A Brief History of Glendale, Arizona

The area that is now Glendale was simply empty desert until the Arizona Canal Co. project was established in 1882, and completed in 1995. The surrounding area of the Southeast Valley was already supplied water from a network of re-excavated canals that were built by the Hohokam Native Americans, but there were none of these canals in the North-western Valley. Once the Arizona Canal Co. project was finished, it attracted many homesteaders to settle in the area. The first residential area of Glendale took shape in 1892, and began to develop into a town. Several events helped the early development of Glendale, such as when the Santa Fe Railroad linked the Valley to northern Arizona in the mid 1890's.

Glendale developed in to a diverse city throughout the 20th century, with immigrants from across the world. While there was general economic growth in during World War I, the Depression had a negative impact on Glendale. A number of army bases were build around Glendale in World War II, which sparked further growth in Glendale. This growth has continued to the present, including a growing school system, public services, sports facilities, and housing developments.

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