Valley of the Sun
What’s With All the Backyard Concrete-Block Fences in the Valley?
Q: What is it with the “wall phenomenon” around here? Who invented the idea of backyard concrete-block fences and why? A: Funny you should ask. We ...Roosevelt Dam Key to Valley Population Boom
Paula, an Arizona Oddities reader, recently inquired about the history and creation of Roosevelt Dam. While that's quite a long story with several sides, ...The (Sometimes) World’s Tallest Fountain in Fountain Hills
There's some confusion about the World's Tallest Fountain. What used to be the World's Tallest Fountain in Fountain Hills has been usurped by the ...Why Does Downtown Phoenix Seem to Have Two Downtowns?
Q: Why does Phoenix seem to have two downtowns — one “downtown” and then another grouping of high-rises farther north along Central Avenue? A: Because ...How did Sky Harbor International Airport Get its Name?
Q: How did Sky Harbor International Airport get its name? A: We take up this question with some reluctance because the entire staff and faculty ...Why is Tucson a Few Degrees Cooler than Phoenix?
Q: If Tucson and Phoenix are both in the desert, why is it always just a little bit cooler in Tucson than it is ...Scottsdale’s Planet Ranch a Costly Goof
Q: We were exploring some back roads in western Arizona when we came to a locked gate with a sign reading, “Planet Ranch, City ...Why Do Sun City Folks Put Rocks On Mailboxes?
Q: We recently moved here from Pittsburgh, and we have an extremely important question about Sun City West: Why do residents put stones on ...Why Do People Paint Citrus Tree Trunks White?
Q: Why do people paint the trunks of their citrus trees white? A: HA! At last, a question we actually knew the answer to without ...Origin of Hollywood Sidewalk Stars in Downtown Phoenix
Q: What is the meaning of the stars with the names of old celebrities in them on the sidewalk at the northwest corner of ...