PHOENIX — Explore downtown Phoenix's rich history under the stars with flashlights! This July, The Square PHX is debuting its night edition of its history walking tours.
“The Square Phoenix is actually a historic site, and we are located right in the heart of downtown. We're next to the [Arizona] Science Center, right across the street from the Children's Museum. We are the last residential block from Phoenix's original 1870 town site. We're also a city of Phoenix Park, so we're this nice little slice of green amongst all of the concrete and glass of downtown,” said Sarah Matchette, director of visitor engagement for The Square PHX, in an ABC15 interview.
The tour steps into the rich history of that city block.
“We have 11 structures at The Square PHX, they range from about 1880s to 1920s and each one really has an interesting history all its own, an interesting cast of characters behind each one, and this tour really gives people an opportunity to learn about each of those structures and really see how the square evolved over time, but really also how Phoenix evolved around it," said Matchette.
Visitors often gain unexpected insights while walking through that part of the Valley.
“I always say that the square feels like a little hidden gem […] when people come around the corner to go to the [Arizona] Science Center, to go to a baseball game, and then they see us, and it's always, ‘What is this area? What is this space? And really, this program gives us an opportunity to share the amazing history of this area, to really give people context to why it's here, why it was saved back all the way back in the 1970s, and why historic preservation of Phoenix and Phoenix's history is so important,” said Matchette. “I think people will come away with an appreciation, hopefully, for the history of our city, but also an appreciation for the work that went into saving this little slice of Phoenix,” she added.
According to Matchette, the tours are capped at 15 people, and attendees get complimentary water bottles and popsicles.
July dates and key information for the Square PHX's summer night tours are the following:
- July 18 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- July 25 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Ticket prices: Adults $12, Children (6-17) $5, and free for The Square PHX Members.
- Where to go: 113 N. Sixth St. in Phoenix.
The video in the player above showcases some of the best things to do in the Valley this July - read more about it right here.
