Americans have always seen the West as a land of opportunity — the place people went to reinvent themselves. In the 1950s, the Valley of the Sun was transformed by young veterans, entrepreneurs, and families looking for a new lifestyle. The economic boom that began with WWII launched a decade of change, and growth continues until this day. This is the story of the people who launched the boom years and turned the desert into the Valley of their dreams.

Produced in 1999 and pulled "From the Vault" in 2022. See more Arizona history in our playlist:    • From the Vault