Introduction

Did you know that just 90 years ago, Historic Downtown Chandler (of course, it wasn't "Historic" back then) was more a dusty train stop than the bustling, charm-laden square it is today? How could you, that was a long time ago. But a lot has happened since then.

Here's something even more interesting, when people came from all over the country to buy up parcels of land during the sale that created Chandler Ranch, Dr. Alexander John Chandler handed out ice cream cones to some 300 prospective buyers. And you know, it worked! I'd buy land for a free ice cream, too. Wouldn't you?

Once he sold off the land to create the community that carried his name, he set to work on plans for a well thought out town, using the "City Beautiful Movement," making Chandler park recreation what it is today. This movement was popular at the time among those visionary types. Streets were laid out on a grid, surrounding the town square. Businesses sprang up quickly, anchored by the San Marcos Hotel, which at the time was one of the first winter-destination resorts in the country. The Governor of Arizona, royalty and movie stars came to Chandler in 1913 for the hotel's dedication. Even the Vice President of the United States stopped by. How about that! It even spurred Chandler's first motto: "Where summer spends the winter." That's pretty nifty.

So many things were happening in Chandler one would have thought it was the envy of the Phoenix area. Well, duh. Dr. Chandler (really, a veterinarian by trade) was tinkering with the relatively new science of irrigation engineering and was instrumental in building an early system of canals in what was then an arid desert. He created an agricultural Mecca from sand and tumbleweeds, which today is very apparent when visitors and residents enjoy the wonderful Chandler park recreation activities. Who knew?!

The good doctor was also ranching…ostriches. No really. Ostriches were the big deal then - at least the feathers were. They were all the rage in ladies' hats and boas and such. And the Goodyear Tire Company leased 8,000 acres locally and was growing a strain of Egyptian cotton in Chandler that was used for tires and such in World War I. I would tell you that Dr. Chandler proposed to Goodyear executives back then that they get into the blimp business, but that would be stretching things a bit.

But Dr. Chandler did enjoy his golf (what doc doesn't…am I right?). He played the course at the San Marcos - the first in the state with grass fairways - on a pretty regular basis. He'd be pretty impressed with the course today, relatively unchanged with the irrigation canals still running across fairways and gobbling up balls. The trees are quite mature - it's probably the Valley of the Sun's shadiest course, and the fairways and greens are immaculate.

Noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright spent some time here, becoming close friends with Dr. Chandler. The two drew up plans for several projects, though most fell through when the depression took its toll on the local economy. Wright also formed his Taliesin Fellowship group of young architects while in Chandler, before permanently moving the group to the McDowell Mountain foothills in neighboring Scottsdale in 1939.

By the time the 1940s rolled around, Chandler was a thriving farming community, and when Williams Air Force Base opened just outside of town, the community saw an influx of military personnel - many who would make Chandler their homes after the war.

In the 1950s and '60s Chandler was pretty much a laid-back 'Ozzie and Harriet' kind of place, but a funny thing happened in the 1970s. Not ha-ha funny, more peculiar, really. The Rogers Corporation opened an electronics plant. Then, a few years later, Intel, Motorola and Microchip started manufacturing microchips in Chandler and the City's image moved from sleepy agricultural community to high-tech oasis - we actually use that line sometimes, "High Tech Oasis of the Silicon Desert."

So moving into the 21st Century, we kind of came full circle…a sandy desert to a vigorous economy that grew on the coattails of computer chips which as we all know are made of…sand! But of course, we're not one of those "all our eggs in one basket" kind of places (and we're not naming names here). We have a tremendous retail base that we'll get to in a moment. And we're diversifying things with such notable non-techy employers as Wells Fargo, AmeriCredit, Charles Schwab, MCI and Toyota Financial.

So there's the cake, here's the frosting.

Golf, one of the main Chandler park recreation activities. There are has more than a half-dozen quality courses and literally hundreds more within a short drive. The Nicklaus-designed course at Bear Creek golf club features 36 holes and is gaining in popularity since its inception just a couple years ago.

Lodging: Chandler offers a wide array of hotels and inns anchored by the San Marcos Hotel and Conference Center, featuring the aforementioned golf, as well as tennis, fine dining and many other goodies.

Shopping and Dining: Looking to cool off from all the Chandler park recreation activities; head to the Chandler Fashion Center Mall. Ooh, do we have a mall. Anchored by Nordstrom, Macy's, Dillard's and Sears, the Chandler Fashion Center is 1.3 million square feet of shops, restaurants, theaters and other cool stuff. But really, there's so much more to say about this. Next to the mall are a cluster of high-end shops and restaurants known as the Boulevard Shops. And across the street are Great Indoors and other shopping choices known as Chandler Gateway. Cater-corner to all of that is Chandler Festival with a pretty hip restaurant row and a number of larger retailers including Nordstrom Rack and Ultimate Electronics.

More Shopping and Dining:  Casa Paloma and the Falls at Ocotillo are two upscale, outdoor plazas at opposite ends of the City (by the way, Chandler's population is right around 250,000 - now why didn't I mention that sooner?). Unlike most anything in the Phoenix metro area, both offer high-end shops, galleries, markets and eateries that are perfect for those looking for a more unique experience.

Chandler continues to welcome unique retail experiences to the community including the recently opened,  PGA Tour Superstore, one of ten in the country, which is a golf and tennis lover's dream. 

Just a Little More Shopping and Dining: Historic Downtown Chandler and the adjoining Olde Towne Market Square (remember, that's where we started out) offers dozens of one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants and galleries in a true-to-life old-square feel.

Other Stuff: So much to do, so little categories to place them in. For fans of history and nostalgia, we have the Chandler History Museum, the Arizona Railway Museum and the McCullough-Price House featuring roatating gallery exhibits. Then there's the great Chandler park recreation spots such as Tumbleweed Tennis Center with 15 lighted courts and full-service pro shop, Chandler Skatepark (rated among the best in the nation by one of those "yo dude," skateboarding magazines), five aquatics complexes including the Arizona Republic's "Best in the Valley" Hamilton Aquatic Center, and the Chandler Center for the Arts featuring three theaters and a gallery that is host to national and international acts.

Close-By Stuff: Chandler borders Phoenix, so it's a quick drive to see, say, the 2001 world champion Arizona Diamondbacks play baseball. You can also check out the Phoenix Suns, Coyotes, Mercury and Cardinals do their thing with a drive of about 20 minutes or so to each venue. Take two or three more hours and visit amazing caverns, ski resorts, Mexico, the Grand Canyon, wineries, and - hold on to your 10-gallon hat - Tombstone, Arizona!

Well, there you have it. A pretty good place to come and visit, if I do say so myself. But that's just me, the guy paid to write this little jewel. Come see for yourself. You won't be disappointed - especially after you've milked that cow down at the dairy.

Written by Dave Bigos, Communications Department in partnership with the Economic Development Division.