Peoria, Illinois, thus the city's namesake.
From that moment on, the area has prospered. Today, it has become the second largest city in the Northwest Valley, making it a popular place to live. Once the city of Peoria was a rural agricultural small town, but today it is a growing suburban community.
It is a dynamic desert city. In the 1880's, William J. Murphy was in the area when he made his prediction. He predicted the land that is now Peoria would become very valuable after the Arizona Canal was built. So Murphy decided he would head east to convince others of his prediction. He just knew that the land would be fertile with the new canal system. He was successful in persuading four families from Illinois to come out. They purchased 5,00 acres and tried their hand at farming.
In 1885, the Arizona Canal was built and soon the desert landscape turned into farmland. Murphy's prediction came true. But it took until 1987, before the group filed their original Plat of the Townsite of Peoria, Arizona . Eventually, more families followed the original families and the town began to grow. Then in 1889, the post office and school were established. Peoria remained an agricultural community up until 1954, when it was incorporated. At the time the town was incorporated, the town consisted of one square mile. Since then, Peoria has grown in size by annexations. These annexations have increased the town's size to 144 square miles. One of Peoria's recent annexations included Lake Pleasant, which is Arizona 's second largest lake. Today, Peoria continues to grow. It is one of the largest cities in Arizona in size of area and in population.
Peoria is the largest city in the Northwest Valley. The city of Glendale is to the south and east, the cities of both El Mirage and Surprise are to the west, open desert stretches to the city's north. The city's boundary begins at its southernmost edge at Northern Avenue, then stretches northward to Lake Pleasant and includes its western boundaries varying between 115th Avenue and 91st Avenue, and its eastern edge fluctuates between 67th and 75th Avenues.
This irregular shaped city of over 115 square miles continues to grow and expand in size through land annexations. Great access to the entire Valley of the Sun has made the city of Peoria a perfect choice for residents. The Loop 101 runs the length of the city, connecting to Interstate 17 to the north and Interstate 10 in the south. Close proximity to the freeway allows drivers choices of routes to various parts of the metropolitan Phoenix area. Peoria is in Central Arizona . It is in Maricopa County Maricopa County. Peoria is one of the largest cities in Arizona both in land area and population. The town is located 15 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix in the West Valley. It covers 117 square miles. Peoria is on Highway 101-Loop, which is a freeway extension that connects Interstate 17 with Interstate 10 providing access to all parts of the Valley. Peoria is bordered by Glendale and Sun City.
Downtown Peoria has revealed a
new face. The area has been refurbished. A
combination of new and renovated buildings have
boosted the city and drawn residents to downtown
Peoria. A new city hall, public library, and public
safety complex have energized the area. Pioneer Days
and Fall Fest are two of the community's activities
that are hosted in downtown Peoria.
The community is
working hard to continue its small town feeling
through entertainment and events.
One of the big highlights in the city is the Peoria
Sports Complex. Located just off the 101 Loop, to
the east on Bell Avenue, the Peoria Sports Complex's
convenient location brings visitors from all over
the Valley of the Sun. It is new home of the baseball
spring training games for the San Diego Padres and
the Seattle Mariners. There are 10,000 seats and 12
lighted practice fields. The complex also has
concerts, festivals, car shows, an Annual Fourth of
July Extravaganza, and other events which create a
friendly new hometown feeling that Peoria residents
enjoy every day.