Pumpkinville, AZ: The Strange History Of Phoenix’s Name

Phoenix, Arizona is the hottest city in the United States. The Valley is a harsh, and unforgiving place, but civilization has persisted there for literally thousands of years.

While we all know the state's capitol by its current name, it wasn't always meant to be, and the alternatives are just as weird as you'd think.

Rejected Arizona Capitol Names

The concept for Phoenix began right at the dawn of the Outlaw era of the western United States. In 1867, Jack Swilling discovered the valley, and saw massive potential in its location. The Hohokam people had built an incredibly advanced canal system in the area, and Swilling knew that the seemingly uninhabitable land was ripe for the taking.

The city began near where 28th and Van Buren Streets are today, and was initially known as "Pumpkinville, U.S.A.", due to the large quantity of wild pumpkins growing in the area. After a year, the citizens came together to find a new name. Stonewall was thrown in the running, after Confederate general Stonewall Jackson, as was Salina, named after the nearby Salt River.

Obviously, none of those were adopted.

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Why is Phoenix Named Phoenix?

After all the rejected names were thrown out, one man came with an answer. Darrel Duppa, one of the settlers, was incredibly well versed in classic literature, and began noticing parallels. He likened the fall of the Hohokam civilization and subsequent settler rebuilding in the Valley to the ancient legend of the Phoenix, a bird that dies in a fiery blaze before it's reborn.

Since that day, Phoenix has lived up to its name, rising again in a blaze of glory in the shadow of the indigenous people who lived here before us.

[AZ Central][Visit Phoenix]