell was established along the Salt River valley and settlers moved into the area. A few years later another settlement, Hayden’s Ferry, developed west of Tempe. Soon both settlements formed one community and in 1879, the town was named Tempe by Englishman Darrell Duppa in honor of the Vale of Tempe in ancient Greece. From its beginning the young city prospered and when the railroad came to town in 1887, Tempe became a “boom town.”
After World War II, local farms began to disappear and the economy shifted to commerce, tourism and electronics manufacturing. Drawn by the warm climate, Tempe continues to attract new residents escaping frigid winters in the Northeast and immigrants from Mexico. Arizona State University (ASU) is the 5th largest university in the U.S. and Tempe is the 7th largest city in Arizona.
