Here is a look at Surprise history through the years on this week, compiled from archives of Independent Newsmedia, Newspapers.com and the city of Surprise historical records:

1941

Litchfield Park Air Base, later Luke Field, opens to prepare pilots for World War II. Initially, 12,000 pilots are trained there, but President Franklin Roosevelt increases that to 30,000.

1960

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Thurman nullifies El Mirage’s attempt to annex Surprise and North El Mirage.

1973

An emergency water shortage is expected to last throughout the summer, forcing 3,000 Surprise residents to conserve. Problems with El Mirage’s water system, which serves Surprise, is to blame.

1987

The City Council narrowly votes to fire longtime Town Manager Harold Yingling and replace him with a friend of Mayor George Cumbie’s, Nate Bacon, which sparks a recall attempt against the mayor a month later.

1993

City officials move into the new City Hall in the Village at Surprise shopping center at 124th Avenue and Bell Road. Mr. McComb says it should be good home for the city for at least 10 years.

1994

City Council approves fiscal year 1995 budget of $25.4 million.

2009

Thanks to the Great Recession, the medium home value in Surprise is $130,000 less than a year after it stood at $213,000. Foreclosure notices in the city are up nearly 300% from the previous year.