Communities
Arizona Youth Partnership provides prevention programming to children, youth, and families in 29 rural communities in nine counties across rural Arizona. The communities and counties are divided into specific regions.
Sonoran Desert Region: Pima, Santa Cruz, and Cochise Counties
White Mountains Region: Apache and Navajo Counties
Copper Belt Region: Pinal and Gila Counties
Colorado River Region: Mohave and Coconino Counties
This map below showcases AZYP's Communities.
SONORAN DESERT REGION
Ajo
Ajo, the birthplace of copper mining in Arizona, has a rich history of dating back hundreds of years. Today it is a popular tourist destination and retirement mecca offering an inexpensive lifestyle. Ajo (pronounced ah-ho) comes from either the Spanish word for garlic (ajo) or the Tohono O’odham Indian word for pain (au’auho). Tohono O’odhams obtained red paint pigments from the area. The Ajo lily, an onion-like plant, grows nearby. Located in western Pima County, this ethnically diverse town is on state Highway 85, north of the junction with state Highway 86 and the south of Interstate 8. Ajo is surrounded by mountains and the Sonoran Desert.
Catalina
Catalina, a residential community, lies in the foothills of the mile-high Catalina Mountains in the valley formed by the Cañada del Oro Wash. The wash, whose name roughly translates into “Canyon of Gold,” is aptly named-early Jesuit missionaries mined gold along its banks; in the 1870s, Tucsonans who washed the sand looking for gold made $12 to $30 for their day’s work. Two retirement communities, Sun City Tucson and SaddleBrooke, are within four miles. Its climate is five to 10 degrees cooler and rainfall 50 percent more plentiful than in nearby Tucson. Native trees, grasses, and wildflowers are abundant. The clean air, clear skies, and lack of city lights offer spectacular starlit nights.
Marana
Marana combines a pleasant rural community with a bustling commercial expanse. It is the main trade center and community focus for a vast rural area covering approximately 500 square miles. Prime farmland for centuries, Marana has also been a transportation center for farming and ranching. Located where Brawley Wash joins the Santa Cruz River, Native Americans used the dependable water supply to grow corn, beans, squash, and cotton. The Spanish came about 1700 and started the first cattle ranches. “Modern” Marana began in 1881 with the railroad. The area was over grown with dense mesquite thickets and Marana’s name derives from the Spanish word maraña, meaning “impassable tangle” or “jungle.”
Sahuarita
Sahuarita was incorporated in September 1994. The town encompasses a 30 square-mile area. Sharing a southern border with the retirement community of Green Valley, the area offers direct access to Tucson and Mexico via Interstate 19. Surrounded by majestic mountain ranges, Sahuarita has a growing number of family residential areas in a semi-rural setting as well as three master-planned communities. (Rancho Sahuarita, Quail Creek, and Madera Highlands).
Three Points/Robles Junction
Three Points is also known as "Robles Junction". Robles Junction is a rural community located about 25 miles southwest of Tucson, Arizona in the Altar Valley with a population of 10,000. Bernabe Robles established the Robles Ranch in the 1880's. The ranch, at one time, covered more than 1 million acres! Today, the Robles Ranch serves as the Robles Junction Community Center. It is one of the few areas surrounding Tucson which has remained rural. (http://roblesjunction.org/)
Tohono O’odham Nation
The Tohono O’odham Nation is comparable in size to the state of Connecticut. The lands of the Nation are located within the Sonoran Desert in south central Arizona. The largest community, Sells, functions as the Nation's capital. Its four non-contiguous segments total more than 2.8 million acres at an elevation of 2,674 feet. Boundaries begin south of Casa Grande and encompass parts of Pinal and Pima Counties before continuing south into Mexico. San Xavier is the second largest land base, and contains 71,095 acres just south of the City of Tucson. The smaller parcels include the 10,409-acre San Lucy District, located near the city of Gila Bend, and the 20-acre Florence Village, which is located near the city of Florence. The landscape is consistently compelling: a wide desert valley, interspersed with plains and marked by mountains that rise abruptly to nearly 8,000 feet. As of December, 2000, the population was reported at nearly 24,000 people. Within its land the Nation has established an Industrial Park that is located near Tucson. Tenants of the Industrial Park include Caterpillar, the maker of heavy equipment; the Desert Diamond Casino, an enterprise of the Nation; and, an 23 acre foreign trade zone. (http://www.itcaonline.com/tribes_tohono.html)
Benson
Benson serves as the western gateway to the scenic and historic attractions of Cochise County and has copyrighted the name “Home of Kartchner Caverns State Park.” Located in the historical San Pedro Vallye, it offers proximity to both Tucson and Sierra Vista. Its rugged mountains, grassy valleys, moderate climate, and proximity to many historical sites makes it a popular tourist attraction. The City of Benson was founded in 1880, when the Southern Pacific Railroad came through southern Arizona. Until 1910, Benson was the railroad hub of southern Arizona. It was named for Judege William B. Benson of California, a friend of Charles Crocker, then-president of the railroad.
Willcox
Willcox is in the northern part of the Sulphur Springs Valley, which cuts through Cochise County for nearly 100 miles and averages more than 15 miles in width. The town was established in 1880 and incorporated in 1915. Located on I-10 halfway between Phoenix and El Paso, Texas, Willcox serves as the major trade and service center for agricultural and tourism within the county. With a mild, year-round climate, relatively inexpensive land and housing, and a pleasant rural lifestyle, Willcox is a desirable retirement community.
Rio Rico
Rio Rico (“rich river”) is a planned community located in Santa Cruz County, 57 miles south of Tucson and 12 miles north of Mexico. The community’s 39,000 acres roll gently down from the Santa Rita Mountains through the San Cayetano Foothills westward to the Santa Cruz River. The area around and including Rio Rico was once part of the Baca Float, a tract of approximately 100,000 acres granted by the U.S. Congress to the heirs of Luis Maria Baca as the result of an early, unclear grant from the Spanish government. The community had its beginnings in 1969 and has continued to grow at a steady pace with the influx of tenants to the Rio Rico South Industrial Park.
WHITE MOUNTAINS REGION
Springerville
Springerville is an area known as Round Valley in the foothills of the White Mountains. The town, on the banks of the Little Colorado River, grew around Henry Springer’s Trading Post. It was established in 1879, but not incorporated until 1948. Springerville is in Apache County, about 220 miles northeast of Phoenix.
Eagar - Round Valley Community
Eagar, located in the northeast slopes of the White Mountains, is set against a national forest of ponderosa pines. Its history dates to the late 1800s when John Thomas Eagar, his brothers Joel and William, and the Robertson family homesteaded in Round Valley. In 1888, the town was established under the name Union to unify the small settlements in the area. The name was changed to Eagar in 1892, and the Post Office was established in 1888. Eager is on U.S. 180, the direct link between I-40 and I-10, at its junction with U.S. 60.
Concho
The village of Concho, Arizona is located at the northern edge of the White Mountains recreational area of eastern Arizona. Concho is one of the best kept secrets of the White Mountains. Because Concho is “off the beaten path”, the village has been able to keep its small town feel while the residents are still close enough to enjoy all of the amenities of the larger towns. The tourist attractionsa and business districts of Show Low, Lakeside and Pinetop are just a pleasant 30 minute drive away. Located on Highway 61 in Apache County, the village of Concho was originally settled in the 1800s by New Mexican sheepherders of Basque descent. In the early part of the 1900s, Mormon pioneer families came to settle in the Concho Springs area and the two diverse cultures blended into a unique community. In the 1970’s, a master-planned golf community was developed around Concho Springs and Concho Lake. (http://www.conchoaz.com/info.htm)
Snowflake
Snowflake is in east-central Arizona 30 miles south of Holbrook on state Route 77. The Mogollon Rim and the White Mountains, south and west of Snowflake, form and almost continuous barrier protecting the community from severe winters and creating a semi-arid climate. Founded in 1878, Snowflake was named after its founders, Apostle Erastus Snow and Mormon land agent William Flake. Snowflake is at an elevation of 5,600 feet.
St. Johns
St. Johns is a community of 3,585 people in eastern Arizona, 18 miles west of the New Mexico border, 29 miles north of Springerville, and 50 miles south of Interstate 40. Its elevation is 5,730 feet. Originally named El Vadito (“little river crossing”) by Spanish explorers, St. Johns was a thriving Spanish-American agricultural community in 1873 when Solomon Barth acquired land and cattle and settled nearby. Mormon pioneers from Utah settled in St. Johns in 1879. The name El Vadito was changed to San Juan (Spanish for St. John) and to St. Johns when the town was established in 1880. St. Johns was incorporated in 1946.
Vernon
Sanders
Pinetop-Lakeside
Pinetop-Lakeside is located in the scenic White Mountains of Arizona. Founded in ethe early 1180s by Mormon pioneers, Lakeside derived its name from the area’s lakes, and Pinetop derived its name from the nickname of the saloon keeper who served the Fort Apache soldiers. The two communities incorporated as one town in 1984. Pinetop-Lakeside is known for its extensive tourism and recreational activities, proximity to the world’s largest stand of ponderosa pine, and for an outstanding quality of life.
Show Low
Show Low, the commercial and tourism hub of the White Mountains, was established in 1870, incorporated in 1953. Located in southern Navajo County at an elevation of 6,415 feet, the city is 175 miles northeast of Phoenix and 195 miles north of Tucson. Show Low received its name when C.E. Cooley and Marion Clark decided there was not enough room for both of them in their settlement. The two men agreed to let a game of cards decide who was to move. According to the story, Clark said, "If you can show low, you win." Cooley turned up the deuce of clubs and replied, "Show Low it is.".
COPPER BELT REGION
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Miami
The Globe/Miami area has been an important mining center for more than a century. Silver started the population boom. Copper proved more abundant and led to the growth of the community as infrastructure and commerce were added to support the mining activities. Located in the foothills just north of the Pinal Mountains, Globe is the seat of government for Gila County. Mining is still active in the Globe/Miami area. The old Dominion Mine ceased in the 1930s due to flooding, but the other mines in the area continued. With the price of copper near an all time high, the mines are operational actively mining copper. Miami was found by Black Jack Newman as a camp near his copper mine. Many claim the camp was named after his fiancée, Mima Tune, others say the name originated with a number of miners who hailed from the Miami Valley of Ohio. Today, Miami is a quiet town with a number of antique stores which feature many artifacts of the early history of the area. Many of the buildings in the down town area are on the historic register and are in the process of renovation. (http://www.azcommerce.com/SiteSel/Profiles/Community+Profile+Index.htm)
Globe
Mining began in Globe in the late 1860s, when silver was first discovered. A huge nugget of silver with many veins had been dug from beneath the earth. It resembled a globe, and that’s how Globe got its name. Globe was founded in 1876 and incorporated in 1907. Globe is the county seat of government for Gila County and is located in the heart of the Tonto National Forest. Globe is in the foothills of the Pinal Mountains at an elevation of 3,500 feet. There is much to see and experience in this community, as our mining history, Old West traditions and the Native American culture offer such a wide range of the Southwestern experience. The historic downtowns, copper mining, our neighbors on the San Carlos Apache Reservation, and abundant outdoor recreation throughout the Tonto National Forest all combine to make Globe the center of a whirlwind of activities. (http://www.globemiamichamber.com/)
San Carlos Apache Nation
The word "apache" comes from the Yuma word for "fighting-men" and from the Zuni word meaning "enemy." The Apache are descendents of the Ancients. The Apache tribe consists of six subtribes: the Western Apache, Chiricahua, Mescalero, Jicarilla, Lipan and Kiowa. Each subtribe is from a different geographical region. They are composed of six regional groups: Western Apache - Coyotero - most of eastern Arizona which include the White Mountain, Cibuecue, San Carlos, and Northern and Southern Tonto bands. It is possible, due to their nomadic nature, that several names were used to identify the same tribe. The Anglo theory is the Apache Indian migrated to the Southwest from Northern Canada in the 1500's. The Apache Indian history says it was the other way around, that most of the Athapaskan speaking people migrated to the North and a few stayed in their homeland. In any event, it is generally agreed that about 5,000 Apaches lived in the Southwest at the end of the 1600's. (http://www.greatdreams.com/apache/apache-tribe.htm) Over time, many bands of Apache were relocated to the reservation from their traditional homelands extending from Texas through New Mexico and Arizona into Mexico and California. The San Carlos Apache Reservation was established on November 9, 1871, is the world’s first concentration camp still existing to this day. (http://www.sancarlosapache.com/San_Carlos_Culture_Center.htm) The San Carlos Apache Reservation, east of Globe, is known for great hunting and fishing. Just outside town, the Apache Gold Casino and Resort and the Apache Gold Stronghold Golf Course provide big-city amenities in a friendly small-town atmosphere. Continuing east, visit the San Carlos Cultural Center for an opportunity to see history from the Apache perspective. (http://www.sancarlosapache.com/San_Carlos_Culture_Center.htm)
Hayden
Hayden is a copper mining community in transition. It was founded in 1909 by Hayden, Stove and Company, which operated mines near the community, and named for Charles Hayden, president of the mining company. In 1958, Hayden was among 11 municipalities nationwide given the coveted All-American City designation. The community is in the southern part of Gila county on State Highway 177, about 30 miles southeast of Superior and 35 miles south of Globe.
Superior
Superior is on U.S. 60 at the junction of State Highway 177. The town, in a mountainous setting, is surrounded by peaks such as the 6,056-foot Iron Mountain. In 1900, George Lobb laid out the town, naming it Hastings. Mines dotted the hills around the prosperous Pinal County community. Stockholders in one of the successful silver mines lived in Michigan and named their mine Lake Superior. This mine fed the area economy and the community changed its name to Superior after this mine. The Magma Copper Company was established in 1910 and ran the Silver Queen Mine which became a great copper producer after its sliver ran out. A smelter was built in 1924 and remained in operation for 47 years.
Oracle
Oracle is in the northern foothills of the Catalina Mountains. Oracle and two other town, Mammoth and San Manuel, make up the tri-community area within a 12-mile radius. Albert Weldon made the trip to the western part of the United States via Cape Horn in his uncle’s ship, The Oracle. While working at the Oracle Mine, Weldon began building a brush camp where Oracle exists today. By January 1882, there were approximately eight dwellings in the area. The town did not begin to grow, however, until the Apache Mine began working. One of the early settlers, Edwin S. Dodge applied for a post office in the 1880s, but his first choice for a name was rejected in favor of Oracle, Weldon’s ship.
COLORADO RIVER REGION
Bullhead City
Bullhead City is in west-central Mohave County, located on the east side of the Colorado River near the juncture of Arizona, California, and Nevada. Among Arizona’s fasted growing communities, it is the sister city to Laughlin, Nevada, and 90 minutes from Las Vegas. Bullhead City Began as the headquarters for the Davis Dam and Lake Mohave construction in the 1940s. Today, the city serves a trade area population exceeding 144,000. In 2006, Bullhead City/Laughlin attracted more than 151,000 visitors. With 11 major casino/resort hotels, Laughlin employs 14,000 people, most of whom make their home in Bullhead City. On the Arizona side, more than 2,000 businesses employ approximately 6,800.
Kingman
Kingman is located in northwestern Arizona at the intersection of Interstate 40 and U.S. 93 Situated in the Hualapai Valley between the Cerbat and Hualapai Mountain Ranges, Kingman was established in the early 1880s by Lewis Kingman who located the route of the Santa Fe Railway. It has served as county seat of Mohave County since 1887. Historic Route 66, which runs through Kingman, offers the longest remaining preserved stretch of old U.S. Route 66 left in the United States. The Powerhouse Visitor Center and other sites of interest are located along Historic Route 66 in the heart of Kingman.
Lake Havasu City
Lake Havasu City, home of the historic London Bridge, is on the east shore of Lake Havasu on the Colorado River border of California and Arizona. The opening of the London Bridge in October 1971 by McCulloch Properties, Inc. brought a unique attraction to Lake Havasu City. The Bridge has been reconstructed over a channel off Lake Havasu and an English village replica built next to it. McCulloch Properties, Inc. established the town in 1963 as a self-sufficient, planned community. It is the major population center of southern Mohave County, one of the fasted growing counties in the United States.
Williams
Williams is in the valleys and meadows at the base of Bill Williams Mountain, in the beautiful Kaibab national Forest of north-central Arizona. Known as the Gateway to the Grand Canyon©, it offers the shortest route from Interstate 40 to the splendor of the Canyon. The Grand Canyon Railway offers turn-of-the-century steam engine or vintage 1950s diesel locomotive train rides between Williams and the Grand Canyon. Williams, the city and the mountain, were named fro William S. “Bill” Williams, a famous master trapper and scout on the Santa Fe Trail. Williams maintains its attractive small-town atmosphere, while large-town conveniences and entertainment are only 30 minutes away in Flagstaff via I-40.
