from
WorldWeb.com Travel Guide
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| The
Superstition Mountains west of Mesa |
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Who can resist 320 days of
sunshine combined with more than 2,000 years of history and easy access to major
centers like Phoenix, Tempe
and Scottsdale? Visitors
have been hitting the city of Mesa
since the 1940s because it has the ability to keep them busy and entertained.
This central Arizona city
is rich with arts and culture, which can be found in its many sculptures, various
museums, numerous theaters and relaxing parks. The ambiance surrounding Mesa comes
from its Native American and pioneer ancestors and is felt throughout the city
via its rich foods, well-preserved history and annual events.
History meets the modern world here. For the last 40 years, baseball fans from
all over have come here to watch the Chicago
Cubs Training Season, while the appealing year-round temperature makes
Mesa a haven for hiking, camping, horseback riding and other outdoor activities,
leaving visitors with an experience not found anywhere else.
ORIENTATION
Mesa rests on a plateau
in the Salt River Valley, surrounded by the Sonoran Desert and the Superstition
Mountains to the west. As a suburb of Phoenix, which is 15 mi (24 km) east of
Mesa, this city makes a great base to explore central Arizona, whether it be
the desert, the mountains or the river. Since Arizona shares its border with
New Mexico, Colorado,
Utah, Nevada
and California, as
well as with Mexico, Mesa makes a great location for those wanting to travel
farther south. For people touring through Arizona, this city is 6 mi (10 km)
from Tempe, 10 mi (16 km) from Scottsdale, 117 mi (188 km) from Tucson
and 248 mi (400 km) from the Grand
Canyon.
HISTORY
The area surrounding Mesa
is rich in heritage, dating back roughly 2,000 years to the Hohokam Tribe, a
group of American Indians whose name means Departed Ones. The Hohokam resided
in the Salt River Valley and are credited with the construction of 125 mi (200
km) of canal systems used to obtain water for sustenance. These systems are
still used. While the Hohokam's legacy is known, the reason for why they left
is not. More than a thousand years after the disappearance of the Hohokam, the
Salt River Valley became home to another tribe, the Apache Indians. While the
Apaches managed to drive out the Spanish during the 1700s, they were forced
to leave by the U.S. Army in the 1800s.
Colonization of this area
picked up soon after the Apaches left, and by the end of the 19th century Mesa
was home to many Mormon settlers, who were avoiding persecution in Utah.
These Mormons lived as a commune, sharing all supplies and food. Soon after settling, they constructed a building that
served as a school, church and meeting area, as well as an adobe fort that they
named Fort Utah. Disagreements with Pima Indians in the area caused most of
the Mormons to move closer to Mexico. Their colony, known as Lehi, is now part
of Mesa. The First Mesa Company arrived in Mesa shortly after and consisted
of 85 people from Utah and Idaho.
They were invited by Jones to live in Lehi, known to many of that day as Utahville.
The company chose, instead, to move to the plateau south of the commune. It
was these settlers who gave Mesa life, cleaning out the canals built by the
Hohokam and getting water to flow through them again.
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The
Sirrine House, one of
Mesa's Historical Landmarks
Photo courtesy Mesa CVB |
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By 1895 Mesa had overtaken
Lehi in size. A flood that swept Fort Utah away in 1891, and the construction
of the railway through Mesa deterred Lehi's growth. As more settlers moved through
the area, Mesa was able incorporate. This happened in 1883, although its name
was not recognized by the Post Office Department until 1889 because the government
did not think Mesa was an appropriate title for a town. Soon after incorporating,
the people of Mesa elected Alexander F. Macdonald as its first mayor. In 1892
they established the Mesa Free Press, which is still printing today under the
name of the East Valley Tribune. Mesa continued to grow during the Depression
because it had bought its own utility company in 1917. The money from utilities
allowed it to develop land during the hard times.
With the invention of air
conditioning in the 1940s, Mesa become a popular tourist destination. More people
moved to the area during the 1940s with the construction of the Falcon
Field Airport and the Williams Air Force Base. Until the 1960s, citrus
and cotton farming made up economic base, technological companies made up a
large industrial base in Mesa. In 2005 the city had more than 100 industrial
and technological firms operating from it. The city has worked hard to make
Mesa a tourist destination by preserving many of the historical buildings. Add
to that the many theaters, auditoriums and sport centers waiting for visitors
traveling from around the world, and it's easy to understand why people want
to come to Mesa.
| |
|
Month |
Avg.
Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
36°F
(2°C) |
65°F
(18°C) |
17
mm |
| Feb |
39°F
(4°C) |
69°F
(21°C) |
17
mm |
| Mar
|
44°F
(7°C) |
74°F
(23°C) |
22
mm |
| Apr |
50°F
(9°C) |
83°F
(28°C) |
5
mm |
| May
|
56°F
(13°C) |
92°F
(33°C) |
3
mm |
| Jun
|
65°F
(18°C) |
102°F
(39°C) |
3
mm |
| Jul |
74°F
(23°C) |
104°F
(40°C) |
21
mm |
|
Aug |
73°F
(23°C) |
102°F
(39°C) |
24
mm |
|
Sep |
66°F
(19°C) |
98°F
(37°C) |
22
mm |
|
Oct |
54°F
(12°C) |
87°F
(31°C) |
16.5
mm |
|
Nov |
43°F
(6°C) |
75°F
(24°C) |
17
mm |
|
Dec |
37°F
(3°C) |
66°F
(19°C) |
25
mm |
|
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Climate Data from the
Western Regional Climate Center
|
CLIMATE
Mesa has mild winters
and warm summers, making it a year-round travel destination. The average temperature
in the winter (Dec-Feb) fluctuates between a high of 68°F (20°C) and a low of 37°F (3°C). In the summer, Mesa's
highs of 10°F (38°C) and a lows of 75°F (24°C) can be expected. Summer temperatures
peak between June and August. Mesa has an average of 320 sunny days each year,
a welcome statistic for travelers seeking to escape colder climates.
TRANSPORTATION
Since it is so close to
Phoenix, Mesa has all the travel advantages of a major city. The Sun
Harbor International Airport is only 12 mi (20 km) away. There is a
regional airport, Williams
Gateway Airport, located 13 mi (20 km) from downtown Mesa. Williams
Gateway acts as a relief airport for the Sun Harbor, as well as a landing area
for corporate jets, cargo planes, military aircraft and general aviation planes.
Airplane manufacturing, maintenance and pilot training are conducted at this
airport.
Once in Mesa, there are
numerous ways to get around. This city is bicycle friendly, and has many pathways
as well as bike lanes on some roads. There are also lots of walking opportunities
in parks, trails and hiking areas. Mesa has a wide selection of taxis, shuttles
and limos for hire. Its transit system, the Valley Metro, runs buses 16 hours
a day, six days a week. There are no buses on Sundays and on holidays. For those
wanting more independence, there are numerous car rental companies available.
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A Dinosaur Skeleton
at the
Mesa Southwest Museum
Photo courtesy Mesa CVB
|
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Historic Sites
Mesa's rich heritage is celebrated through its many museums and historical
sites. One such place is the Southwest
Museum. The museum is home to many collections, including a prehistoric
exhibit containing dinosaur skeletons, fossils and other items. Other displays
inside include a geographical collection, an art collection and a natural history
collection. The Southwest Museum also has an outdoor exhibit the—Sirrine
House—which is located down the street from the other collections. The
Sirrine House is a popular museum and historical site for those who love Victorian-era
homes. Built in 1896, the house is preserved to reflect how life was lived at
the end of the 19th century. Its furnishings and decorations were carefully
selected by museum staff, to take people back 100 years as they step through
its doors.
Other museums in Mesa including the Arizona
Museum for Youth, the Buckhorn
Wildlife Museum, the Commemorative
Air Force Museum and the Mesa
Historical Museum. But there is much more to this city than historical
facilities.
Mesa is home to one of the world's largest organs—the Mighty Wurlitzer—which
can be found at Organ
Stop Pizza. Another popular spot is the Arizona
Temple Visitors Center, which draws people from all over during the
Christmas season, when it is decorated with lights, and during the Easter season,
when it hosts a Passion play.
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The
Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake
Photo courtesy Mesa CVB |
|
Mesa's location makes it a
great place for guests to explore the area through day trips, like riding on the
Dolly
Steamboat in Apache
Junction or seeing what the other centers like Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale,
have for them. With many scenic areas throughout the Superstition Mountains and
the Apache Trail, visitors can see some of the most extraordinary sights in the
country.
Cultural Activities
Mesa has several theaters,
orchestras and art galleries that bring to life the cultured side of the city.
Attracting youth to the arts is important to the city and is achieved through
programs and performances by companies like Ballet
Etudes, the Mesa
Youth Symphony and the East
Valley Children's Theatre. Professional performances by the Mesa
Symphony Orchestra, the Encore
Theatre, the Southwest
Shakespeare Company, the Broadway
Palm Dinner Theatre and many others grace the stage for visitors and
residents of Mesa to enjoy. Sports fans get an early taste of professional baseball
during the Cactus League games which runs through May before Major League Baseball
commences. This league prepares MLB teams, like the Chicago Cubs who play at
Mesa's Hohokam
Stadium, prior to the start of the regular season.
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Two Cowboys at
Goldfield Ghost Town
Photo Courtesy Mesa CVB
|
Natural Attractions
Mesa is surrounded by mountains,
lakes, trails and many historic land marks. The Apache Trail is a popular tourist
destination, with many scenic and historical stops along the way. The trail
goes through the the Superstition Mountains, where the historic ghost town of
Goldfield
can be found. Throughout this region there are many tour companies offering
horseback
riding trips and guided tours of the Apache Trail and area. After seeing
the historic and scenic areas, visitors can relax with a game of golf. Mesa
is home to nearly a dozen golf
courses, each varying in skill and cost.
Shopping
With ample antique
shops, several malls and
markets , visitors can find the perfect token of their trip to Mesa.
It addition to two large malls—the Fiesta
Mall and Superstition
Springs Center—Mesa boasts two large shopping areas, the Santa
Fe Shopping Center and the Village
Square at Dana Park. There are at least a dozen antique
shops, each carrying different types of collectibles from furniture
to military artifacts to kitchen collectibles, and plenty of gift
shops and specialty
shops found throughout the city, to satisfy every shopper's desire.
Cuisine
After a day of sightseeing
and traveling, a meal is a must. Mesa has more than 120 restaurants,
from fast food to sit-down restaurants. People can dine at one of the many Italian,
Mexican
and other international cuisines found all around the city. There is a selection
of take-out and delivery establishments as well for those wanting a quieter
evening at the hotel
or at home.
