Investing in the Salt River Valley in 1908

The 1908 pamphlet "Salt River Valley Arizona" was designed to encourage investing in the Phoenix, Arizona area. That's Washington and 1st Street there at the top of this post, looking west.

The full title of the pamphlet is "Salt River Valley Arizona Offers Productive Lands, A Healthful Climate and Rare Opportunities to the Investor and Homeseeker". Yeah, that's how they wrote titles back in those days. It was written by J.W. Crenshaw, Commissioner of Immigration for Maricopa County, by authority of the Board of Supervisors of Maricopa County, and endorsed by The Phoenix and Maricopa County Board of Trade. So now you know. 

Of course, investing is always a leap of faith, and no one can tell how investments work will out. This one would have been fine, although that's easy to say looking backwards in time. It was a very dry and hot place, and the supply of water was still something to worry about, because the Roosevelt Dam wasn't built until 1911. The Tonto Dam was under construction.


There was a nice new Capitol Building, but Arizona wouldn't be a state until the next year, so I can picture a lot of people standing around talking about how much Phoenix would grow after 1912, and of course after the Roosevelt Dam is built. But of course it was just talk in 1908.

If you're not reaching for your checkbook quite yet, I understand. Maybe you need to see the City Hall and County Courthouse. Boost for the Salt River Valley! Boost for Phoenix!

Let's not forget about the churches, especially the First Methodist (there on the right), which was right next door to Clara Evans' place.

And now take a look at the School of Music, and the Dorris Theater. Phoenix is a city on the rise! Someday it will be a giant metropolis! Your investment here will make you rich!

Old Main at ASU

And right nearby Phoenix is Tempe, which has a Normal School (a teachers' college).

Still not convinced? How about these irrigation canals!

Looks like the Salt River Valley is a great investment opportunity in 1908! What do you think?

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