Mesa Civic Center

In 1947, the City of Mesa purchased a 27,000-square-foot World War II hangar from Marana, dismantled it, and moved it piece by piece to this very block. Reassembled here, the massive structure became a centerpiece of what was then called the Civic Center or the Municipal Coliseum—a versatile public space that hosted community gatherings, exhibitions, and major events. For more than a decade, this block was home to the Maricopa County Fair, filling the hangar and surrounding grounds with livestock shows, entertainment, and the energy of a growing postwar community. The building stood as a symbol of Mesa’s resourcefulness and civic pride until 1959, when a fire destroyed the hangar and brought an end to its remarkable chapter in the city’s history.