When Surprise was subdivided to build inexpensive houses for agricultural workers, only a few houses and a gas station were on the 1-square-mile (2.6 km2) parcel of land. Landmarks include Surprise Stadium and Lizard. Surprise is the birthplace of Colleen Planeta, basketball player.
Surprise, Arizona gifts and souvenirs: 21 designs made from Surprise's own map, landmarks and history, from $10 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.
| Popular | Price |
|---|---|
| Surprise Hometown Ornament | $23 |
| Surprise Vintage Travel Poster | from $40 |
| Surprise Varsity Crewneck | from $57 |
| Surprise Est. Tee | from $33 |
| Surprise Town Line Mug | from $26 |
| Surprise Market Tote | $37 |
Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 4 styles
Its landmark photo in a classic travel-poster layout
A local landmark photo as a gallery print
Map of local landmarks, washable fabric
Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back
Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print
Soft Bella+Canvas jersey
Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes
Bella+Canvas toddler jersey
Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit
Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe
Weatherproof, for the front walk
24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back
12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang
Soft-touch, zip cover
A local landmark photo with the town name, 18″×18″
Sturdy all-over-print tote
Glossy top, cork back
Soft fleece, 50″×60″
20 oz, double-wall stainless
6″×4″ postcard, glossy front
The city was founded in 1938 by Flora Mae Statler, who was the daughter of another Arizona pioneer, Charles Gillett, who helped found Glendale, specifically as a temperance community. Gillett owned much land in Glendale, as well as the Verde Valley. Surprise officials previously thought the city was founded by Statler's husband, real estate developer and state legislator Homer C. Ludden, but in 2010, property records were discovered that listed Statler as owning the land before she met Ludden. Modern records often state that Statler named her land Surprise as she "would be surprised if the town ever amounted to much," with her daughter backing this claim. This claim is contested, however, since pioneers commonly named their settlements after their hometowns and Ludden hailed from Surprise, Nebraska, possibly influencing the name of the town.
When Surprise was subdivided to build inexpensive houses for agricultural workers, only a few houses and a gas station were on the 1-square-mile (2.6 km2) parcel of land. Since then, the town has experienced tremendous growth. It incorporated as a city in 1960. The original townsite is bounded by Greenway Road on the south, El Mirage Road on the east, Bell Road on the north, and Dysart Road on the west.
Surprise's City Hall is located on the site of Luke Air Force Base's former auxiliary airfield No. 3. The outline of the former runways can still be seen from aerial photos today.
In 2026, the US federal government planned to open a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Surprise. This plan received widespread backlash, and residents of the city sought to stop its implementation. The city council refused to oppose the facility, leading to a petition to dissolve the city of Surprise and place it under direct control of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Arizona attorney general Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit in April 2026 claiming that the federal government failed to undergo an environmental review required by the National Environmental Policy Act before beginning construction on the camp. The camp's implementation was ultimately delayed for environmental reviews.
Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Surprise, Arizona, revision 1377806082 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
We share a part of every Surprise sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.
Partner with usA favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.
2 free coloring pages of Surprise, each traced from a photo of a local landmark. Print them at home, at school or for story hour.
Surprise's population was 143,148 in the 2020 U.S. Census, up from 117,517 in 2010.
Surprise Stadium
A view of Surprise