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:

1928

Dysart School starts school one week late as work wraps up on a new building. It has four class rooms, a library and a superintendent’s office.

1962

A film about Biblical prophecies and nuclear holocausts called “Seconds to Midnight” is shown at the Arizona Camp Meeting and Bible Conference Grounds.

1974

An Arizona Republic column on unique Arizona names gets picked up on newswires, giving Surprise its first real exposure on a national scale. The story is run in newspapers from coast to coast over the next few months.

1975

Town Manager Harold Yingling is attempting to get all Surprise residents to subscribe to the town’s garbage service. It costs $2 a month.

1987

A group of angry residents picket outside Surprise Town Hall, chanting “Recall George Cumbie,” referring to the longtime town mayor. Protestors were angry about the city’s new public participation rules during open meetings.

1992

Kingswood Elementary School is designated as a second poling location in the city.

1996

Surprise annexes 151 acres of land on the corner of Dysart and Cactus Roads.

1998

Paradise Education Center opens, giving Surprise a new charter school. It’s sharing buildings with Radiant Church while awaiting purchase of 10 acres of land at Reems Road and Sweetwater Avenue.

2000

Plans are revealed for the Desert Oasis community in north Surprise. Dysart Unified School District, however, worries about accommodating high school students, since one-third of the community would be in the DUSD boundaries.

2017

Patrick Duffy is appointed to replace John Williams on the Surprise City Council. Mr. Williams resigned the prior month.