In 1868 John W. “Jack” Swilling organized a group of men to dig the first modern irrigation ditch in the Salt River Valley. Their success enticed more people to settle in the area and reap the benefits of a revitalized irrigation system. By 1872, there were 8,000 acres of land under cultivation in the valley, and a thriving community had been built along the Salt River. In 1890, Joseph B. Greenhut and Deloss S. Brown acquired four sections of land from the government through the Desert Land Act. They filed their new town’s plot map with the Maricopa County recorder on May 24, 1897 and named the settlement after their hometown of Peoria, Illinois. A postwar construction boom — coinciding with the mass-production of air conditioning -- set the stage for Peoria to become a Phoenix suburb. The town was incorporated in 1954 and has seen an amazing growth in population since, including an incredible 316% jump from 1980 to 1990!
The Peoria Sports Complex is the Spring Training home of two professional baseball teams, the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres, which attracts thousands of fans to the town each year. The commercial area around the sports complex offers numerous restaurants for hungry sports fans after the game – as a matter of fact, this quarter-mile has more restaurants than any other quarter-mile in the United States! Peoria is surrounded by the beautiful Sonoran Desert, and hiking, biking, and horseback riding in the area provide fantastic views, including saguaro cacti that can grow as tall as 70 feet! Both the Arizona Broadway Theatre and the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts put on top-notch performances; and the Challenger Space Center of Arizona, which is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, features simulated space missions and astronomy training. When you have the chance, don’t miss the opportunity to explore Peoria. Hotels in the area allow you to stay conveniently close by to where you want to be. When you stay at Choice Hotels, you can enjoy affordable rates, many amenities, and friendly service. Reserve your room today! We look forward to hosting you soon!