Hunt's Tomb: The Great Pyramid of Phoenix
If you're driving through Papago Park, perhaps on your way to the Desert Botanical Garden, and see a shimmering white pyramid on a hilltop, you might at first imagine that you're having a heat-induced hallucination. Not so. The pyramid is real. However, it was not built by wandering Aztecs or ancient Egyptians. It is the tomb of Gov. George W. P. Hunt, who was the first, second, third, sixth, seventh, eighth, and tenth governor of Arizona. No other governor in any state has served as many terms in office as Hunt, who was born in 1859 and died in 1934. The tomb is accessible from a parking area near the zoo.
Now That's a Fountain
Arizona loves its water features. Reservoirs, canals, pools, fountains -- they're everywhere in the desert. You'd never think that water is in short supply around these parts. One of the most unusual water features is the Fountain Hills fountain, less than 20 miles northeast of Scottsdale. This fountain, for which the town is named, is the second-tallest fountain in the world. Using three 500-horsepower pumps, it can shoot water 560 feet into the air. However, the fountain usually operates on only two pumps, with the plume reaching a mere 330 feet on average. The fountain operates daily from 10am to 9pm every hour on the hour for 10 minutes. To find the fountain, take Shea Boulevard east from Scottsdale Road or U.S. 101. By the way, the tallest fountain (630 ft.) is the Gateway Geyser in East St. Louis, Illinois.
