Tempe Homes - Information on the Gem of the Valley

Incorporated in 1894 and first settled in the 1860s, Tempe, Arizona has always been a central part of the growth of Arizona as a state.

Tempe was given its name by Darrell Duppa, who imagined the Vale of Tempe in Greece, nestled between Mounts Olympus and Ossa. Tempe is indeed at the foot of the Tempe Buttes and Hayden Butte (known as A Mountain today for it's giant golden A for ASU). Mr. Duppa also went on to name Phoenix for the mythical self-revitalizing bird of Greek Mythology.

Before the Salt River was dammed up, it brought life-giving water to Central Arizona for drinking water and for crop irrigation. There was only one problem - there wasn't a very good way to cross the fast moving river.

Charles Trumball Hayden had a home on the south side of the river at a location known as Hayden's Ferry, and he had the only way to cross for people, cattle and machinery for miles around. He also constructed and owned the Hayden Flour Mill across the street from his home on Mill Avenue. Both his house and the mill can be seen on Mill Avenue, the former now a restaurant, Monti's La Casa Vieja, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tempe features many elementary and middle schools, all nestled in fine neighborhoods.

Tempe also boasts 8 high schools, quite a lot considering Tempe's size, well spread out for good coverage and an easy commute.

Tempe's High Schools are:
Compadre
Corona del Sol
Desert Vista
Marcos de Niza
McClintock
Mountain Pointe
Tempe High
Peggy Payne Academy

The jewel in Tempe's crown is Arizona State University. Founded in 1885 as Tempe Normal School, a teaching academy, it quickly grew, becoming Arizona State College in 1945, and in 1958, Arizona State University, the home to nearly 70,000 (2009) and 4 campuses, but the main campus is in the heart of Tempe, not far from downtown Tempe.

However you travel to and from or through Tempe, the city has worked hard to make travel for everyone involved as easy and smooth as possible.

Drivers will appreciate the wide major streets and well-timed construction to limit delays. Tempe also takes advantage of almost every freeway in central Arizona, having access to I-10 to the west, U.S. 60 which runs east/west through the heart of it, the Loop-202/Red Mountain Freeway which crosses east/west north of ASU, and the Loop 101 which borders Tempe on the easy side.

Cyclists are also well served. Tempe is a Bicycle Friendly Community, with copious bike lanes and bike routes and received silver level recognition from the League of American Bicyclists.

The Valley Metro bus system crisscrosses the entire valley, offering buses that traverse every major street and most half mile streets across Tempe, coming around ever 15 minutes during peak hours.

For those with a tighter budget, Tempe is unique in having Orbit, a free mini-bus program that takes Tempe residents to and from major points in and around Tempe.

If you need to fly, a short 5 minute jaunt north on I-10 or west on Loop 202 will bring you to Sky Harbor Harbor Airport, one of the busiest airports in the United States.

Tempe offers lots of shopping opportunities including rustic Downtown Tempe on Mill Avenue which mixes quaint older shops with popular brand name establishments.

Tempe is also home to Arizona Mills Mall, an oval shaped mall which is a 1 mile walk around featuring hundreds of stores, restaurants and entertainment.

Near ASU, we also have Tempe Marketplace, a sprawling open air mall featuring famous name stores, outlet stores and the new Harkins Cine Capri, the largest screen in Arizona.

The Tempe Police Department and ASU DPS provide law and order for Tempe and ASU's main campus respectively and both do a great job keeping the peace and putting a smiling face on Tempe safety and security. Tempe Police serve 16 beats including ASU, and have excellent coverage and response time.

Crime prevention statistics for Tempe are encouraging, showing the lowest total crime rate and rate per 1,000 people for the decade as of 2008.

The Tempe Fire Department is a fully accredited all-hazards service fully accredited through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and provides Fire Prevention, Public Safety Education, Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical, Technical Rescue, and Hazardous Materials Response services.

Their firehouses are liberally and strategically placed throughout Tempe for a great presence and fast response times.

Tempe has something for everyone day and night, and features a lot of local neighborhoods that come together to have a good time.

Mill Avenue features several great bars and restaurants that aren't just for college students. Nearby are other great watering holes including Casey Moore's (the historic Moeur family home), The Vine Taverns and the popular Four Peaks brewery.

On the south bank of the newly created Tempe Town Lake is Tempe Beach Park. A giant swimming pool in the days of yesteryear, it now fields events like concerts and running/cycling competitions. The 4th of July fireworks show fired from barges on the lake can't be beat. Cycling, strolling and horseback riding is available on the wide avenues on both sides of the lake, and boat slips allow for sailboats, rowboats and peddled watercraft. Tempe Beach Park features the Arizona Ironman and serves as the location for the start, finish and all transitions.

Tempe offers many little parks as part of it's beautification program, many of them attached to elementary and middle schools, providing places for kids and adults to play right in their neighborhood.

The biggest and best park in Tempe is Kiwanis Park, which has an activity center offering a variety of sports including tennis courts and basketball courts and ball diamonds, and boasts an indoor wavepool with water slides. Kiwanis Park, bordering several neighborhoods, is 1 mile across giving you plenty of space to spread out for picnics and playing around.

Tempe has plenty of movie theaters for film buffs including the giant 30' x 70' Cine Capri screen at Tempe Marketplace, but also caters to stage and theatre fans with Gammage Auditorium, a state of the art stage facility on campus at ASU that offers touring broadway shows, international music and dance festivals, ASU theatre presentations and more.

The internationally acclaimed Phoenix Zoo is just around the corner north on Mill Avenue, featuring year round animal and insect fun, and fun activities around the holidays including Boo! at the Zoo and Zoolights. Right next door to the Phoenix Zoo is the Botanical Garden featuring a staggering range of local and international flora in a beautiful and historic setting.

Just looking to stay for a little while. There are many great hotels in the area, from clean and inexpensive hotels to full resorts.

More Information coming soon!

Can't commit to living in Tempe, or are here as a student? Then Tempe's many apartments are available to suit your needs. From clean, affordable housing for the starving student to resort-like communities to fill all of your needs, Tempe has the right apartment for you.