Peoria History
Peoria real estate was started as a small farming area near Phoenix in the mid 1880s.  The visions of William Murphy (fertile farmlands fed by the Salt River) became a reality when the Arizona Canal was completed in 1885.  Once this canal was completed, Murphy traveled east to interest people into moving to this new community.  He was successful in catching the attention of people.   When the new district was purchased by the settlers from Peoria, Illinois, there was 5,000 acres.

By the late 1800s, new homes were springing up all over.  The town's population had quickly grown to 27.  A post office and school were established by 1889.  Many more people followed the families that moved to the area and Peoria real estate continued to grow as a farming community.  The people inhabiting the area made a good living from the fertile farmlands, even though there were troubles with rattlesnakes and swarms of red ants. 

By 1910, the city's population was 300, and, by 1920, the population had reached 2,370.  The population did not grow too much until the 1990s.  By 1999, Peoria's population numbered 101,235.

When Peoria was incorporated as a city in 1954, its boundaries covered one square mile of land.  The warm climate and small-town atmosphere of Peoria continues to attract people to this day.

Peoria's Public and Private Education
There is an extensive Peoria school system throughout the city.  The Peoria Unified School District is the third largest district in the state of Arizona and serves most Peoria real estate as well as portions of neighboring Glendale.  The Dear Valley Unified School District serves a very small portion of the city's public school students.  Peoria's public school system is comprised of 33 elementary, 36 middle, 13 charter and 12 high schools.  There are also 42 excellent private schools operating in Peoria.

Fun and Games in Peoria
Peoria real estate is home to the Challenger Space Center, Lake Pleasant Park and, year round,  the city offers  many other things for its residents to enjoy.  With easy access to close-by valley cities as well as Northern Arizona, museums, theater, sporting events, camping, hiking, boating, dining and more are just a short drive away.

The Peoria Chamber of Commerce is a great source for business connections and information in the area.  The San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners have spring training in Peoria, where they share the Peoria Sports Complex.

More fun in Peoria:

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