About the Town of Queen Creek
Queen Creek is a town in Maricopa and Pinal counties. It was incorporated on September 5, 1989 and was recently named one of Forbes Magazine’s most friendly towns in the U.S. The population was 26,361 at the 2010 census. Between 2000 and 2013, Queen Creek’s population grew 814.7%, the 2nd fastest growth in Arizona when combining the statistics for Queen Creek and San Tan Valley.
The Town has adopted several award-winning plans designed to guide future growth, planning and land use as well as provide amenities. The Town has grown from rich rural roots to what is one of the most innovatively planned family friendly home towns in Arizona.
History
The Town of Queen Creek’s name originated over a hundred miles away. Up in the eastern mountains surrounding the Town of Superior, the land is rich with supplies of ore. One of the many mines that opened up in those mountains was the Silver Queen. (Another was the Silver King, but it was later renamed the Magma Mine.) At the base of the Silver Queen Mine there was a creek known as the Picket Post Creek. It was named after the oddly shaped mountain above it (the one you can see today above the State Arboretum). When the Silver Queen Mine opened for production, the name of the Picket Post Creek was changed to Queen Creek. That creek runs down from the mountains, past the mine, through the Queen Creek Canyon, into the area surrounding the present day Town of Queen Creek.
The town of Queen Creek (formerly know as Rittenhouse) comprises the fertile valley below the San Tan Mountains. It once offered a safe haven for the early Indian communities and the homesteaders who farmed and ranched along Queen Creek Wash. Citrus, cotton, pecans, vegetables, and other crops still provide for area families, and the wash is a key element in the Town’s plan for future recreational trails and open space.
By the time Arizona became a state in 1912, a true community had been formed in Queen Creek. Residents established traditions of neighborliness and rural fun. Some remember street dances, dips in local swimming holes, and sleeping under the stars during the summer. The general store, church, and post office served as community gathering places, a practice still alive today. Many of the Town’s founding families still choose Queen Creek as their home. Their names- Ellsworth, Power, Sossaman, Hawes, Combs, and Schnepf- on area roads help keep Queen Creek’s heritage alive. Town dances, picnics, and celebrations remain popular.
Today Queen Creek is preparing for new additions to its rich cultural diversity. The rapid expansion experienced by nearby cities in the 1980s continues today. The Town of approximately 24,000 citizens faces inevitable growth. It incorporated in 1989 to preserve the benefits of rural life while providing an avenue for managed change. Residents seek to preserve the Town’s friendly, small town spirit while providing economic and recreational opportunities and a high quality of life.
Cultural Attractions
The Town of Queen Creek is home to many cultural attractions. For those who enjoy the outdoors Queen Creek offers horse back riding, scenic mountain hikes, outdoor shopping centers, and community parks.
Queen Creek also sponsors the largest annual educational living history event in AZ and the Southwestern US known as The American Heritage Festival, as well as access to The Queen Creek Performing Arts Centre for those who enjoy art productions. If you are in the area you will want to be certain to stop at the Queen Creek Olive Mill – a family owned company that grows and presses olives for the production of high quality extra virgin. It was featured on the Food Network show The Best Thing I Ever Ate.
All information about Queen Creek courtesy of Wikipedia and The Town of Queen Creek
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