Mesa, Arizona
The Sonoran Desert stretches across the American Southwest, yet water flows through canals that are over a thousand years old. These channels were built by the Hohokam people, whose name translates to "All Used Up" or "The Departed Ones." By AD 1100, they had constructed a system of irrigation so vast it transformed arid land into an agricultural oasis. Some canals reached widths of up to 30 feet and depths of 12 feet at their head gates. They extended for as far as 50 miles across the desert landscape. Water could be delivered to an area covering more than 40 square miles. This engineering feat allowed crops to grow where none should have thrived. By 1450, hundreds of miles of canals stood completed. Many of these ancient waterways remain in use today, still guiding water through the same desert terrain.
In March 1877, Mormon pioneer Daniel Webster Jones left St. George, Utah, with Henry Clay Rogers. They traveled south to establish a settlement on the north side of present-day Mesa. The community was initially called Fort Utah, then renamed Jonesville near Lehi Road. In 1883, Brigham Young Jr. suggested changing the name to Lehi. Around the same time, another group known as the First Mesa Company arrived from Utah and Idaho. Their leaders included Francis Martin Pomeroy, Charles Crismon, George Warren Sirrine, and Charles I. Robson. Instead of joining Jones's settlement, they moved onto the mesa that would give the city its name. They dug new irrigation canals while using some of the original Hohokam channels. By April 1878, water flowed through their system. A second group, the Second Mesa Company, settled west of the first in 1879 due to available farmland. That area became Alma, later Stringtown, located near Alma School Road. On the 17th of July 1878, Mesa City was registered as a townsite. The first school opened in 1879. In 1883, the city incorporated with a population of just 300 people.
Falcon Field opened in the early 1940s as a training base for British Royal Air Force pilots during World War II. Williams Field followed shortly after, also serving military aviation needs. These airfields brought more personnel into the Mesa area than ever before. After the war ended, Falcon Field transferred to city ownership. It now hosts 605 aircraft based there. Boeing maintains an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter facility adjacent to the field. Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, formerly Williams Air Force Base, closed in 1993 and reopened as a commercial hub. Service began the 25th of October 2007, when Allegiant Air announced it as a new Focus City. As late as 1960, half of all residents made their living through agriculture. That number declined substantially as suburban growth continued alongside aerospace expansion. Industry especially early aerospace companies grew rapidly throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The arrival of air conditioning helped fuel population explosions across the entire Phoenix region. George Nicholas Goodman served as mayor five times between 1938 and 1956. He directly oversaw land acquisition for both Falcon Field and Williams Field.
The 2020 census recorded a total population of 504,258 people within Mesa's boundaries. White residents accounted for 65.7% of that count, while Hispanic or Latino individuals comprised 27.3%. Black or African American residents made up 4.2%, and those identifying with two or more races totaled 12.3%. Native Americans represented 2.7% of the population. Asian residents numbered 2.6%, and Pacific Islanders were 0.4%. In 2010, white alone (non-Hispanic) residents stood at 73.21%, dropping to 59.59% by 2020. A 2014 study by MIT and UCLA researchers analyzed over a decade of public opinion surveys. They concluded Mesa was the most conservative American city with more than 250,000 residents. The Pew Research Center confirmed this finding in 2017, calling it the most conservative city in the United States. Median household income reached $42,817 according to recent data. About 6.2% of families lived below the poverty line. The median age stood at 32 years during the last counted period.
More than 40,000 students enroll across over 10 colleges and universities located within Mesa limits. Mesa Community College serves as the largest institution among the Maricopa Community Colleges system. It enrolls over 24,000 full-time and part-time students. The Polytechnic campus of Arizona State University lies in southeast Mesa, hosting over 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. A.T. Still University operates an Osteopathic Medical School here too. Private for-profit schools include DeVry University, Carrington College, and Pima Medical Institute. After launching a higher education initiative in 2012, branch campuses arrived from Albright College, Westminster College, Benedictine University, Upper Iowa University, and Wilkes University. Two private institutions have since left or gone fully online. The Mesa Arts Center houses multiple galleries including the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum. Sloan Park opened in 2014 as spring training home for the Chicago Cubs. HoHoKam Park of the Cactus League hosts games for the Oakland Athletics. The I.d.e.a. Museum offers interactive exhibits for children and families. Over 2,280 acres of parkland exist within city limits, with Red Mountain Park spanning 1,146 acres.
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Common questions
Who built the ancient irrigation canals in Mesa, Arizona?
The Hohokam people constructed the ancient irrigation canals in Mesa, Arizona. By AD 1100 they had created a system of channels that transformed arid land into an agricultural oasis.
When was Mesa City registered as a townsite and when did it incorporate?
Mesa City was registered as a townsite on the 17th of July 1878. The city incorporated in 1883 with a population of just 300 people.
What is the current population of Mesa, Arizona according to the 2020 census?
The 2020 census recorded a total population of 504,258 people within Mesa, Arizona boundaries. White residents accounted for 65.7% of that count while Hispanic or Latino individuals comprised 27.3%.
Which colleges and universities are located in Mesa, Arizona?
More than 40,000 students enroll across over 10 colleges and universities located within Mesa limits including Mesa Community College and the Polytechnic campus of Arizona State University. Private institutions such as DeVry University and A.T. Still University also operate there.
Why did Mesa become known as the most conservative American city with more than 250,000 residents?
A 2014 study by MIT and UCLA researchers concluded Mesa was the most conservative American city with more than 250,000 residents. The Pew Research Center confirmed this finding in 2017 calling it the most conservative city in the United States.