In 1911, Theodore Roosevelt came to Arizona for the dedication of the Roosevelt Dam, and spoke on the steps of Old Main. In his speech, he envisioned the opportunities the dam and the resulting irrigation for farming would create for Arizona and opined that some day perhaps as many as 100,000 people might live in the valley.
In 1911, Theodore Roosevelt toured Arizona to inaugurate the Roosevelt Dam. He stood on Old Main's steps during his speech, where he foresaw the benefits of the dam and irrigation for farming in Arizona and suggested that eventually there could be up to 100,000 people residing in the valley.