Flagstaff (Navajo: Kinn) is a city located in Coconino County in northern Arizona, in the west of the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 52,894. It is the county seat , an important railroad town and home to Lowell Observatory and Northern Arizona University.
The city's name commemorates a Ponderosa Pine tree made into a tall flagpole in 1876 celebrating the United States Centennial.
Flagstaff lies near the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau and along the western side of the largest stand of ponderosa pine in the United States at an elevation around 7,000 ft (2,000 m). Humphreys Peak, an ancient volcano and the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 ft (3,850 m), is immediately north of Flagstaff in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness of the San Francisco Peaks. Old Route 66 (much of which is now Interstate 40) runs through Flagstaff between Barstow, California and the cities to the east and connects to the northern end of Interstate 17 which runs about a two and one-half hour drive south to end at Phoenix, Arizona. The town's name is mentioned in the lyrics to the song, "Route 66".
Besides winter snow skiing at the Arizona Snow Bowl west of Humphreys Peak, nearby tourist attractions include Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, and Barringer Crater (meteor crater), while Grand Canyon National Park (about a one hour drive north) and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (about a three hour drive) further up the Colorado River from the Grand Canyon are relatively close. The nearby Arboretum at Flagstaff is home to 2,500 species of drought-tolerant native plants representative of the high-desert Colorado Plateau.
Flagstaff is located at 35°11'57"N, 111°37'52"W.
At 7,000 feet (2,121 m) elevation, located in one of the largest Ponderosa Pine forests in the U.S., Flagstaff is considered a high desert region. However, ecosystems spanning from pinon-juniper studded plateaus, high desert, green alpine forest and barren tundra can all be found within the city limits of Flagstaff.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 164.8 km2 (63.6 mi2). 164.7 km2 (63.6 mi2) of it is land and 0.1 km2 (0.04 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 0.06% water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 52,894 people, 19,306 households, and 11,602 families residing in the city. The population density is 321.2/km2 (831.9/mi2). There are 21,396 housing units at an average density of 129.9/km2 (336.5/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 77.92% White, 1.75% Black or African American, 9.99% Native American, 1.25% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 6.05% from other races, and 2.92% from two or more races. 16.07% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 19,306 households out of which 32.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% are married couples living together, 11.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% are non-families. 23.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 3.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.59 and the average family size is 3.13.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 21.7% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 27 years. For every 100 females there are 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $37,146, and the median income for a family is $48,427. Males have a median income of $31,973 versus $24,591 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,637. 17.4% of the population and 10.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 17.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
In 1855, then-Lieutenant Beale, surveyed a road from the Rio Grande in New Mexico to Fort Tejon in California. He passed over the spot where Flagstaff now stands, and camped out at the eastern extremity of the present town. The lieutenant had his men cut the limbs from a straight pine tree in order to fly the United States flag.
Flagstaff's first recognized permanent settler was Thomas F. McMillan, who arrived in 1876 and built a cabin at the base of Mars Hill. During the 1880s, Flagstaff began to grow, opening its first post office and attracting the booming railroad industry. The town's economy largely consisted of timber, sheep and cattle, and by 1886, Flagstaff was the biggest city on the main line between Albuquerque and the West Coast.
In 1894, Percival Lowell chose Flagstaff as the site for the now famous Lowell Observatory, primarily due to its high altitude and great visibility. Thirty-six years later, Pluto was discovered through the observatory's telescopes. The Arizona Teacher's College began in 1899, which later became Northern Arizona University in 1966. During the 1920s, Route 66 was built and passed through the city making Flagstaff a popular tourist stop. Flagstaff was incorporated as a city in 1928.
Today, Flagstaff is a community rich with cultural diversity, beauty and history, as well as amazing educational, recreational and scientific opportunities.
Source:
Flagstaff, AZ
HOTELS • REAL ESTATE • JOBS