Phoenix: The History of a Southwestern Metropolis by Bradford Luckingham (review)

Phoenix: The History of a Southwestern Metropolis Bradford Luckingham Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1996 Reviewed by D ick G. W inchell Eastern Washington University, Spokane, WA 99202 Professor Bradford Luckingham has taught classes on Arizona his­ tory and the history of Phoenix at Arizona State University for several decades, and his careful research combined with constant discussion with students and key actors has produced an excellent history of urban development in Phoenix. This book offers valuable insight into the evolution of a major urban center in the West, providing detailed facts in a readable text full of insight into the characters and dynam­ ics of the founding, development, and promotion of Phoenix. Luckingham’s organization is well structured, with each chapter addressing major time periods from “The emerging years, 18671889 ” in the first chapter to the final chapter, “Southwest Metropolis: the 1980s.” The time period for each chapter has a subtle organiza­ tion around the topics of the urban economy, which include tourism, agriculture, and industry; politics and government as they shaped and promoted growth; issues of transportation, infrastructure, and land development; critical issues and problems including poverty; 195 196 APCG YEARBOOK • VOLUME 58 • 1996 overall population and minority population change; and, in the later chapters, broader discussions of growth in the suburban communi­ ties that surround Phoenix. The assessm ents of each era offer considerable insight into the dynamics of the community as it evolved, in particular the effects of boosterism in expanding the population. Noting that Phoenix was “the largest urban complex between El Paso and Los Angeles,” many of the historical “characters” respon­ sible for urban development as well as the events that shaped the region are well described. Careful attention to detail, and discussion of significant events such as the dedication of Sky Harbor Airport in 1929, and the alternative airport proposals considered, provide an excellent source of information on the urban morphology of the re­ gion. Luckingham’s recognition of the “boom years” from 1941 to 1960 goes against the common notion that Phoenix’s growth occurred post-1960, correctly identifying the expansion of military facilities and industry into the region as the key source of later population expansion. Each chapter in the book becomes more complex as the dynam­ ics of Phoenix escalate from those of a small town to those of a major metropolitan center, and perhaps a more clear outline of headings in the later chapters would assist the reader in addressing that complex­ ity. Although a history of Phoenix, the book gives attention to the development of major suburban cities, but an earlier introduction of their impact would be helpful. There are several places in the text where maps would provide assistance, such as a map of suburban areas (p. 125), maps of the early downtown and trolley system, a map of the freeway system and proposed changes in 1970, and maps of the proposed “Urban Village” plan. Additionally, there can be minor comments on emphasis, such as the discussion of the lack of freeways (pp. 199-202), which does not mention Maricopa County Roads Department director Don Hall, who vehemently opposed free­ way construction during his long tenure. Elsewhere there is limited discussion of the early location and contributions of Taliesin West WINCHELL: Review of Phoenix 197 and Frank Lloyd W right’s influence in the region. There are excel­ lent discussions, however, on the role of government officials linked to key business leaders in framing Phoenix city government, and on the importance of federal assistance to the city despite philosophical opposition to federal government aid by city officials. The text is also well complemented with an excellent collection of historic pho­ tographs. This excellent text documents the history of the Phoenix urban area, and provides an important case study of the historical evolution of a metropolitan center. My one disappointment came from the fact that as a paperback reprinting of the 1989 hardback version, it was in fact simply a reprint and contained no preface to the new edition to provide some update or context. Phoenix has remained an extremely dynamic urban center in the 1990s, and some description of the change that identified the extensive freeway...