Arizona's must-see landmarks

Like interlocking pieces in a puzzle, elements of Arizona's history and personality unfold at several sites. When you think of Arizona landmarks, no doubt the Grand Canyon comes to mind. But there are other places that residents may regularly visit and include on most-see lists when visitors arrive.

Here are 10 landmarks in Arizona:

Hoover Dam

The concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada was constructed between 1931 and 1936. According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 96 men died during the five-year project. The dam was the agency's effort to control the Colorado River and was created to help share the river's water among bordering states. Arizona opposed the project because of concerns that California would get too much water. The dispute gave birth to the Central Arizona Project, a 336-mile canal that still brings water to the desert.

Tovrea Castle

Shaped like a wedding cake with tiers of white lights that can be seen for miles in the nighttime sky, the castle in Phoenix has caught the eye of visitors and longtime residents alike. The three-story, cream-colored building sits atop a granite hill among 44 acres near 52nd and Van Buren streets. It was constructed in the late 1920s and early '30s by Italian immigrant Alessio Carraro.

Arcosanti

Just off Interstate 17 in the high desert 60 miles north of central Phoenix, you'll find Arcosanti, an urban project that explores the possibilities of future city life in concrete and steel. Paolo Soleri, its Italian-born designer, envisioned more than 5,000 people living in the complex. It never achieved Soleri's full vision, though it continues to operate and evolve with his goals in mind.

Hubbell Trading Post

The Sistine Chapel of trading posts. Founded in 1878, it's the oldest continuously operating trading post on the Navajo Reservation, about 175 miles northeast of Flagstaff. Named for John Lorenzo Hubbell, this National Historic Site is also part museum and part art gallery. Local artists bring handcrafted works to sell, and people shop for groceries and supplies.

Lowell Observatory

This astronomical observatory in Flagstaff was founded in 1894 by Bostonian Percival Lowell. It is one of the oldest observatories in the United States. Clyde Tombaugh, a farm boy from Kansas who did not have a college degree, discovered Pluto from the observatory in 1930. In 1965, the Lowell Observatory was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Arizona Biltmore

The Waldorf Astoria Resort, near 24th Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix, has served as a playground for the rich and famous, a honeymoon spot for actors Clark Gable and Carole Lombard and a retreat for every U.S. president from Herbert Hoover through George W. Bush. Frank Lloyd Wright often is credited with being the architect, but the resort was designed by Albert Chase McArthur, who studied under Wright.

Orpheum Theatre

The Spanish Colonial Revival-style venue, at Second Avenue and Adams Street, was constructed in the late 1920s for plays, movies and vaudeville. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. In 2004, it was designated by Phoenix as a Historic Preservation Landmark. The Orpheum is the only remaining theater built prior to World War II in Phoenix.

Montezuma Castle National Monument

President Theodore Roosevelt deemed this a place "of the greatest ethnological value and scientific interest," according to the National Park Service. The 20-room, multilevel building was home to the Sinagua people more than 600 years ago. It is tucked high in a protected alcove in a limestone bluff off Interstate 17 about 90 miles north of central Phoenix.

Meteor Crater

Until a century ago, some scientists thought the crater — about 700 feet deep and three-quarters of a mile wide — was volcanic in origin. Now we know the crater, about 40 miles east of Flagstaff, was created by a meteor. According to Halka Chronic's "Roadside Geology of Arizona," the projectile that struck Arizona 22,000 years ago was a fiery, 63,000-ton iron ball that was just 80 feet in diameter.

Picacho Peak

This 1,500-foot-tall landmark is south of Casa Grande. The peak makes for one of the best hikes in the state, according to Frommer's, which recommends trekking up to the top during the spring when it's covered in flowers. Climb a bit and you'll find spectacular views of the surrounding desert.

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