Click here for great rates on hotels, resorts and vacation rentals in the greater Phoenix area. It is the hub of the rapidly growing Southwest and the heart of a metro area of 2.45 million people.
Phoenix is also the capital of Arizona and the Maricopa County seat.
In 1867, Phoenix founder Jack Swilling formed a canal company and diverted irrigation water from the Salt River. In 1911, Roosevelt Dam was completed and water supplies were stabilized. The Arizona Republic Phoenix's explosive growth began during World War II when military airfields were built in Maricopa County for the near-perfect flying weather. Many defense industries followed. Luke Air Force Base, west of Phoenix, is still a major training center for fighter pilots.