Historic Mesa Arizona Through the Eyes of the 1886 Territorial Governor of Arizona

According to the Territorial Governor of Arizona to the Secretary of the Interior, the City of Mesa, Arizona's water rights began as a water right claim by four individuals. They purchased the canal water owned by a stock company, then by February took their families and set up camp in Mesa. Following is the description of the initial town site from the Governor's 1886 report:

The section of land entered as a town site was divided into 10-acre blocks and these subdivided into 1 1/4-acre lots for residence and business property; the land immediately surrounding the town was entered by the various members of the colony for more  extensive agricultural purposes.

The first water was turned upon the land where the town of Mesa now stands in November, 1878, and not until the winder of 1879-'80 was much seeding or planting done, for they had homes to build, land to clear, and other preparatory work to do. It must be remembered that this energetic, industrious little colony of thirteen persons settled upon a desert, where for centuries the sun only smiled upon the sparse growth of cacti and sage brush; where there was no trace of verdue, and whose only visitant was an occasional coyote in his lonely wanderings.

The transformation after six years has been complete. It is regarded as a colony no longer. Mesa has a population of 700. The original town site is dotted over with beautiful homes built of rustic red wood neatly pained, some of brick, and others of adobe; all surrounded by fruit trees and vines, they present a picture of Arcadian homes set in groves of fig, almond, ash, locust, pepper, willow, umbrella, and pomegranate trees. Altogether there are 7,000 acres under a high state of cultivation devoted to the raising of cereals, alfalfa (French lucerne), with extensive orchards and vineyards supplying and enriching a population of 1,300 people. Several crops of cotton have been raised here. Grapes are made into wine and raisins, not excelled by those of California.

The main street of the town is 2 miles long, with a double row of cottonwood trees 40 feet high on each side, one on the outer and ther other on the inner side of the sidewalk, thus forming one of the most lovely alamedas, or shady walks, imaginable.

For information on the Mesa historical preservation project and to view many 20th century images of mesa, view http://www.mesaaz.gov/planning/PDF/MesaMissingArchitecturePresentation.pdf

To view Mesa homes on the National Historic Properties List visit http://www.mesaaz.gov/planning/MesaHistoricPropertyRegister.aspx