A Brief History

Hayden Butte Preserve, also known as ‘A’ Mountain, has a rich cultural history beginning with the prehistoric Hohokam (1 AD -1450 AD), recognized today as the Four Southern Tribes of Arizona (Gila River Indian Community; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC); Ak-Chin Indian Community; and the Tohono O’odham Nation).  Ancient petroglyphs remain on the Butte, and it is a sacred site of the Four Southern Tribes of Arizona.

Pioneer settlers left their history as well: the Hayden Flour Mill, Carl Hayden Homestead, railroad tracks, canal, and
the north end of the San Pablo Barrio. There was also a historic quarry and the remains of the original town water
reservoir.

In 1918, the first letter appeared: ‘N’ (Normal School), followed by ‘T’ (Territorial Normal School, Tempe Normal
School, Tempe State Teachers College), and the ‘A’, marking Arizona State University from 1938 to present day.
The butte was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 8, 2011.

In 1973 the butte was declared a park, and in 2002 it became the city’s first preserve.

Tempe's water storage tanks are undergoing renovation and repainting. Given the sensitive nature of the site, the City has developed the Hayden Butte Preserve Management Plan. The plan identifies best management practices in cultural and environmental stewardship,  proposes on-going  improvements, and defines appropriate activities and safe use of the preserve.  This document will guide the long-term preservation of this important Tempe  landmark.