x
Breaking News
More () »

Everywhere A to Z: The history of Papago Park

From hiking to Hunt's Tomb and a former POW camp, Papago Park is full of stories.

It is by far one of the most unique and scenic locations in the valley.

Papago Park is 1,500 acres of beauty filled with unique sandstone rock formations, hiking, biking, picnic areas, golfing and fishing ponds.  

“What makes Papago Park so inviting and so unique is that it’s centrally located. You are in close proximity to the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Gardens, it’s all sandwiched right here," said Justin Olson, Park Ranger at Papago Park.  

10 miles of hiking trails lead you to the buttes and the “Hole in the Rock,” a geological landmark that was once used as a natural calendar by the Hohokam.

While in the park, you’ll notice a pyramid on the top of hill.  Many don’t realize this is Hunt’s Tomb. The resting place for Arizona’s first Governor, George W. P. Hunt and his family.

“Will Rogers referred to him as our perennial Governor, others called him King George the 7th because he served seven terms," said Marshall Trimble, Official Arizona State Historian. 

Entombed here in 1934, Governor Hunt continues to use the 360-degree view as his office.  

“That’s what this is, he’s supposed to be watching out over the valley. The old Governor is just sitting up here taking it all in," said Trimble. 

It’s hard to imagine this beautiful scenery as being anything other than your personal desert playground, however, it has an interesting past.  

“In 1943, this was converted into a prisoner of war camp in October," said Steve Hoza, World War II Historian. 

During the height of World War II, the area now known as Papago Park housed more than 2,000 members of the German Navy.

“Think of it as a self-contained town, it had everything that a small city would have had," said Hoza. 

A hospital, it’s own fire department, a movie theater.  All that’s left are concrete guard tower posts, the old American officers club and a few dilapidated cottages sitting on the Tempe Public Works yard.

Although one story remains.

“The greatest mass escape in America during the war," said Hoza. 

On December 23, 1944, 25 German POW’s escaped after spending three months digging out a 178-foot tunnel leading out to the canal. 

All were captured and returned. 

Steve Hoza keeps the history alive with hundreds of pieces of memorabilia and artifacts given to him by many of the POW’s he interviewed for his book,  "PW: First Person Accounts of German Prisoners of War in Arizona."

Just one of the many unique aspects of this Phoenix gem.

Before You Leave, Check This Out