7 things you (probably) didn't know about Scottsdale
Like any city, Scottsdale's history is dotted with some twists, turns and even a few quirks that have long since been filed away and forgotten. As a refresher, here are seven things you probably didn't know about Scottsdale:
No. 7 - How Scottsdale got its name
Scottsdale is not the only city named after its founder, U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott. But don't go looking for another Scottsdale, or Scotts Bluff or Scottsburg on the map to locate it. Instead, look for Winfield, Kan., which was founded in 1870. Scott, a Baptist minister, promised to build the town a church in exchange for the naming rights. He later moved further west to Arizona.
No. 6 - It wasn't always Scottsdale?
Scottsdale wasn't originally called Scottsdale.Paul Messigner, in a recent column for The Arizona Republic, explained that the area first was known as "Orangedale'' because of Albert G. Utley, a former Rhode Island banker who owned 640 acres of land near today's Indian School and Scottsdale Roads. In 1894, he set aside some of that land for a new town that he called "Orangedale'' because it was considered an ideal place to grow citrus. The land was adjacent to property owned by Winfield Scott, and Utley often directed people to his land by saying it was near Scott's, where citrus groves stood. A newspaper article mistakenly referred to his new town as "Scottsdale,'' and the name stuck, according to Messinger. (Apparently, Utleyville never was considered).
No. 5 - The Sunshine Festival parade
The Parada del Sol was not originally called the Parada del Sol. Scottsdale's annual Western-themed parade, held each winter along Scottsdale Road, began in 1951 as the "Sunshine Festival'' parade, designed by the Chamber of Commerce to play up the city's "West's Most Western Town'' image to tourists during the winter months. In 1954, it was taken over by the Scottsdale Jaycees and renamed the Parada del Sol (Parade of the Sun), later adding rodeo events that continue to this day.
No. 4 - DC Ranch has a history
DC Ranch originally was an actual cattle ranch. In the early 20th Century, the vast open desert land that lay near the foot of the McDowell Mountains was home to a working cattle ranch started in 1916 by E.O. Brown, also a well-known merchant in the fledgling town of Scottsdale. Brown purchased the DC brand from Dr. W. B. Crosby, according to historic accounts. Crosby had registered it in the 1880s. (The "DC'' has variously been said to stand for "Doctor Crosby'' or "Desert Camp'' ranch through the years). The land today is home to the master-planned community that bears the same name.
No. 3 - Home of the Beavers?
Beavers once meant something in Scottsdale. Long before Dons, Sabercats, Firebirds, Titans and Wolves roamed the halls of Scottsdale public high schools, Beavers reigned supreme. Scottsdale High School stood on the north side of Indian School Road just east of Scottsdale Road from 1922 until its closing in 1983. Its school colors were orange and black, and its mascot was the Beavers. Don't laugh — word is Beavers were known to live along the canals in the area during the early 20th Century and they are known for one heck of a bite. Today, condominiums sit on the spot where the school once was located.
No. 2 - How World War II changed the city
Scottsdale Airport can trace its roots to World War II. In 1942, Thunderbird II Airfield opened north of the Scottsdale city limits as a training site for pilots heading to the war effort. More than 5,000 pilots received training at the airfield before the end of World War II. Today, Scottsdale Airport, located south of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, west of Hayden Road, is part of the Scottsdale Airpark area, home to numerous businesses and one of the Valley's largest employment hubs.
No. 1 - Scottsdale's oldest building
You can still see a bit of the actual Victorian Era in Scottsdale. Originally built in 1892, the Titus House, named after wealthy railroad investor Frank Titus of San Francisco, still stands at 1310 N. Hayden Road in Scottsdale. Originally surrounded by a citrus farm, it is the oldest structure in the city and listed on the National Register of Historic places. The Titus House is a private residence today.