Surprise is located in
Maricopa County just west of
Phoenix between Wickenburg and Sun City along US Highway 60 near the Agua Fria River and Lake Pleasant. The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 14,849, an increase of 7,727 since 1990.
Surprise is part of the Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona metro area.
Surprise was founded in 1937 by Homer C. Ludden, a Glendale real estate developer and state legislator. The area was subdivided into low-cost home sites for the areas agricultural workers. Ludden named the area after his Nebraska hometown.
Even the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers decided to take up residence here. The once-sleepy square mile farming community surprised just about everyone in 2001 when it successfully courted the two teams away from their Florida training homes.
Throughout the 72-square-mile city, luxury apartments, churches, gas stations, restaurants, grocery and drug stores, are spotted every where.
