Arizona City (Yuma, Arizona)

Arizona City or Arizona is the name of the original settlement at the Yuma Crossing, in what is now, Yuma, Arizona.

From 1853 a small settlement, Arizona City, grew up on the high ground across from Fort Yuma, first as the adobe residence of Mrs. Bowman the fort's mess cook. This was purchased for use as a store the next year by George F. Hooper. On the mail route with the arrival of the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line in 1857, and the Butterfield Overland Mail in 1858, the town received its post office of Arizona with its first postmaster John Blake Dow March 17, 1858. At that time it consisted of adobe dwellings, two stores and two saloons.[1]

Originally part of Doña Ana County, New Mexico Territory, on February 1, 1860, Arizona City became part of Arizona County, New Mexico Territory. Arizona County comprised all the land of the Gadsden Purchase west of a line close to the current New Mexico - Arizona border, with its seat at Tubac, later Tucson from July 8, 1861.[2]:75

Arizona City was damaged and down river rivals Colorado City and Jaeger City were destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862. Colorado City was rebuilt on higher ground and became part of Arizona City. Jaeger City was abandoned, its remaining inhabitants and the ferry moved up river to become part of Arizona City.[1][3] With the end of the Butterfield route through New Mexico Territory in March 1861, and Apache hostilities mail ceased to be delivered except by military courier and the Arizona post office was discontinued June 8, 1863. Its second and last postmaster from July 7, 1858, Landsford Warren Hastings, later in the American Civil War proposed a plan, (never carried out), for the Confederacy to recapture Arizona as part of a campaign to cause a rising of southerners in California to take California from the Union. Hastings after the Civil War attempted to colonize Brazil with former Confederates.[2]:75

The town post office was restored with the return of mail service on October 1, 1866, but with the name of Yuma. On October 28, 1869, it was renamed Arizona City. By 1870 the population of Arizona City had risen to 1,144.[4]:43 In 1871, it became the county seat of Yuma County replacing La Paz. Finally both the post office and city took the name Yuma on April 14, 1873.[2]:75,84,138

References

  1. 1 2 Richard E. Lingenfelter, Steamboats on the Colorado River, 1852-1916, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1978 Archived January 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine., p.15
  2. 1 2 3 John and Lillian Theobald, Arizona Territory Post Offices & Postmasters, The Arizona Historical Foundation, Phoenix, 1961.
  3. ↑ Thomas Edwin Farish, History of Arizona, Volume I. The Filmer Brothers Electrotype Company, San Francisco, 1915. pp. 252-253
  4. ↑ Richard Josiah Hinton, The Handbook to Arizona: Its Resources, History, Towns, Mines, Ruins, and Scenery, Payot, Upham & Company, San Francisco, 1878

Coordinates: 32°41′32″N 114°36′55″W / 32.69222°N 114.61528°W / 32.69222; -114.61528

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