About the Mesa, Arizona Area 

The city of Mesa was founded in January of 1878. It is located in Maricopa county, in the Phoenix/Scottsdale/Mesa metropolitan area. Although it is the third largest city in Arizona, it still retains a home-town character, and there are many annual celebrations that bring the community together. Mesa is also a destination for tourists, offering spectacular golf resorts, wonderful shopping and dining, interesting museums and cultural attractions, and beautiful weather. 

Location/Distances Between Towns/Cities
Mesa is 24 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix, and is considered part of the Phoenix/Scottsdale/Mesa metropolitan area. Tempe is 12.5 miles due west of Mesa. Gilbert is less than 5 miles southwest of Mesa, and Chandler is 12 miles to the southwest. 

Airports
Williams Gateway Airport is 11 miles from Mesa, in Phoenix. The Phoenix Sky Harbor International airport is 18 miles away. Luke Air Force Base is 44 miles from Mesa, in Glendale. 

Terrain
The city of Mesa is on the Salt River, and spreads over a mesa or plateau (hence its name) that is at an elevation approximately one hundred feet higher than Phoenix, at 1241 feet. The total land area of Mesa is 125 square miles. 

Population
Mesa is the largest suburban city in the United States, with an estimated population (July 2004) of 437,454. Eighty-five percent of the adult population has graduated from high school, and almost 30% have attained a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree. 

Jobs
Mesa is home to many top manufacturers, in the aerospace industry, as well as in electronics, and automotive testing. The primary industries providing employment are educational, health, and social services (16.8%), manufacturing (13.8%), retail trade (13.2%) and professional, scientific, management, and administrative services (10.5%). The average commute for residents employed in other cities is 26 minutes.

Colleges/Universities
There are many colleges and universities within the city limits of Mesa, including: Mesa Community College, Arizona State University East,
Pima Medical Institute, the Arizona Institute of Business and Technology, Earls Academy of Beauty, the International Instructor Academy, and the Keller Graduate School of Management. 

Other colleges and universities within 20 miles of Mesa include:
Scottsdale Community College, Chandler/Gilbert Community College,
Rio Salado Community College, Al Collins Graphic Design School, Arizona State University-Main Campus, in Tempe, and the University of Phoenix-Phoenix Campus. 

Housing
There is a wide variety of housing options available in Mesa, from affordable and convenient apartment and condominium complexes, to town homes, single family homes in established neighborhoods, and upscale estates in new developments. There are also master-planned communities for retirees, who love the climate and opportunity for year-round outdoor recreation. Home prices are as varied as the offerings, with detached homes starting in the $200,000’s, and luxury custom built estates available for $2,000,000+. 

Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf
(Please see the Things To Do Page under the Local Info Tab for a listing of many golf courses in the area.) 

There are many parks in Mesa, as well as nearby recreational areas such as Canyon Lake and Lost Dutchman State Park.  

The Chicago Cubs make Mesa their spring home every year, for spring training. Cactus League Spring Training is at HoHoKam Park. The past 40 years the Cubs have been training in Mesa, and the locals residents come out in droves to watch them play. HoHoKam Park is also the summer home of the Mesa Miners professional baseball team, of the Golden Baseball League.  

As is true of all the cities in the Valley of the Sun, it is a golfer’s paradise, with many courses to choose from. The numerous public courses include: Augusta Ranch Golf Club, Desert Sands Golf Course, Dobson Ranch Golf Course, Dreamland Villa Golf Course, Fiesta Lakes Golf Club, Las Sendas Golf Club, Longbow Golf Club, Mesa Family Golf Center, Painted Mountain Golf Club, Riverview Golf Course, Royal Palms Golf Course, Sunland Springs Village, Superstition Springs Golf Club, and Toka Sticks Golf Course. 

There are also many semi-private and private courses and clubs, including:
Alta Mesa Golf Club, Apache Wells Golf Club, Fountain of the Sun Country Club, Leisure World Country Club, Mesa Country Club, Red Mountain Ranch Country Club, and Sunland Village Golf Course.  

Additionally, there are resort facilities at the Viewpoint Golf Resort and the Arizona Golf Resort and Conference Center. 

Special Attractions/Events
Mesa began as an agricultural community, but today, tourists visit this city because of the extensive and varied cultural attractions. Mesa is home to a symphony orchestra, and the Mesa Amphitheatre, a primary concert venue. 

The Mesa Arts Center has a program of excellent theatre, music and dance. 

Museums in Mesa include the Arizona Museum for Youth, the Commemorative Air Force Museum, and Mesa Southwest Museum, a wonderful venue to learn about the early west, and there are exhibits from a pre-historic time when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. 

There are many annual events in Mesa, such as Mesa Annual Territorial Days in February, the Native American Pow Wow in October; and the Arizona Temple Christmas Lighting in December, along with the nation’s largest Christmas Nativity display. 

Additionally, nearby Phoenix and Scottsdale provide world-class shopping and dining, along with many wonderful cultural events and attractions, in this unique desert setting. 

Interesting Facts
Early settlers included the Hohokam Indians and Mormon settlers.  

Mesa is the site of the Guinness World Record for "Longest Leap in a Monster Truck," achieved in 1998 by Richard Presley, who jumped 141 feet, 10 inches. 

Mesa was the filming location for 1992 movie, "Wayne's World" and 1989 movie, "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure".
 

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