Many Pima and Maricopa people live in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, which borders Scottsdale to the south and east.

[10] In the early to mid-1880s, U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott visited the Salt River Valley and was impressed with it and its potential for agriculture.

Another landowner in the Southern part of town, Albert G. Utley, filed plans with Maricopa County for a city named "Orangedale," using Scott's Field as a border.

Between 1908 and 1933, due to the construction of the Granite Reef and Roosevelt dams (in 1908 and 1911, respectively), Scottsdale's population experienced a boom, growing steadily during those years.

His influence on the regional architecture is commemorated by a major street bearing his name and a 125-foot (38 m) spire memorial designed by Wright in North Scottsdale.

In the late 1950s, the problem became more and more pronounced, until in 1959 the Arizona State Legislature formed the Maricopa County Flood Control District (MCFCD).

[37] In 1975, the city annexed the "east Shea" section, bordering Fountain Hills, expanding its area from 62.2 to 88.6 sq mi (161 to 229 km2).

When completed, the 36,000 acres (15,000 ha) planned for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve will be nearly one-third of Scottsdale's land area, equal in size to Bryce Canyon National Park.

[39][40] The Scottsdale Airpark, surrounding the city's airport, became a hotspot for a variety of large and small businesses, ranging from light industry to luxury auto sales.

The strip at one time generated over $10 million in sales tax revenue each year and was one of the most profitable auto-miles in the United States.

[citation needed] The city's borders are rapidly expanding to the east and west in this area, containing the McDowell Mountain range.

Scottsdale is home to a large number of churches, chapels, temples, synagogues, mosques and other places of religious worship.

There is also a small population of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as is common throughout Phoenix, Arizona, and the Western United States.

The community center was originally in central Phoenix, it had eventually outgrown the location and was looking to relocate and build a more expansive campus.

In particular, during the winter, thousands of tourists and retirees from the midwest, the northeast, and as far away as Canada (known locally as "snowbirds") flood the area with visits from brief to long term.

[85] Palmeraie, a 300,000-square-foot (28,000 m2), outdoor mixed-use project planned for the SWC of Indian Bend and Scottsdale Rds, has already received commitments from Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, and John Varvatos.

Today, the show attracts thousands of visitors and tourists, to see nearly 2000 purebred Arabian and Half-Arabian horses competing for various prizes and recognition.

Due to the success of this week-long event held every January, the organizers behind it have more recently inaugurated similar but smaller shows in Palm Beach, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Now held at the expansive West World exhibition complex in North Scottsdale, the event is an auto enthusiast's and collector's spectacle.

[92] The most heavily attended such event is the festival's Great Arizona Picnic, an outdoor fair-like showcase of both well-known local and national chefs and restaurants.

[95] Taliesin West, architect Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and school from 1937 until 1959, is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Arizona.

[96] Old Town Scottsdale consists of active night clubs, dive bars, entertainment restaurants and shopping around every corner.

Within the same vicinity are the Butterfly Wonderland, OdySea Aquarium that holds over 6,000 animals in 2,000,000 gallons of water, iFly Zone and many shopping centers including Fashion Square, just north of Old Town Scottsdale.

For several years, the Scottsdale Pavilions, a major outdoor shopping center, marked the only commercial property operating on tribal lands.

The passage of Proposition 202 in November 2002 redefined casino gaming in Arizona, permitting "Vegas-style" blackjack and poker, expanded number of slot machines and wider food and beverage service options.

On January 19, 2013, the Talking Stick Resort hosted King of the Cage's televised mixed martial arts event, Regulators.

"[108] The club also hosts the "Wild West Invitational," a tournament including a final round where competitors must contend with loud distractions.

[117] The primary institution of higher education in the city is Scottsdale Community College, which opened in 1970 on the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Reservation.

While the airport serves some tour and commuter flights, the plurality of aircraft operations are corporate and transient general aviation traffic.

[121] Between December 2007 and 2009, Scottsdale was a member of the board of Valley Metro Rail line which connects the neighboring cities of Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.