Carl Chapman
Arizona Realtor
602-375-3300
Arizona Hotels - Motels Arizona New Homes Arizona MLS Search Arizona Land Search Rental Homes
City of Mesa
Mesa Arizona Location
the city of Mesa is sandwiched between several city and towns in the East Valley. The Ci
ty of Tempe is to its west, both the city of
Chandler and the town of Gilbert are to the south, the Salt River Indian
Community is to the north, and the city of Apache Junction is to the northeast.
It is approximately 12 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix.Freeway access is paramount in Mesa. This city has numerous highway connections available everywhere you turn. The Superstition Freeway (or Interstate 60) runs the entire length of Mesa’s southern edge. The Red Mountain Freeway (or Loop 202) follows the northern most boundary of Mesa. One of the newer highway connections is the Loop 101 (sometimes referred to as the Pima Freeway or Price Freeway). This freeway is continuing to grow and expand southward through the Valley. Currently, it follows the western boundary of Mesa, separating it from the city of Tempe. All of these freeways give residents several convenient ways to travel to other parts of the Valley of the Sun.
|
Mesa History
“Great People, Quality Service” is Mesa’s motto. This simply stated motto reflects the city’s attitude. The city was founded more than 120 years ago by Mormon missionaries. Many names were used before the name Mesa, Arizona stuck. Hayden, Zenos, and Mesaville were all used at one time or another throughout the city’s early history.
the name Mesa means “tabletop” in Spanish. Mesa sits on a plateau along the Salt River. People are still drawn to this area today. The city of Mesa is continuing to grow and develop.Mesa Properties
Mesa homes range in styles. Single family homes and expansive master planned communities for retirees are available. New home developments and mature neighborhoods are available in Mesa. Condominiums and town homes are perfect living environments for those who want to scale back. Locating a property that will suit your needs is easy to do.
Mesa is a friendly town where pride and a progressive spirit are difficult to match. Residents love this city for its strong education base, accessibility to other parts of the Valley, and it cultural events/facilities. The city is hard at work bringing greater prosperity and a better life to all its residents. Mesa has a “welcome” mat out that has become well worn throughout the years.
the three A’s are factors that have perpetuated Mesa’s growth. Affordability, amenities, and the annual influx of retirees and visitors are the three A’s. Affordable houses allow both individuals just starting out and retirees the ability to select Mesa as their home. Shopping, recreational facilities, educational institutions, and cultural events are just some of the amenities that Mesa residents enjoy year round. With all of this, it isn’t surprising that Mesa draws so many people. The city brings people in who are searching for the right place to live. Today, Mesa is the third largest city in Arizona. Mesa has it all.Discover today properties in Mesa, click here.
Mesa Entertainment
the city of Mesa is known for being a “hot spot”. People come to this city to live life. The hometown feel that people come to the area for can also be seen in the city’s festivals. The Mesa Pow Wow is a tribute to Native American performers through dance and arts and crafts. Festivals and celebration reveal Mesa’s true roots and the importance of community.Advanced degree education is also found in the city of Mesa. Arizona State University East is an important part of the city of Mesa. Located at Power Road and Willimas Field Road, its location is accessible for residents. This campus is an extended campus location that provides a smaller range of degree offerings compared to Arizona State University. The College of Technology and Applied Sciences, the Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management, and East College are situated on Arizona State University East. There is a small residential college environment available for students. Sixteen baccalaureate programs and five master’s degree programs are found at Arizona State University East.
Mesa Community College is the largest school within the
Maricopa County College District. There is a wide choice of programs available
to students wanting to attend Mesa Community College. The city of Mesa provides
its residents with many higher educational opportunities. A respected and solid
school system is an important part of Mesa.
Whenever there are educational institutions of excellence, businesses soon select the same area to be their home. Mesa has many top manufacturers, including those in electronics, automotive testing, and aerospace industries. This has encouraged people to make this city their home and has boosted Mesa’s economic growth. Mesa continues to develop from an agricultural community into a high tech city.
Retail shopping is spread throughout the city. Superstition Springs Center, Fiesta Mall, and the Factory Stores of America make it easy for residents to shop. Restaurants ranging from rustic western grills to gourmet dining are also found in the community. This makes deciding which restaurant to try first is more difficult than locating one. There are so many choices in the city of Mesa.
Cultural events and museums are located in Mesa. Residents and visitors have a host of choices. Arizona’s largest collection of dinosaurs can be found at the Mesa Southwest Museum. This premier museum is known as “Arizona’s Natural History Museum” with the largest dinosaur exhibit west of the Mississippi River. Children also like to visit the Champlin Aircraft Fighter Museum. The world’s biggest collection of flyable, vintage fighter aircrafts is on display. The Park of the Canals gives visitors a chance to see ancient Hohokam Indian canal systems that date back to 700 B.C.. The Museum of Youth offers hands on exhibits and was voted one of the best museums for children. Families know that Mesa has many opportunities for growth culturally and educationally.
One of the largest additions to the city of Mesa is its Mesa Arts Center. This center includes over 210,000 square feet with three buildings, situated on seven acres. The three buildings include a Theater Complex, Mesa Contemporary Arts, and Art Studios. Four theaters make up the Theater Complex with a continuous lobby, concessions, and dressing rooms. The Mesa Contemporary Arts offers 5,500 square feet of exhibition space within five galleries, along with a lecture hall, sculpture courtyard, and storage collection space. Fourteen visual and performing arts studios and classrooms make up the Arts Studios. Located at 1 East Main Street, the Mesa Arts Center is a distinctive state of the art campus. Reaching out to others through art and enhancing the quality of life in Mesa is the facility’s goal.
A unique feature of Mesa is Falcon Field Airport. Today, Falcon Field is home to more than 900 aircraft and business/commercial developments. This facility is designated for aerospace, education, and industrial expansion. It is a cost saving spaces for many local companies. This in turn makes the city of Mesa a strong candidate for future business opportunities.
Mesa Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor recreational fun is great for any age. Numerous golf courses dot the city. These courses give residents and visitors many opportunities to get out and play a round. It is easy to take time to head out to a Mesa golf course when the weather is sunny all year.
Within Mesa’s 122 square mile city limits, there are countless city parks. Local Mesa parks offer picnicking areas, playgrounds, grass fields, and courts. Getting outside and playing a game is more to do fun at a Mesa park.
the Chicago Cubs make Mesa their home every spring. Cactus League Spring Training is held for the Chicago Cubs at HoHoKam Park (or sometimes referred to as HoHoKam Stadium). Located at 1235 North Center Street, it is the second largest stadium in the Cactus League. The 25,000 square foot facility offers four practice fields, one practice infield, batting cages, and much more. For the past 40 years, the Chicago Cubs have played in Mesa. Residents and visitors flock to HoHoKam Park to see these games.Mesa is in Central Arizona . It is in Maricopa County. It is one of the largest cities in Arizona . It is 12 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix in the East Valley. It covers 122 square miles.
Agriculture made Mesa, but tourism is an important part of the town today. Mormon missionaries founded Mesa over 100 years ago. Today Mesa's population is 404,191. The town sits at an elevation of 1,241 feet. Mesa has a reputation as being a Mormon and retirement town, however it is much more than that. The town is a recreational and cultural center. With 20 golf courses, 52 city parks, Mesa Amphitheater, Mesa Symphony and Hohokam Park for the Chicago Cubs spring training facility there is so much to do.
The southwestern desert climate offers summer highs of 104 degrees and winter lows of 35 degrees. The town has approximately 7 inches of rainfall a year. Despite its growth, Mesa retains a small-town friendliness and community charm that has been the envy of others. There is a pride and progressive spirit here that is difficult to match. Mesa is hard at work a bringing greater prosperity and a better life to all its residents.
There are so many attractions in Mesa. The Champlin Fighter Museum is a popular place to go for those interested in airplanes. The museum has many interesting planes on display. The Arizona Wing Museum is another spot for young and old alike to learn more about aviation. The Mesa Southwest Museum is a great place to learn about the early west and the time of the dinosaurs. There are hands on exhibits that will intrigue little ones. The Mesa Museum for Youth is another popular place for the kids. It is a fine arts center with ever changing exhibits. Children are encouraged to try their hand at art. If you want to learn more about Mesa's past, then you won't want to miss a visit to the Mesa Historical Museum.
Events:
Mesa Annual Territorial Days February
Scottish Highland Games
Cactus League Spring Training Chicago Cubs March
Mesa Day
Cox Communications Air Show Spectacular
Native American Pow Wow October
Copperstate Fly-In
Arizona Temple Christmas Lighting December
Nation's Largest Christmas Nativity Display
City of Mesa Arizona
History
In 1878, a group of settlers from Utah called the Mesa Pioneers arrived in the area. Mormon pioneers chose a plateau along the Salt River to build their community. The city's name came from the Spanish word "mesa" meaning tabletop.
However, this name was going to be hard to claim. The new settlers petitioned for a post office but the name Mesa was rejected, because it resembled the town Mesaville in Pinal County. So the settlers decided on the name Hayden. But the post office got the name Hayden confused with Tempe, which was originally called Hayden's Ferry.
Needless to say, in 1886 Hayden was changed to Zenos after the prophet in the Book of Mormon. Finally in 1888, the post office in Mesaville was closed and the settlers immediately requested the name Mesa, which has remained to this day.
In 1883, Mesa was incorporated with only 80 people living in a single square mile. Farming and ranching provided the initial economic base.
The Mormon community designed streets wide enough to allow for drivers today. Their vision also included homes with gardens and orchards with only four homes to a block.
Falcon Field Airport and Williams Air Force Base were built for training during 1941 for World War II. Today Falcon Field and Williams Gateway Airport (formerly Williams Air Force Base) offer complete aviation facilities to industrial to commercial development.
Soon, manufacturing became a big part of the economy. Tourism is also an important factor. For years, Mesa has recognized the value of tourism and has worked on its hospitality, which makes visitors come back for a return visit. The wide range of attractions and outdoor activities make it a popular vacation spot.
Mesa boasts a strong economy with top manufacturers and diverse businesses from the service industry to medical. Mesa continues to grow from an agricultural community to a high-tech town.
