Four major highways coalesced in a neon spectacle to create Phoenix’s most exciting street. Then Van Buren went dark.
Douglas Towne, Author at PHOENIX magazine
FeaturesHistoryCopper State, Red Lines: The Long Battle Against Racial Injustice in Phoenix
Douglas TowneAugust 19, 2020
The African American experience in Phoenix has been a long battle against racial injustice involving school, housing and business segregation.
A disc jockey lived in a car atop a flagpole in Phoenix for seven months, seeking fame and fortune.
FeaturesHistoryDeja Virus: The 1918 Spanish Flu’s striking parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic
Douglas TowneJune 24, 2020
The 1918 Spanish influenza hit Arizona in four waves, shut down Phoenix twice and had striking parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Valley NewsLand Zo: Chandler’s Bad Buzz
Douglas TowneApril 25, 2020
A peculiar hum emanating from a data center torments Chandler residents.
Valley NewsForeign Intrigue
Douglas TowneMarch 26, 2020
Sky Harbor is rolling out the red carpet for more international flights.
HistoryChandler’s Champ
Douglas TowneMarch 20, 2020
Boxer Zora Folley fought Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title only to later die under mysterious circumstances while serving as a Chandler city councilman.
HistoryStarlight Screens
Douglas TowneFebruary 20, 2020
Valley residents flocked to drive-in theaters after World War II, but movies weren’t necessarily the main attraction.
HistoryThe Best Little Hitchin’ Post in Arizona
Douglas TowneJanuary 23, 2020
The Grand Canyon State’s marriage laws once made Yuma a popular round-the-clock wedding destination for California couples.
History100 Years of Encores
Douglas TowneDecember 26, 2019
The Phoenix Theatre Company celebrates its 100th anniversary as Arizona’s oldest arts organization with an enticing 2020 program.
HistoryHooved Homecoming
Douglas TowneNovember 21, 2019
The Winslow Elks Lodge led an effort to import elk from Yellowstone National Park in 1913 after Arizona’s native species became extinct.
Valley NewsLand Zo: Saguaro Standoff
Douglas TowneOctober 24, 2019
Developer and community tangle over proposed rezoning near the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve.
HistoryDesert Resurrection
Douglas TowneSeptember 26, 2019
Notorious Hollywood evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson reappeared in Douglas, Arizona, after “drowning” weeks earlier in the Pacific Ocean in 1926.
HistoryUniversity Club
Douglas TowneAugust 22, 2019
Elevating a humble state college in Tempe to university status – and creating the educational juggernaut we know today – ended a decades-long battle with a certain “old pueblo” to the south.
HistoryHistory: Religious Conversion
Douglas TowneJuly 25, 2019
A former Methodist church in Phoenix repurposed as the Taco Guild restaurant still attracts faithful parishioners.