City of Phoenix leaders celebrated the 90th anniversary of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport last week and reflected on how far the airport has come.

“Sky Harbor is more than just an airport, it is a part of the identity of Phoenix,” said Phoenix Councilmember Kesha Hodge Washington during an anniversary celebration event July 29. “It is a part of the story of how our city rose from humble beginnings to become the vibrant, diverse, world-class metropolitan it is today.”

The city bought the airport from the Acme Investment Co. in July 1935 for $100,000.

“A heck of a good investment,” said Mayor Kate Gallego.

The airport was nicknamed “The Farm” at the time because of how remote it was, Gallego noted.

In 1950, Sky Harbor had grown to serve about 240,000 passengers annually, but t

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