The Phoenix Points of Pride are 31 landmarks and attractions in Phoenix, Arizona, selected by voters since 1992 to represent the city's best features for residents and visitors. They include structures, such as St. Mary's Basilica, the Phoenix Zoo and Footprint Center; and natural formations such as Camelback Mountain and Hole-in-the-Rock at Papago Park.
The first 25 Points of Pride were selected in 1992. The program was seen as a way to boost civic morale in the wake of negative national publicity for Phoenix in the wake of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday controversy. Cricket Wireless Pavilion and the Deer Valley Rock Art Center were added in 1996 and 2000 respectively, and the Japanese Friendship Garden, Ben Avery Shooting Facility and the Thomas J. Pappas School were selected in 2004. Arizona State University at the West Campus, Burton Barr Central Library and Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center (the area's first Jewish synagogue) are the most recent Points of Pride, selected in 2008. [1]
The Phoenix Pride Commission maintains the list of Phoenix Points of Pride and promoting these unique metropolitan area resources. In the past, the commission accepted nominations from the residents and selected locations for the Points of Pride ballot. The residents voted for these locations and the commission determined how many of the locations receiving the greatest number of votes were designated as a Point of Pride.
In July 2008, Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon changed the Phoenix Pride Commission to an ad hoc commission, meaning that it will meet more infrequently to save money; this could mean the effective end of the Points of Pride program. [2]
This list shows information about each of the Phoenix Points of Pride.
Name | Location | Image | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Ak-Chin Pavilion | 2121 North 83rd Avenue 33°28′17″N112°13′58″W / 33.4715°N 112.232875°W | A 20,000-seat open-air amphitheater | |
Arizona Biltmore Hotel | 2400 East Missouri Avenue 33°31′24″N112°01′24″W / 33.523446°N 112.023404°W | A destination resort built in 1929 and featuring 39 acres of gardens and architecture influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright | |
Arizona Center | 400 East Van Buren Street 33°27′08″N112°04′07″W / 33.45231°N 112.068745°W | A shopping, dining, and entertainment destination | |
ASU West campus | 4701 West Thunderbird Road 33°36′29″N112°09′35″W / 33.608052°N 112.159855°W | A liberal arts campus of Arizona State University | |
Ben Avery Shooting Facility | 4044 West Black Canyon Boulevard 33°48′15″N112°08′46″W / 33.804078°N 112.145995°W | A 1650-acre outdoor shooting range open to the public | |
Burton Barr Central Library | 1221 North Central Avenue 33°27′45″N112°04′24″W / 33.46246°N 112.073224°W | A Public library of over 700,000 items, including rare books and unique collections | |
Camelback Mountain | East McDonald Drive at Tatum Boulevard 33°30′52″N111°57′52″W / 33.514528°N 111.964466°W | A prominent feature of the Camelback Mountain Echo Canyon Recreation Area, a 75-acre park | |
Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center | 122 East Culver Street 33°27′46″N112°04′21″W / 33.462738°N 112.072534°W | A museum and cultural center operated by the Arizona Jewish Historical Society | |
Deer Valley Rock Art Center | 3711 West Deer Valley Road 33°41′02″N112°08′23″W / 33.683809°N 112.139839°W | A site of over 1500 Native-American petroglyphs ranging in age between 800 and 1500 years | |
Desert Botanical Garden | 1201 N. Galvin Parkway 33°27′45″N111°56′41″W / 33.462456°N 111.944639°W | A 140-acre desert garden featuring over 21,000 plants including 139 rare, threatened, or endangered species | |
Encanto Park | 2745 North 15th Avenue 33°28′31″N112°05′25″W / 33.47525°N 112.09016°W | A 222-acre park featuring a variety of leisure activities | |
Footprint Center | 201 East Jefferson Street 33°26′45″N112°04′16″W / 33.445909°N 112.071213°W | A sports and entertainment arena and home to the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury professional basketball teams | |
Heard Museum | 2301 North Central Avenue 33°28′21″N112°04′21″W / 33.472377°N 112.072393°W | A museum devoted to culture and history of Native peoples, including a collection of over 40,000 items | |
Herberger Theater Center | 222 East Monroe Street 33°27′04″N112°04′15″W / 33.45103°N 112.070772°W | A three-stage performing arts center | |
Heritage Square | 115 North Sixth Street 33°27′00″N112°03′57″W / 33.449902°N 112.065709°W | A late-1800s residential area now supporting museums, restaurants and gift shops Rosson House NRHP Reference: 71000112 Baird Machine Shop NRHP Reference: 85002047 | |
Japanese Friendship Garden | 1125 North Third Avenue 33°27′39″N112°04′39″W / 33.460887°N 112.077418°W | A joint project between Phoenix and its sister city of Himeji, Japan, the 3-1/2 acre garden and tea house include over 50 varieties of plants | |
Mystery Castle | 800 East Mineral Road 33°21′23″N112°03′44″W / 33.35644°N 112.062141°W | An 18-room castle museum built in the 1930s from salvaged items | |
Orpheum Theater | 203 West Adams Street 33°26′57″N112°04′36″W / 33.449132°N 112.076706°W | A 1929 Orpheum theater built in the Spanish Baroque style and currently home to the Phoenix Metropolitan Opera NRHP Reference: 85002067 | |
Papago Park | Galvin Parkway and Van Buren Street 33°27′18″N111°56′54″W / 33.454879°N 111.948348°W | A 1200-acre park featuring the Phoenix Zoo, the Desert Botanical Garden, Governor Hunt's Tomb, baseball and softball fields, picnic areas, and hiking trails Hunt's Tomb NRHP Reference: 08000526 | |
Phoenix Art Museum | 1625 North Central Avenue 33°27′58″N112°04′24″W / 33.466181°N 112.073366°W | A collection of more than 18,000 works, independent film screenings, live performances, dining and shopping | |
Phoenix Mountains Park | 2701 East Squaw Peak Lane 33°32′48″N112°01′17″W / 33.546724°N 112.021286°W | A park surrounding Piestewa Peak, the second highest point in the Phoenix Mountains, and within the area of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve | |
Phoenix Zoo | 455 North Galvin Parkway 33°27′05″N111°56′53″W / 33.451307°N 111.947982°W | A 125-acre zoo containing over 2.5 miles of walking trail and over 1300 animals in the area of Papago Park | |
Pueblo Grande Museum | 4619 East Washington Street 33°26′46″N111°59′04″W / 33.446232°N 111.984438°W | A pre-Columbian archaeological site and National Historic Landmark dedicated to preserving ruins left by the Hohokam culture Ruin NRHP Reference: 66000185 Irrigation Site NRHP Reference: 66000184 | |
Shemer Art Center and Museum | 5005 East Camelback Road 33°30′18″N111°58′20″W / 33.504902°N 111.972164°W | An arts education facility and community center featuring temporary exhibitions and a permanent collection | |
South Mountain Park | 10919 South Central Avenue 33°20′49″N112°05′04″W / 33.347056°N 112.084518°W | An urban park over 16,000-acres containing many species of desert plant and animal life | |
St. Mary's Basilica | 231 North Third Street 33°27′02″N112°04′11″W / 33.45069°N 112.069732°W | A minor basilica in the Catholic Church and home to Arizona's largest collection of stained glass NRHP Reference: 78000551 | |
Symphony Hall | 225 East Adams Street 33°26′56″N112°04′14″W / 33.448841°N 112.070563°W | A multi-purpose performing arts venue and home to the Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Opera, and Ballet Arizona | |
Telephone Pioneers of America Park | 1946 West Morningside Drive 33°38′57″N112°06′06″W / 33.649261°N 112.101758°W | A barrier-free park designed to meet the needs of the physically challenged | |
Tovrea Castle | 5041 East Van Buren Street 33°26′55″N111°58′20″W / 33.448738°N 111.972252°W | A three-tier, wedding cake style structure built in 1931 of wood and stucco NRHP Reference: 96000309 | |
Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza | 1700 West Washington Street 33°26′53″N112°05′39″W / 33.44812°N 112.094291°W | A two-block plaza on the grounds of the Arizona State Capitol featuring 29 memorials | |
Wrigley Mansion | 2501 East Telawa Trail 33°31′23″N112°01′36″W / 33.523052°N 112.026635°W | A 1931 mansion currently offering a restaurant and meeting space in a private club setting NRHP Reference: 89001045 |
Phoenix is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital in the country.
Chandler is a city in Maricopa county, Arizona, United States, and a suburb in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). It is bordered to the north and west by Tempe, to the north by Mesa, to the west by Phoenix, to the south by the Gila River Indian Community, and to the east by Gilbert. As of the 2020 census, the population of Chandler was 279,458, up from 236,123 at the 2010 census.
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Named Scottsdale in 1894 after its founder Winfield Scott, a retired U.S. Army chaplain, the city was incorporated in 1951 with a population of 2,000. At the 2020 census, the population was 241,361, which had grown from 217,385 in 2010. Its slogan is "The West's Most Western Town". Over the past two decades, it has been one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2020 population of 180,587. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale and the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community on the north, Chandler on the south, and Mesa on the east. Tempe is also the location of the main campus of Arizona State University.
Black Canyon City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. The population was 2,837 at the 2010 census, up from 2,697 in 2000.
Arizona State University at the West Campus is a public university in Phoenix, Arizona. It is one of five university campuses that compose Arizona State University (ASU). The West campus was established by the Arizona Legislature in 1984, and is located in northwest Phoenix, bordering the city of Glendale.
Camelback Mountain is a mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The English name is derived from its shape, which resembles the hump and head of a kneeling camel. The mountain, a prominent landmark of the Phoenix metropolitan area, is located in the Camelback Mountain Echo Canyon Recreation Area between the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix and the town of Paradise Valley. It is a popular recreation destination for hiking and rock climbing.
Downtown Phoenix is the central business district (CBD) of the City of Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It is in the heart of the Phoenix metropolitan area or Valley of the Sun. Phoenix, being the county seat of Maricopa County and the capital of Arizona, serves as the center of politics, justice and government on the local, state and federal levels. The area is a major center of employment for the region, with many financial, legal, and other national and international corporations housed in a variety of skyscrapers. Major arts and cultural institutions also call the area home. Downtown Phoenix is a center of major league sports activities, live concert events, and is an equally prominent center of banking and finance in Arizona. Regional headquarters for several major banks, including JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Bank of America, Compass Bank and Midfirst Bank are all located within or close proximity to the area.
The Phoenix Zoo opened in 1962 and is the largest privately owned, non-profit zoo in the United States. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the zoo was founded by Robert Maytag, a member of the Maytag family, and operates on 125 acres (51 ha) of land in the Papago Park area of Phoenix. It has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.
Papago Park is a municipal park of the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, United States. It has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride. It includes Hunt's Tomb, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Burton Barr Central Library is the central library of Phoenix, Arizona. It is the flagship location and administrative headquarters for the Phoenix Public Library. It was named in honor of Burton Barr, the Republican Majority Leader in the Arizona House of Representatives from 1966 to 1986. The library houses a collection of 1 million volumes.
Encanto Park is a public park in central Phoenix, Arizona. The park is composed of 222 acres (0.90 km2) of land consisting of picnic areas, a lagoon, a boat house, swimming pool, nature trail, amusement park, fishing and two golf courses. The lagoon is approximately 7.5 acres (0.030 km2) in surface area and about 6 feet (1.8 m) deep, on average. The park is bounded by Thomas Road on the north, Encanto Boulevard on the south, 15th Avenue on the west and 7th Avenue on the east and is at a surface elevation of 1,100 ft (340 m).
Maryvale is an urban village of Phoenix, Arizona.
Congregation Beth Israel is a Jewish congregation located at 10460 North 56th Street in Scottsdale, Arizona. Formally incorporated in 1920, it affiliated with the Reform Judaism in 1935.
Paul Edward Johnson Jr. is an American politician from the state of Arizona. Johnson was the mayor of Phoenix from 1990 to 1994. Johnson grew up in Sunnyslope, an urban poverty pocket inside of Phoenix. Sunnyslope was a poverty pocket designated a slum and blight area for federal funds.
Arizona is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th-largest and the 14th-most-populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Four Corners region with Utah to the north, Colorado to the northeast, and New Mexico to the east; its other neighboring states are Nevada to the northwest, California to the west and the Mexican states of Sonora and Baja California to the south and southwest.
The history of Phoenix, Arizona, goes back millennia, beginning with nomadic paleo-Indians who existed in the Americas in general, and the Salt River Valley in particular, about 7,000 BC until about 6,000 BC. Mammoths were the primary prey of hunters. As that prey moved eastward, they followed, vacating the area. Other nomadic tribes moved into the area, mostly from Mexico to the south and California to the west. Around approximately 1,000 BC, the nomadic began to be accompanied by two other types of cultures, commonly called the farmers and the villagers, prompted by the introduction of maize into their culture. Out of these archaic Indians, the Hohokam civilization arose. The Hohokam first settled the area around 1 AD, and in about 500 years, they had begun to establish the canal system which enabled agriculture to flourish in the area. They suddenly disappeared by 1450, for unknown reasons. By the time the first Europeans arrived at the beginning of the 16th century, the two main groups of native Indians who inhabited the area were the O'odham and Sobaipuri tribes.
Temple Beth Israel, now known as Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, was the first permanent Jewish congregation in the vicinity of Phoenix, Arizona. The building was designed in 1920 by architects Lescher, Kibbey, and Mahoney in the style of a Spanish mission. Although Jewish houses of worship are usually aligned on an east–west axis, the Temple Beth Israel axis is north–south.
The Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve, formerly known as the Deer Valley Rock Art Center, is a 47-acre nature preserve featuring over 1500 Hohokam, Patayan, and Archaic petroglyphs visible on 500 basalt boulders in the Deer Valley area of Phoenix, Arizona. In 1980, the US Army Corps of Engineers contracted Simon J. Bruder to conduct an archaeological investigation prior to the construction of the Adobe Dam at the Hedgpeth Hills. The petroglyphs are between 500 and 5,000 years old. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, and it was also listed with the Phoenix Points of Pride. The preserve and museum are operated by the ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences's School of Human Evolution and Social Change.