Phoenix — One Day Tours

A wealthy suburb of Phoenix, Scottsdale actually is not nearly so much Western as it is rather casual cosmopolitan with a western touch. A great many Scottsdale estates are show places, while the shops hold a variety and quality of merchandise that would do New York's Fifth Avenue proud. Scottsdale fashion designers and their colleagues elsewhere in Arizona are fast evolving a typically Arizona mode. The nationally famous squaw dress is one of their creations.Scottsdale's craftsmen, too, are gaining national recognition for their creations in stained glass, ceramics, mosaics, leather, silver and turquoise, wood, and almost any medium you might mention. Here truly creative people have gathered to supply the wishes of people who can pay for truly creative work. Nor are the prices prohibitive. Surprisingly, Scottsdale originals will fit most moderate-sized budgets.

Phoenicians and other Arizonans enjoy a visit to Scottsdale just as much as do newcomers. Twice a week one of the restaurants, decorated in authentic gay-nineties manner stages free style shows for its luncheon guests. Always somewhere in town there is an art exhibit. Always the town is preparing for some fascinating coming event, its Parada del Sol or Scottsdale's Fifth Avenue Fiesta in February; the Festival of the Roses in January; an exhibit, a lecture, a play, a concert, a craft show.

Should a Phoenician become too warm in the summer time, all he needs do is to get into his car and drive north for about an hour. He'll be out on a high plateau where the air is some twenty degrees cooler on the average. Another hour's drive brings him into Prescott, charming city in the pines where many Phoenicians have summer homes. Or instead of turning into Prescott, he can keep on into beautiful Oak Creek Canyon and the cool mountain breezes that fill it. It's only a two-and-a-halfhour drive from Phoenix.

And should anyone in the world want to come to Phoenix, it's just about as easy as getting on a bus at your own front door. Two major air lines, American and TWA, serve Phoenix, as do two major railroads, the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe, and two major bus lines, Continental Trailways and Greyhound. In addition there are two excellent feeder air lines, Frontier and Bonanza. Four major transcontinental highways, U.S. 60, 70, 80, and 89 pass through Phoenix for those who would like to drive. But be warned: many who came simply to visit briefly are spending the rest of their lives here. They came, they saw, and Phoenix conquered. And there isn't one of them on record as anything but very happy.

For, a happy place is Phoenix and the Salt River Valley. A happy place with assets enough to make almost anybody happy, even an Eskimo. (Two ice skating rinks are open all year around!) And one of the nicest parts of it is there's always room enough for the next one who arrives.

Phoenix Indians in the Sun

Visitors to the Phoenix area usually expects to see Indians. And they may be seen, all right, although not in the numbers to be found in northeastern Arizona. Nevertheless, by going to the right places, you'll find Indians. And here are some of the places:

U. S. Indian School

Located just east of Central Avenue and Indian School Road. It's a boarding school established by the federal government in 1891 and attended by Indian children from many different tribes. A village of Yaqui Indians, whose forefathers came to rest here after fleeing from Mexico long years ago. They're a religious people, and their Easter rituals are interesting to watch and open to the public. Located about ten miles southeast of Phoenix. Drive south on Central Avenue to Baseline Road, then east 6½ miles past the beacon light on the hill. At the first paved road past the hill, turn south to Guadalupe.

Guadalupe Salt River Reservation

Here dwell about 1,400 Pima-Maricopas. The tribe is a merger of some Maricopas, who settled here in the last century to protect the Mormons from the Apaches, and some Pimas, who broke off from their own tribe farther south. They're farming people, working irrigated desert land. Drive eastward out McDowell Road to a point about seven miles east of Phoenix. An intermingling of Pimas, Maricopas and Papagos about 275 of them living on the desert some 30 miles south of Phoenix. Take the Guadalupe road (see above) and continue on to Maricopa, which is itself an historic Arizona place, having been a stagecoach stop in frontier times.

Ak-Chin Reservation Fort McDowell Reservation

An old frontier army post where a modest number of Apaches now live. Here, too, one of the most famous of all Apaches lies buried. He was Dr. Carlos Montezuma. Born a savage, he was kidnapped by rival Indians, sold to a white man, grew up to become a successful doctor in Chicago and then, stricken with TB, returned to the land of his people to die. Drive east out of Scottsdale on Indian School Road for a distance of 6.8 miles. Turn onto a dirt road with a sign pointing to Fort McDowell. An Indian school and mission run by the Franciscan Fathers. Located at Komatke, on the Pima reservation, soutwest of Phoenix. Drive west on Van Buren to 51st Avenue, then turn left. You'll find signs posted.

St. John's Mission Sacaton

Capital of the Pima reservation, one of Arizona's largest. These are agrarian people, believed by some scholars to have descended directly from the ancient Hohokam. They're also fine basket-makers and are among the most assimilated of Arizona's Indians. Located about 40 miles southeast of Phoenix. Take State Highway 87 to the Sacaton turnoff 18 miles beyond Chandler. One of the two main segments of Apacheland. The Apaches are cattle-growers and farmers. In fact, their reservation is often called the largest cattle ranch in the world. Drive 89 miles east to Globe. San Carlos itself is another twenty miles east of Globe.

San Carlos Reservation