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 Seats for Forklifts Peoria - The city of Peoria, Arizona is located in both Maricopa and Yavapai counties. Peoria sits mostly in the county of Maricopa and is considered a major suburb of the city of Phoenix. The population of Peoria was about 154,065 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau. In terms of land area, Peoria is now the 6th biggest city in Arizona.
The city of Peoria was first named after Peoria, Illinois, as the word "Peoria" is a corruption of the Illini word meaning "prairie fire." The population of the city is currently larger than that of its namesake. The San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners share the Peoria Sports Complex here and this city is both teams spring training home.
The city of Peoria is situated on gently sloping, flat desert terrain within the Salt River Valley. The landscape stretches into the foothills of the mountains located to the north. The Salt River is filled with mountain snowmelt runoff and seasonal rainfall. There are times when the valley becomes flooded and numerous months of backbreaking labor is demolished. In order for the region to become productive and habitable all year, the cycle of drought and of flood had to be replaced with a reliable water supply which can be controlled year-round.
The pioneers decided to explore irrigation in order to solve their water woes. John W. "Jack" Swilling organized a group of men during 1868 to dig the very first modern irrigation ditch within the Salt River Valley. More people were enticed to live within the area because of their success and eventually the region flourished because of the revitalized irrigation system.
There are two rivers that flow into Peoria: the Agua Fria River and the New River. The Agua Fria River is usually dry because of the New Waddell Dam, which holds back Lake Pleasant to the north of the city. The New River Dam and additional flood control systems often make the New River dry too. There are various washes and creeks which run through Peoria. Skunk Creek is one of the most important and best known because of its connectivity with the city of Glendale which is close by and its vast trail system.
There are many mountain and hills within the northern end of the city. Calderwood Butte, West Wing Mountain, Sunrise Mountain, Twin Buttes, Hieroglyphic Mountains, Cholla Mountain, East Wing Mountain an White Peak are among the well-known places for nature enthusiasts to hike and photograph.
The city continues to expand its borders within the Lake Pleasant Regional Park, which was annexed in Peoria in the year 1999. The Challenger Space Center of Arizona calls Peoria home and has made the city a world class educational and cultural destination.
In 2007, Peoria constructed the Peoria Center for the Performing Arts. Though most of the growth in the region has happened within the northwestern and northern parts of the city, numerous projects have sprung up within southern Peoria and within the region referred to as "Old Town."
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