Tempe Information

Founded as Hayden's Ferry in 1872, Tempe originally was named for Charles Trumbull Hayden, who owned a flour mill and operated a ferry across the Salt River; Hayden Flour Mill is purportedly the oldest continuously operating industry in the state. The town was renamed Tempe (Tem-PEE) in 1878 for the area's alleged resemblance to the Vale of Tempe in ancient Greece.
In 1886 the dusty cow town became the home of the Arizona Territorial Normal School, later to become Arizona State University. Education and farming contributed to continued growth.

One of the last major buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Gammage Center for the Performing Arts, is on the campus of Arizona State University. Depending on the special events scheduled, free guided tours of the center depart from the box office on the half-hour Mon.-Fri. 1-4, Aug.-May.

Tempe kicks off Arizona's calendar of events on New Year's Day with the Fiesta Bowl Football Classic, one of the nation's largest college bowl games. The game is played at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium, which also is the home stadium for the Arizona Cardinals professional football team.