When the sun dips down in Phoenix, the sidewalks don’t have to cool off just yet. The Square PHX is introducing a new, nighttime twist to their history walking tours this July, allowing visitors and locals alike, to explore downtown Phoenix's historical tapestry with the stars overhead serving as ancient witnesses. The walking tours, scheduled for July 18 and 25 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., are being capped at a cozy count of 15 to maintain an intimate atmosphere.
Sarah Matchette, director of visitor engagement for The Square PHX, highlighted to ABC15 the tour's aim to unravel the area's evolution and its structural narratives. Matchette said, “We have 11 structures at The Square PHX, they range from about 1880s to 1920s and each one really has an interesting history all its own.” Emphasizing the area's status as a historical site, she also noted that The Square is a “nice little slice of green” amidst downtown's urban sprawl, a true juxtaposition against the modern cityscape.
Not just a simple stroll down nostalgia lane, these walking tours are designed to give participants a peek into the city’s layered past without having to step inside a museum or gallery. Popping over to the Square PHX website, the night tours are pitched as a journey from the remnants of the Ancestral Sonoran Desert Peoples all the way through to the early Phoenix settlers and the crafting of the iconic 1895 Rosson House.
But hold on to your historical hats, because there's more — the tours come with perks. Each ticket includes a water bottle and the prime summer treat, a popsicle, to combat that classic Arizona heat, even after sunset. "I think people will come away with an appreciation for the history of our city," Matchette told ABC15. And with tickets priced at $12 for adults and a mere $5 for kids between 6 and 17 — free for Square PHX Members — it's a budget-friendly outing with a hearty dollop of education to boot.
The tours, while enlightening, do have a catch: they won't sneak you inside the Rosson House itself. But don't let that discourage you. The surrounding structures and the tales they hold are just waiting to be discovered. So, should you feel the urge to dip into the annals of Phoenix in a rather unconventional fashion, The Square PHX at 113 N. Sixth St. is the place to be. And you might just walk away, popsicle in hand, feeling a deeper connection to the city that twinkles beneath the desert sky.
