Here we are in the early months of 2026, at the start of the second quarter of the 21st century. As many people ponder what the new year might bring, it prompted a look back at what life was like in Mesa exactly a century earlier, in 1926.
Mesa today is vastly different, with a population approaching 520,000. In 1926, it was a modest village of roughly 3,400 residents—a staggering growth of about 15,000% over the past 100 years.
The year 1926 marked America’s Sesquicentennial, celebrating 150 years of independence, though it received little attention in Mesa. The Great Depression was still three years in the future, and the overall mood in town was optimistic and energetic.
Despite appearing as a quiet small town, downtown Mesa in 1926 served as a vibrant hub of business and commerce. Wide Main Street featured parking in the center to accommodate more automobiles, and streetlamps had been installed by that time.
Living costs remained low. A typical weekly grocery bill averaged around $11. Eggs sold for about 47 cents a dozen, milk for 12 cents a quart, and a pound of coffee for roughly 50 cents.
Not everything was inexpensive, however. In January, Marshall Peterson reminded residents that dog taxes were due—$8 annually for females (equivalent to about $146.50 today) and $4 for males (about $73.25 today). Cats were exempt.
Newspaper reports from the era described no major dramatic events, but they offered charming glimpses into daily life. In August, the Mesa Library announced a two-week closure so its manager, Mrs. O.C. Kleinman, could take her vacation.
That year, Mesa installed its first town clock on the corner of the Salt River Bank building at 61 W. Main St. It was later relocated across the street to the Valley Bank building in 1932, and a restored version remains there today.
The new federal highway U.S. 80 was routed along Main Street.
In February, the Mesa Hiram Club—an organization for Freemasons—expressed to the Chamber of Commerce its interest in building a gateway arch at Mesa’s eastern edge to welcome visitors to the self-proclaimed “Gateway City.” Though no record exists of the arch being built, a large neon “Mesa” sign was erected over the roadway at the eastern boundary four years later.
The Chandler Court building, constructed in 1908 at the northwest corner of Macdonald and Main, stood out with its unique U-shaped Spanish-Revival design and inviting grass-covered courtyard. In 1926, plans were announced to pave over the south half of the courtyard and cover it with canvas to display new Star cars, eventually leading to the space’s full enclosure in later years.
In August, the Mesa Bottling Works, run by William Wesley (W.W.) Mitchell—grandfather of former Tempe mayor and U.S. Congressman Harry Mitchell—rebranded as the Mitchona Bottling Company, blending “Mitchell” and “Arizona.”
Rental homes advertised from $20 to $50 per month, while purchasing a home averaged $800 to $2,000, making it attainable for many locals.
Vance Auditorium, built in 1908, had long been a popular venue for events, including an early Edison film screening in 1910. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acquired it in 1920, and in 1926 announced an $18,000 renovation. Following a naming contest, it was rechristened the “Mezona,” combining “Mesa” and “Arizona.”
October brought news of Mesa’s first zoo, beginning with six deer transported from the Kaibab Forest to a site at South Macdonald and 2nd Avenue. Plans called for adding antelope and other animals by winter.
Excitement also surrounded the arrival of the Southern Pacific mainline railroad in October, finally providing direct east-west connections decades after the first local train reached the Valley in 1887.
Local leaders discussed the need for a Class A hotel to match the city’s growth. By year’s end, they reported sufficient funds raised to proceed with the El Portal Hotel, which now occupies the site of today’s City Hall.
Perhaps the most significant development of 1926 was the near-completion of the $800,000 Mesa Arizona Temple—the first LDS temple built outside Salt Lake City. Throughout the year, the public enjoyed periodic tours to view the nearly finished exterior and ongoing interior work.
Looking back a century later, 1926 reveals a dynamic Mesa steadily building its foundation, taking deliberate steps that transformed a small village into the major city it is today.
By Jay Mark, Tribune Contributor
