Knowing that wherever celebrities went, others were sure to follow, Chandler built the San Marcos Hotel. This lavish golf course resort became a popular getaway for such early twentieth-century icons as Errol Flynn, Gloria Swanson, Fred Astaire, Al Capone and Herbert Hoover.

Together, agriculture and tourism built Chandler into a thriving community. While both remain important contributors to its economic base, the open land that once drew farmers and ranchers is now a magnet for high-tech manufacturing companies, including Intel Corp, Motorola and Microchip Technology.

The arrival of large employers to Chandler fueled phenomenal population growth. In 1980, Chandler had close to 30,000 residents. By 1990, that number had skyrocketed to more than 90,000. Today, the median age in Chandler is 31, a figure that reflects the large number of families with young children. Median household income is now over $58,000, far greater than the national average.

Since much of the city's infrastructure was built to accommodate its recent population explosion, there is a sense of newness in the air. The city's cultural crowning glory is the Chandler Center for the Arts, through whose doors more than 2 million visitors have passed since 1990. Many who move to Chandler count affordable housing and a small-town appeal among the city's assets. Thousands of people attend the Chandler Ostrich Festival every March to watch the main event - the ostrich race that features the big birds pulling jockeys in lightweight chariots.

Chandler, once a quiet farm town centered around a tree-lined plaza, is now one of the fasted growing cities in the nation. Recently named among the top 100 Best Communities for Young People by America's Promise-The Alliance for Youth, Chandler is proud of its history and excited about its future.

Chandler's namesake is Dr. A.J. Chandler, the first veterinary surgeon appointed to serve the Arizona Territory. In the 1890s, Dr. Chandler acquired 18,000 acres of irrigated farmland, and in 1911 began subdividing it into agricultural plots. Chandler was established as a city in 1912 and was incorporated in 1920. It tripled in size in the 1980s and today has over 240,000 residents and covers 71 square miles.

Although its agricultural base still flourishes with cotton and dairy products, the city is quickly becoming a center for high-tech industry, entertainment and the arts. Motorola and Intel each have two plants in Chandler, with Intel having just completed construction of a new plant in South Chandler. The Chandler Fashion Center, a 100-acre commercial project less than 5 years old, makes a dramatic statement about the growth of this community.

The main mall has over 180 retail shops and restaurants, featuring a dramatic blend of indoor and outdoor shopping atmospheres. Adjacent to the mall are 10 sit-down restaurants, a 20-plex theater and dozens of major, well-known specialty, department and electronics stores, such as Lowe's, Target, Office Max, Bed Bath and Beyond, Circuit City and many more.

Rather than focusing on new growth only, Chandler is committed to constant maintenance and redevelopment of its downtown area as well. The plaza was recently upgraded and refurbished, and the colonnades around the plaza were restored and expanded. The San Marcos Hotel, built in 1913 by Dr. Chandler, has also been fully restored and updated. It continues to earn a world-class reputation with its 300 rooms, five restaurants and lounges and an 18-hole golf course.

Concerts, minor-league baseball and other events are held regularly at the 6,000 seat Compadre Stadium, home to Major League Baseball's Cactus League Spring Training.

Chandler is home to many unusual, to say the least, annual events, such as an ostrich race. Each March, the Chandler Ostrich Festival is held as a salute to the ostriches that were once raised on Chandler farms. This event attracts more than 100,000 ostrich lovers with a parade, carnival, live entertainment, and ostrich races. Each October the city hosts its just-for-fun Doo Dah Festival, and each December the annual Tumbleweed Christmas Tree Festival sometimes delights, but most often amazes, thousands.