Phoenix is a vibrant city located in the southwestern United States, in the south-central part of Arizona. It is the capital of the state and is situated in the central region, approximately halfway between Tucson to the southeast and Flagstaff to the north. Phoenix is known for its year-round sunshine, desert beauty, and world-class resorts and golf courses. It is also the fifth-largest city in the US, with a population of over 1.6 million people.
The first newspaper in South Phoenix was the weekly Salt River Valley Herald, established in 1878. It changed its name to the Phoenix Herald the following year. With the creation of the Phoenix Sister Cities (PSC) organization in 1972, Phoenix became a part of the international sister cities movement. The Valley Metro public light rail system stops just outside Chase Field, the downtown Phoenix stadium that is home to the MLB Arizona Diamondbacks. The Arizona Upland subdivision of the Sonoran Desert (of which Phoenix is part) has some of the most structurally diverse flora in the United States.
Apex Balloons offers daily hot air balloon rides at sunrise and sunset over picturesque Phoenix and Scottsdale. Those who prefer to leave the performance to professionals can book tickets for a performance of the Phoenix Symphony or the Arizona Opera House at Symphony Hall, one of many performance venues that make up Phoenix's vibrant art scene. At the end of the decade, Phoenix adopted the Phoenix Concept 2000 plan that divided the city into urban villages, each with its own village core, where greater height and density were allowed, shaping the culture of free market development. The Heard Museum, one of Phoenix's first cultural institutions, has become an international destination for learning about Native American art and history, while Pueblo Grande Archaeological Park and Museum is a must-see attraction that takes visitors on a path to explore Hohokam remains from centuries ago. The story of Phoenix begins with Jack Swilling, a Confederate veteran of the Civil War who searched for gold in nearby mining town Wickenburg in newly formed Arizona territory.
