For several centuries after the decline of the Hohokam, the Mesa area saw no long-term settlement, as intermittent conflicts between local Native American tribes made the region inhospitable. The establishment of Fort McDowell by the U.S. Army in 1865 finally pacified the region, paving the way for Anglo-American settlement in the Salt River Valley. It was into this landscape that a new group of determined builders would arrive, laying the formal foundations for the city of Mesa. Â
The Mormon Migration to the Salt River Valley
In the latter half of the 19th century, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in Utah began expanding, driven by a growing population and the need for new agricultural lands. Arizona, with its fertile soil and potential for farming, became a prime target for colonization. The first organized group of Mormon pioneers, known as the “Utah Company” and led by Daniel Webster Jones, arrived in the Salt River Valley in March 1877. They established a settlement they called Lehi, located in what is now northern Mesa.
A second, distinct group soon followed them. The “Mesa Company,” consisting of 85 members who had traveled from Utah and Idaho, arrived on February 14, 1878. This company was led by four men: Charles Crismon, Francis Pomeroy, Charles Robson, and George Warren Sirrine.
Reawakening the Canals and Settling the "Table Top"
The leaders of the Mesa Company declined an invitation to join the settlement at Lehi, which was situated in the lower-lying lands near the Salt River. Instead, they were drawn to the high, flat-topped plateau, or mesa, that rose distinctly above the surrounding valley. This location offered a commanding view and perceived safety, but it presented a significant challenge: it was far from the river, with no obvious source of water.
The solution lay buried in the desert soil. The pioneers located the ancient, abandoned canals of the Hohokam and undertook the immense task of clearing them of centuries of accumulated silt and debris. This act of restoration was the single most critical decision in Mesa’s founding. By clearing these ancient channels, they were able to divert water from the Salt River and bring it uphill to their chosen settlement on the mesa. In April 1878, water flowed through the restored canals for the first time in over 400 years, making agriculture and life on the mesa top possible. This direct reuse of prehistoric infrastructure is the cornerstone of Mesa’s founding story, a physical and symbolic link between the city’s ancient and modern histories.
What's in a Name? The Etymology of Mesa
The city’s name is a direct and fitting description of its geography. “Mesa” is the Spanish word for “table” or “tabletop,” referring to the flat, elevated landform upon which the pioneers settled. The word itself traces its origins back to the Latin mensa, which also means “table”.
While the residents always referred to their settlement as “Mesa City,” the name faced early challenges with the U.S. Post Office. Postal authorities initially rejected the name, fearing it would be confused with another Arizona town named “Mesaville” on the San Pedro River. This led to a period of official postal ambiguity. In 1881, the post office was briefly named “Hayden’s Ferry” (a name also associated with nearby Tempe), operated by Fannie Macdonald. In 1886, the official postal name was changed again, this time to “Zenos”. Despite these temporary official designations, the settlers’ preference for “Mesa City” never wavered. Their persistence paid off, and in January 1889, the Post Office Department finally relented and officially recognized the name.
Laying the Groundwork for a City
With water secured, the Mesa Company quickly set about building a town. On July 17, 1878, Theodore Sirrine traveled to the county seat in Florence to formally register the original one-square-mile townsite. This area, now known as the Town Center, was bounded by the modern-day streets of Country Club Drive, Mesa Drive, University Drive, and Broadway. The town was laid out with a grid of exceptionally wide streets, designed to accommodate large farm wagons, and large 1.25-acre lots that encouraged residents to plant gardens and pastures, all irrigated by small ditches lining the streets.
On July 15, 1883, with a population of about 300 people, the town of Mesa City was formally incorporated. In the first election, in which a total of 29 residents cast ballots, Alexander F. Macdonald was chosen as the first mayor. The foundations of a community were rapidly established. The first school classes were held in a simple brush shed in 1878, followed by a more permanent adobe schoolhouse in 1882. The city’s first newspaper, the Mesa Free Press (now the East Valley Tribune), began publication in 1892, and by the 1890s, several churches had been constructed.
For decades, agriculture was the foundation of Mesa’s economy, with citrus, dairy farming, and stock-raising being primary industries. The city’s growth and stability were given a major boost with the completion of the nearby Roosevelt Dam in 1911. This monumental project, part of the National Reclamation Act, finally provided a stable and ample supply of water, ending the cycle of floods and droughts that had plagued settlers and Hohokam alike, and fueling an economic boom in the region.
| Date/Era | Event |
|---|---|
| c. A.D. 1 - 1450 | Hohokam civilization flourishes, constructing a massive canal system in the Salt River Valley. |
| 1877 | The "Utah Company" of Mormon pioneers arrives and establishes the settlement of Lehi. |
| Feb 1878 | The "Mesa Company" of Mormon pioneers arrives and settles on the mesa. | Apr 1878 | Water first flows into the restored Hohokam canals, irrigating the new settlement. | Jul 1878 | The original one-square-mile townsite of Mesa City is formally registered. | 1883 | Mesa City is officially incorporated with a population of ~300. | 1889 | The U.S. Post Office officially recognizes the name "Mesa City." | 1892 | The city's first newspaper, the Mesa Free Press, begins publication. | 1911 | The Roosevelt Dam is completed, stabilizing the region's water supply and boosting the economy. |
