Five Fun Facts About Chandler AZ

In 1913, Chandler was home to the first grass golf course in the state. That’s hard to believe given that the area is now rich with golf courses. Yet the golfing craze had to start somewhere, and, in Arizona, it began right here in Chandler. Today the Hotel San Marcos is on the historic register, and people still tee off for a game on the hotel’s legendary course.

The Hotel San Marcos, now the Chandler Crowne Plaza, was built with the hope of attracting the rich and famous. The scheme worked. It became a retreat for Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, and Bing Crosby. It has welcomed leading ladies from Joan Crawford to Cher.

The first veterinary surgeon to locate his practice in Arizona was Dr. Alexander Chandler. He bought and developed the land that became the Hotel Marcos. He became mayor when the city was incorporated around 1920.

It may surprise you to know that the area was once known for ostrich farming. There was a big market for ostrich feathers on fashionable hats for women around 1900. The only ostriches these days show up for the annual Chandler Ostrich Festival.

In 1951, an enterprising young man named Tex Earnhardt made history as the youngest person ever to earn a Ford franchise. His honesty and hard work allowed him to grow his business from one car to thousands at many dealerships in Chandler, Mesa AZ, Tempe AZ, and the greater Phoenix area.

Employment and Commuting in Chandler AZ

Chandler really began to grow in the 1980s. It attracted financial service giants such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo. More recently it became the home to PayPal.

Also in the 1980s, the aviation and aerospace industries began to expand. Chandler has attracted Orbital, which designs rockets. In 2015, that company became a part of Northrop Grumman and remains at its Chandler location.

The region is known for tech companies, and the largest Chandler area employer is Intel. Other significant tech companies are here as well, such as NXP SemiConductors and MicroChip Technology.

Our busy lives have prompted the construction of important corridors such as Interstate 10. The Price Freeway, also called Loop 101, has only been in existence for two decades. However, it has become an important corridor where 10,000 area residents work each day.