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History

History Douglas C. TowneMay 17, 2023
ASU’s University Center was Once Downtown Phoenix’s Largest Office Building

In 1956, it was hard not to notice the new nine-story First National Bank of Arizona Building at 411 North Central Avenue in Downtown Phoenix. The neon sign atop its... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Taylor CostelloMay 11, 2023
Valley Metro artists create functional public art in new Downtown Hub

If a single rider, among thousands of daily ridership, is cognizant enough, they’ll notice a trait that ties Valley Metro light rail stations together: the public art. When the South... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Douglas C. TowneApril 13, 2023
Desert Resurrection: Phoenix’s Egyptian Motor Hotel

Phoenix once had the world at its fingertips. There were Polynesian villages, royal chateaus, and Middle Eastern oases set among the Statue of Liberty, Old Faithful, and the Alamo in... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Cris Arellano-PortApril 5, 2023
Thriving: The History of the Downtown Phoenix Music Scene

“This is my song ‘Thriving’ in 60 seconds” –Upsahl.   The Phoenix music scene wasn’t built and debuted in 60 seconds (unlike the Phoenix-based artist Upsahl’s song recreations on TikTok).... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Douglas C. TowneFebruary 16, 2023
Medical Care for All Races: Phoenix’s Booker T. Washington Memorial Hospital

Health care for African Americans was transformed when Dr. Winston C. Hackett, the state’s first Black physician, moved to Phoenix in 1916. Hackett passed the Arizona medical board examination and... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Douglas C. TowneJanuary 25, 2023
Phoenix’s First Bowl Game Tossed Aside

Valley sports fans who revel in the prestigious and glamorous Fiesta Bowl every holiday season should be aware of the tasty gridiron appetizer once served in Phoenix. Although the name... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Douglas C. TowneDecember 15, 2022
The Professional Building: Not Your Garden Variety Hilton

For a stunning Streamline Moderne skyscraper that has anchored Downtown Phoenix for more than 90 years, the Professional Building got off to a rough start. The name had to be... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Douglas C. TowneSeptember 6, 2022
Prime Pole Position: DJ Car Camps Above Downtown Phoenix

A man rose into the heavens for an extended, difficult mission in Downtown Phoenix at the height of the Sputnik-inspired Cold War space race with the Soviet Union. “Lonesome Long... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Douglas C. TowneSeptember 6, 2022
The Flame: The Restaurant That Set a Monkey Loose in Downtown Phoenix

For more than four decades, one of the city’s most popular dining locations was on Adams Street near Central Avenue in Downtown Phoenix. Four restaurants occupied the Balke Building, but... continue reading. Click here for more info.

History Douglas C. TowneAugust 3, 2022
Taking Phoenix to the Next Level: Porters Western Wear Store

The N. Porter Saddle was “The West’s Most Western Store.” Click here for more info.

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