Scottsdale historian Paul Messinger honored for lifelong legacy

Paul Messinger, 94, is one of Scottsdale’s most prominent historians and successful entrepreneurs, former Arizona State Legislator, and Scottsdale City Councilman.

Arriving in Scottsdale in 1942, Messinger worked on his family’s farm at Miller and Indian School Roads. He married his high school sweetheart, Cora, in 1950 and raised two sons. He established Messinger Mortuary on the family farm property in 1959, and operated Scottsdale’s first ambulance service.

In October 2023, Scottsdale Mayor David D. Ortega proclaimed Messinger as “Scottsdale’s Historian Emeritus” in recognition of his commitment to ensuring the past remains an integral part of the present in the “West’s Most Western Town.”

He has also written a book, “Scottsdale Memories: The Reminiscences of Paul R. Messinger.”