Pima, Arizona

My riding for the month of March finished up in the small town of Pima, Arizona.

Pima is located in Graham County, Arizona. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,989.

Fur trappers first used the area around Pima as they searched for pelts during the 1820’s and 1830’s. These men traveled along the nearby Gila River. This river served as a trail called the Gila Trail. In 1879, a group of Mormon settlers arrived in the area and immediately a community was created. These Mormon travelers were looking for a site to build a canal and to grow agricultural crops. They discovered that the Gila Valley was ideal for what they were looking for. The settlers laid out a town site and quickly built a canal system for their crops. They named the town Smithville in honor of the Mormon leader Jesse Smith. In 1880, the town established a post office. It was at this time that the town changed its name to Pima, after the local Indian tribe. The town was incorporated four years later in 1884.

Agriculture remained the most important economic resource for Pima throughout the years they have been a city. The Gila River and the canals have helped considerably to grow the crops and to help the area prosper. The main crops harvested today are alfalfa, cotton and grain. Cattle has also been helpful to the economic base of the area. Recently, the town has become a popular retirement community and tourist spot.