MESA, Ariz. — It’s no surprise that Chicago is one of the places people are flocking from to put down roots in the Grand Canyon state.
As the Phoenix metro continues to grow research shows that’s in large part to transplants looking for a fresh start. And perhaps the most notorious transplants are those coming from the Windy City.
Chicago native Carmen Starkes and her husband Mareo are celebrating all things Chicago at Riverview Park in Mesa at the Chicago Fest West.
She said, she and her husband, “…came just to visit and fell in love with it."
Mareo said they got a good feeling when they landed in Arizona five years ago.
“We got off the plane, felt the vibe and we were like 'oh yea,'" he said. "We both looked at each other like 'yeah, this is it.'"
Debie Kelly said a prayer and hoped for the best.
"I took a leap of faith because I like hot weather and I'm like 'I’m getting out of Chicago,'" she told 12News.
Chicago Fest West is always a big event where people can celebrate the sports teams and the food. Including Dog On It food truck, owned by Kevin Rice who hasn't looked back since he arrived seven years ago.
"When you're in Chicago you only get about three to four months of good weather and the rest of the time it's not the greatest,” Rice said.
The Chicago to Phoenix connection is nothing new. In 1910, the MacArthur brothers started to arrive in Phoenix from Chicago one by one.
Ashley Johnson is a historian with the Arizona Biltmore. The hotel and resort has become an iconic Arizona structure that many wrongly believe was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
"The oldest brother was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright's," Johnson explained. "Frank Lloyd Wright gave credit to his student. I think he was proud of his student for pulling this off."
There are replicas of the recognizable sprites, designed by Wright for the Midway Gardens that used to be located on Chicago’s southside and the Arizona Biltmore is the only public place in Arizona where you can see them up close.
According to 2022 moving data by Allied, Arizona is still a top destination for people to move to and Illinois is still a top place for people to leave.
But many still want comforts from home. That’s evident with the food selection that proudly advertise their authentic Chicago style cuisine. A cruise down Indian School Road in east Phoenix easily passes at least three restaurants and there are countless others throughout the Valley.
One criticism the Valley has gotten is the blazing hot summers. But Starkes puts it best saying, “I know a lot of people complain about the heat. But we came from a very cold place so we're like 'what's wrong with you guys?' You can't shovel sunshine."
Data still shows most transplants do come from California because of its proximity to Arizona. But behind Chicago, the other large group moving to Arizona is from the Pacific Northwest.
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