For you strangers in Paradise Valley, here’s the history

Clay is off today. This column was first published April 19, 2007:

Today’s question:

Which came first — the area known as Paradise Valley or the town of Paradise Valley?

When I first visited the Phoenix area, lo, these many years ago, my then soonto-be in-laws used to take me on drives through Paradise Valley on our way to somewhere.

They always pointed out to me with some pride the home of the late, great humor columnist Erma Bombeck.

Ms. Bombeck must have moved around quite a bit because I don’t recall that her home was ever pointed out to me at the same location twice. Maybe we were just coming at it from different angles every time. Or maybe that’s just my bad memory.

Anyway, about the question at hand. This is mostly a direct quote from good, old Arizona Place Names by good, old Will Barnes about Paradise Valley:

“Broad valley lying east of Phoenix Mountains and west of McDowell Mountains. So named by Frank Conkey, manager, Rio Verde Canal Co., 1899. When the promoters of this Rio Verde canal project first saw this broad, level valley in the early spring covered with flowers and paloverdes in full blossom, they all said, ‘This is Paradise Valley.’ They planned a ditch 140 miles long with laterals and water. Failed because of financial troubles.”

Do you think they really burst out with “This is Paradise Valley,” like all at once? I doubt it. But then, who knows?

Anyway, the boundaries of the town of Paradise Valley may or may not exactly correspond to the description above.

The town, with its big, fine houses and zoning rules to restrict most commercial enterprises and its stupid *%#$@* speeding cameras that once cost me an exceedingly boring Saturday in traffic school, was incorporated in 1961, mostly to head off annexation by any of its neighbors.

So first the valley, then the town. Reach Clay at 602-444-8612 or clay.thompson@arizonarepublic.com