Scottsdale, Arizona

1888Winfield Scott Settles the Area: U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott purchased 640 acres near the confluence of the Arizona Canal and the Salt River, founding the farming community that would become Scottsdale.

1937Frank Lloyd Wright Builds Taliesin West: Architect Frank Lloyd Wright established Taliesin West as his winter home, studio, and architecture school in the Scottsdale desert. The campus became a National Historic Landmark.

1947City Incorporates: Scottsdale incorporated with about 2,000 residents and adopted the slogan 'The West's Most Western Town,' beginning its transformation from agricultural community to resort destination.

1951Motorola Opens Plant: Motorola opened a research and development facility in Scottsdale, anchoring the city's technology sector and attracting other electronics companies to the area.

1956Marriott's Camelback Inn Era: The resort era flourished as luxury properties proliferated around Camelback Mountain, establishing Scottsdale as a premier winter resort destination for wealthy visitors.

1969Scottsdale Fashion Square Opens: The shopping center opened and grew over decades into one of the Southwest's premier luxury retail destinations with over 200 stores.

1988McDowell Sonoran Preserve Concept: Citizens began the effort to preserve desert mountain land north of the city, eventually creating the 30,500-acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve — the largest urban preserve in the U.S.

1998Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction Grows: The annual Barrett-Jackson classic car auction grew into one of the world's most watched collector car events, drawing tens of thousands to Scottsdale each January.

2005Scottsdale Arts District Boom: Old Town Scottsdale's arts district grew to over 100 galleries, making it one of the top art market destinations in the United States alongside Santa Fe and New York.

2023Tech Hub Growth: Scottsdale continued attracting tech companies and remote workers, with major firms establishing offices in the Scottsdale Airpark business district.