Apparently having read the Phoenix 101 posts, the History Press approached me to write a concise history of the city. In a hurry.
I thought this would be a compilation of Phoenix 101, but it turned out they wanted an entirely new book. Foolishly I signed up anyway. That's why I've been gone.
The final product may never see a bookshelf. It is certainly not an attempt to compete with the fine academic histories of Philip VanderMeer, William S. Collins or Bradford Luckingham. There are no doubt more qualified people who could have undertaken this project. Instead, at 32,000 words, it is an interpretive history of a fascinating city and one of great importance to America (whether America or even Phoenicians realize it). Think of it as the dissertation I never wrote.
Mindful of Harry Truman's admonishment that "the only thing new in the world is the history you don't know," I dug deep into primary and secondary sources. I'm glad I did it. Here is some of what I learned:
1. The short hustle is nothing new. Speculation and fraud, usually based on land (sometimes water) dates back almost to the settlement's founding. And it was often tied in to some of the most respectable citizens. One example is the building of the Arizona Canal (1883-1885), done by the private sector and filled with dodgy activity. It fell into receivership.
2. Phoenix is even more government dependent that I realized. The metropolis of rugged individualists wouldn't exist without the repeated, robust and extremely generous support of the federal government. The Army pacifying the Apaches (with Medal of Honor-winning help from other Apaches); railroads; reclamation; the New Deal; GI Bill and FHA loans; defense spending virtually creating the high-tech local economy; the CAP; airport investments, etc. Today's austerity, combined with an inert GOP congressional delegation, is one big reason Phoenix is lagging so far behind.
3. Roosevelt Dam almost didn't happen. Water rights were so tangled and acrimonious that the Salt River Valley was initially was not in line for the Newlands Act. (Ed Abbey and Cal Lash would have been happy).
4. Organized crime runs deep, deep, deep. Worse than I even thought. And, again, operating in tandem with some of the city's most respected citizens, even if most of them were not mobsters. The legacy of corruption continues and has "gone legit" in a host of ways.
5. The Salt River Valley was even more of a natural oasis than I realized. Covering this nutrient-filled soil with asphalt, concrete and the ubiquitous gravel is a crime. Flood irrigation needed to be replaced with more sustainable practices, but the loss of farming in the heart of the valley is a crime.
6. Phoenix really had civic stewards. And they made all the difference, from Dwight and Maie Heard to John Teets and Kax Herberger. The city has almost none now and it shows — certainly not enough for a place of its size and needs. No other major city was more devastated by the corporate consolidations and mergers of the past 35 years. The companies nominally headquartered there do nothing to improve the city.
7. The mistake of roads and freeways. This is a common theme here. But one little heartbreaking tidbit I learned is that widening roads into today's highways-in-all-but-name destroyed far more shade trees than the 20,000 or so ripped out by the Salt River Project lining the canals.
8. The extremely toxic legacy of "clean industries" and the segregation of big polluters in South Phoenix. Yes, I knew some of this — but not how bad it was and is. Phoenix is hardly a "blank slate."
The rest? You'll have to wait until the book comes out (if it does).
Thanks for your patience during this time, and especially to those who contributed to comments on the open thread.
I look forward to reading it Jon. And yes, there is a ton of little known Phoenix history that could stand to be raised to the surface.
Thank you for taking on this important project, Jon. Your eight highlights are food for thought. I value your insight and look forward to reading the full book. Please post when it’s available for pre-order.
It would be nice if the book could be downloaded from this website. A modest price please as many of us don’t live in six figure income land Seattle. 🙂
I hope it gets published as it will be interesting and hopefully get some people thinking and changing.
Jon with all due respect, I believe you are as qualified to write about Phoenix, Valley of the Sun and Arizona as anyone. Look forward to your outpouring.
I hope it does get published, because your interpretation of events will be fearless, and that will be not just enlightening, but probably eye-popping.
Inert GOP congressional delegation?
Not according to TV ads j. Mc lame is already running months and months ahead of the election.
Look forward to the book.
I am looking forward to the book – eagerly.
And mourning the loss in Number 5 above.
Number 5 is still here. Just waiting for current occupants to move to Portland and Seattle.
I’ll never forgive my ancestors who arrived here 15,000 years ago for failing to put no vacancy signs around the state.
Then when my other ancestors arrived in the 1500’s, would it have been so difficult for them to put up signs that said, “no water, go back to Iowa”.
I’m sure jon covered this stuff in the book. I know he’ll mention cal. Cal always gets in the books. Dang red headed stranger in the black hat.
I hope to get the chance to read this.
If behind every great fortunes lies a great crime, then there’s nothing especially awful about Phoenix except its inevitable and sharp decline into a cheap sprawling car town on the road to nowhere. There’s no way you repair a city without urban fabric. You can fake density but you can’t fake value.
As the planet heats up, even the loveliest things will dry up and wither before our vacant eyes. Drive so fast that even the scent of death doesn’t linger.
No one has asked the big question yet, so I guess I will: why would the book not get published? I hope to God that it will.
Ruben it took your ancestors 10,000 years to learn how to make a flame to light that stuff you been smoking.
Soleri, great last line, read Red Line!
Chris in case you missed it god has been replaced by publishers.
U all, I’m taking one of my liberal friends to meet Jimmy Carter tomorrow. Anything U want me to pass along to him.
Excellent column Jon, I sent it on to all my rich red neck republican acquaintances.
In all seriousness I think upon the books arrival the club should have a discussion meet with the Author.
PS, Ruben is buying the drinks.
Neil, how u doing! It must be 13 years since you and I were trading Emails on the development of downtown Tempe. Congratulations you won. Tempe used to be a nice town. Now it’s a big noisy and ugly place with garish structures and a putrid lake. I go there on occasion to help young folks that get brutalized by bouncers and occasionally law enforcement. And city government still tends to be about the politicians and not the citizens.
Once in a while I sneak into Tempe to see a movie at Red Harkins Valley Art theatre, now ran by his son. And afterwards I go across the street to the 12 foot by 30 foot book store piled high with dusty books sold by the octogenarians, now maybe in their 90’s. Hope all is well with you. You can Email (again) if u like at coper1658@gmail.com.
I will second Chris in Denvers question, why would the book not get published?
Here is a link for The History Press, if it is the same one that RC mentions…
https://historypress.net/contact/
Reading thru your Top 3, I was nodding my head at each one. When I read “Organize crime runs, deep, deep, deep,” I thought: Holy crap! How can there be any doubt your book will be published? Then again, who will have the guts?
When an author signs a contract with a publisher, the publisher is typically not obliged to actually publish the book.
A host of problems could intervene. They might hate what I wrote, for example. I don’t want this to happen. But we shall see.
Looking forward to the book also. I feel that I know a good bit of history of Phoenix having been born here in 1937 and always lived here.
Anything in the book about “Charter Government” and their scams? See Ray Busey and paint.
RC: if written under contract, who owns the copywright?
While there may be people with more facts about Phoenix,none are better than you at distilling and defining those facts,.. Look forward to book when it comes out.
I believe I hold the copyright.
Looking forward to your new book. I’m on the board of the Medlock Place Historic District so am thrilled to hear the deeper side of the history. Familiar with some publishers after working in the business for years. You may be asked to sign away your rights in the fine print for some of the historic book publishers.
Okay Jon we get your book on The History. Now how about a column on the future.
Should Phoenix think Contraction. Should we plant more Sahuaros. What would Buckley and Gore think?
Contraction would be great. It might be harder now that downtown Phoenix has replaced Scottsdale as the most expensive rental market. You can read about that on the links from Rogue’s homepage.
phxSUNSfan,
What are the borders for downtown Phoenix. It has been mentioned in this blog before but I don’t remember the specifics.
Jmav, there is Rogue’s definition of the borders and then there is the city’s definition of the borders for downtown. Most downtowners will tell you that downtown is from the 7’s east to west, I-10 to Lincoln from the north to south.
The city defines the area between McDowell, 7th Ave, Lincoln and 7th St as downtown.
Thanks phxSUNSfan. That is my town.
The larger that newcomers and city planners make downtown, the more difficult is downtown’s trouble. Anyway, the area north of Roosevelt was **never** historically a part of downtown. History matters. Otherwise, north Scottsdale is downtown, too.
https://www..com/rogue_columnist/2014/07/phoenix-101-whats-downtown-whats-not.html
Regarding copyright concerns and questions…
This was one of the best free Coursera courses I’ve taken:
https://www.coursera.org/learn/copyright-for-education
It is now self-paced. Though somewhat focused for educators, it covers copyright law for artists and writers.
Heard from the publisher and we’re on for a winter 2015 publication date.
arizona is only 40th.
https://www.aol.com/article/2015/08/03/ranked-the-economies-of-all-50-us-states-and-dc-from-worst-to-b/21217436/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D629268878
OK Jon, how about a Phoenix Confidential column?
deconstructingthemanifest.blogspot.com. a new good read
I wouldn’t be surprised if the City of Phoenix eventually shifts the southern boundary of Downtown from Lincoln St. to Buckeye Rd.
I plan to buy the book whenever it becomes available. Thanks for your efforts and look forward to supporting them.