Old Town Scottsdale
One of the aspects of Old Town Scottsdale that makes it truly great is how walk-able it is. It's a good thing the designers made it that way also, because many of it's visitors come for all the local bars-- which is funny because Scottsdale was originally founded as a "dry town." that all changed after Prohibition was lifted. If you haven't spent a night out in Old Town, you're missing out on a great time. But it's not just great during the night, it actually offers a lot of great activities and places to eat for residents of Arizona to experience during the day as well.
The original plot of land that is now defined as Old Town Scottsdale was purchased in 1888 for $3.50 an acre, equating to $2,240 total. Today, you could buy a used car for less. In 1909, the Little Red Schoolhouse was built. It doubled as both a school and police station back then, but today it functions as the Scottsdale Historical Museum. The gorgeous white glazed bricks featured at the Mexican Imports Shop are all original, since it's construction as a pool hall in 1923. Scottsdale never had a movie theater until 1948, when the T-Bar-T Theater opened up on Main Street.
Bill Keane, who is famous for his illustrations of the comic Family Circus is a Valley Resident, and also a big fan of the local ice cream parlor, "Sugar Bowl". If you look closely, you'll find it featured in a lot of his comics.
The olive trees on Second Street were originally planted in 1896 by the founder of the town, Winfield Scott. They still remain to this day. The first business in Old Town was a general store founded in 1897. It was purchased in 1904 by Sarah Thomas, making it the first female-owned business in Scottsdale.
Another interesting fact about Scottsdale is the fact that it was originally coined, "Orangedale" in the 1880's, before the name was changed to Scottsdale in 1894. Scottsdale was officially incorporated as a city in 1951, with a population of 2,000 residents. Today it's home to nearly a quarter of a million wonderful residents.
Today, Old Town is one of the most frequented areas in all of Arizona for both native residents and tourists alike, and provides some of the best and most exciting things to do in Scottsdale. It's golf clubs, hotels and resorts, and nightlife make it one of the top attractions in the Phoenix metro area. From indoor skydiving at iFly, to the Amery Bohling Fine Art gallery, you really can do it all here-- no matter what your preferred level of excitement or relaxation.
Just recently, the city decided to drop the name "Downtown Scottsdale" and embrace "Old Town Scottsdale" as the accepted vernacular. A new brand, logo, and marketing campaign has launched as a result. The city has decided to build on their western heritage and continue to grow what many Arizona's have come to love and cherish in Old Town Scottsdale.
If you haven't really dived in to Old Town and experienced it for yourself, we encourage you to do so ASAP. It's one of the Valley's true treasures.
The original plot of land that is now defined as Old Town Scottsdale was purchased in 1888 for $3.50 an acre, equating to $2,240 total. Today, you could buy a used car for less. In 1909, the Little Red Schoolhouse was built. It doubled as both a school and police station back then, but today it functions as the Scottsdale Historical Museum. The gorgeous white glazed bricks featured at the Mexican Imports Shop are all original, since it's construction as a pool hall in 1923. Scottsdale never had a movie theater until 1948, when the T-Bar-T Theater opened up on Main Street.
Bill Keane, who is famous for his illustrations of the comic Family Circus is a Valley Resident, and also a big fan of the local ice cream parlor, "Sugar Bowl". If you look closely, you'll find it featured in a lot of his comics.
The olive trees on Second Street were originally planted in 1896 by the founder of the town, Winfield Scott. They still remain to this day. The first business in Old Town was a general store founded in 1897. It was purchased in 1904 by Sarah Thomas, making it the first female-owned business in Scottsdale.
Another interesting fact about Scottsdale is the fact that it was originally coined, "Orangedale" in the 1880's, before the name was changed to Scottsdale in 1894. Scottsdale was officially incorporated as a city in 1951, with a population of 2,000 residents. Today it's home to nearly a quarter of a million wonderful residents.
Today, Old Town is one of the most frequented areas in all of Arizona for both native residents and tourists alike, and provides some of the best and most exciting things to do in Scottsdale. It's golf clubs, hotels and resorts, and nightlife make it one of the top attractions in the Phoenix metro area. From indoor skydiving at iFly, to the Amery Bohling Fine Art gallery, you really can do it all here-- no matter what your preferred level of excitement or relaxation.
Just recently, the city decided to drop the name "Downtown Scottsdale" and embrace "Old Town Scottsdale" as the accepted vernacular. A new brand, logo, and marketing campaign has launched as a result. The city has decided to build on their western heritage and continue to grow what many Arizona's have come to love and cherish in Old Town Scottsdale.
If you haven't really dived in to Old Town and experienced it for yourself, we encourage you to do so ASAP. It's one of the Valley's true treasures.