Between 1870 1920 Phoenix was the largest city i

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Historic Land Use in Maricopa County

• Maps are from the Historic Land Use Phase 1
  Report on Generalized Land Use by Kim
  Knowles-Yánez, Cherie Moritz, Jana Fry, Charles
  L. Redman, Matt Bucchin, and Peter H McCartney
  from the Central Arizona Phoenix Long-Term
  Ecological Research Project, ASU - Center For
  Environmental Studies.(August 1999) For the full
  report go to http//caplter.asu.edu/contributions
  /

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Summary of Historic Land Use in Maricopa
County From the Historic Land Use Phase 1 Report
on Generalized Land Use by Kim Knowles-Yánez,
Cherie Moritz, Jana Fry, Charles L. Redman, Matt
Bucchin, and Peter H McCartney from the Central
Arizona Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research
Project, ASU - Center For Environmental
Studies.(August 1999) For the full report go to
http//caplter.asu.edu/contributions/   1912
General History Between 1870 1920 Phoenix was
the largest city in Arizona, agriculture played a
dominant role Water availability from the Salt
River determined the initial development
following re-excavation of the Hohokam
canals Wheat, barley, and corn were the first
surplus crops Later came commercial citrus and
fruit crops with alfalfa following Roosevelt Dam
was completed in 1911 and provided a reliable
water source to the Valley 1895 first railroad
service linked Phoenix to Southwest, Midwest, and
Eastern markets 1934 General History Construction
boom in the 1920s (Roads, bridges, sewer and
water lines, etc.) Agriculture is the prime
economic activity Cotton crop crashed in 1920s
1930s surplus corn crops sold to federal
government After 1920s Phoenix promoted itself
as a place for tourism, good weather, health
care, and the arts and was no longer promoted for
agricultural use Most of the land consumed for
urban growth was agricultural lands
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1955 General History Population more than tripled
between 1940 and 1960 Many high-teach companies
during the post-war years and many Military
personnel stationed here returned to the Valley
with their families after the war Almost all land
that was becoming urbanized was former farmland,
but for the first time a more desert land was
being used for urbanization Farming was no
longer the major industry Agriculture was the
leading source of income for the last time in
1953 1975 General History By 1960a growth of
the city favored northwest, northeast and
southeastern portions of the Valley Urban areas
continued to grow while agricultural area
decreased due to urbanization Boundaries of
agriculture land expanded - new areas open to
irrigation 1973 Agriculture was second in
importance to manufacturing as a source of
income 1984 Agriculture as an occupation was
not dominant in any Maricopa County census
tracts Urban development more than doubled
between 1955 and 1975 More and more desert land
for urban use
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1995 General History From 1980 1994, Maricopa
County was the third-fastest growing of the
nations top 50 counties by number of
people Economy focus shifted to real estate,
construction, electronics, aerospace, retirement,
service, and tourism From 1975 1995, amount of
land use for urban development almost
tripled Majority of new development was on desert
land
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• Maricopa County Population (people) and Land Use
  (acres) Data 1912 - 1995
• Land Use and population data from Historical
  Land Use Phase 1 Report on Generalized Land Use
  by Kim Knowles-Yanez, Cherie Moritz, Jana Fry,
  Charles L. Redman, Matt Bucchin, and Peter H.
  McCartney. Central Arizona Phoenix Long-Term
  Ecological Research Project, ASU - Center For
  Environmental Studies. August 1999