Greeks in Phoenix

The Greek community in Phoenix began in 1907, when the Sanichas brothers, Charles and Chris, arrived in the city to establish the Sanichas Confectionery Store. By 1912, the year of Arizona's statehood, the community had grown to nine families, including the Georgouses family of five brothers. In 1930, ground was broken for the construction of the Hellenic Community House, where religious services were held until l947, when the Hellenic Orthodox Church was built. Today the legacy of the area's Greek pioneers lives on through the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, which has established a research archive and museum to preserve and celebrate the Greek history of Phoenix.

In this volume, members of the Holy Trinity Greek Historical Committee have collected more than 200 vintage photographs and other visual memorabilia to illustrate the unique Greek history of Phoenix. From their humble beginning in the early 1900s, the Greek community has grown into four Greek Orthodox Church communities. This retrospective pays tribute to the Greek families who pioneered early Phoenix and provided strong cultural roots for their future generations.