Wickenburg, Arizona

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wickenburg is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 6,224.^[1]

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Wickenburg is located at 33°57′54″N, 112°44′53″W (33.964881, -112.747936)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 29.8 km² (11.5 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 5,082 people, 2,341 households, and 1,432 families residing in the town. The population density was 170.5/km² (441.7/mi²). There were 2,691 housing units at an average density of 90.3/km² (233.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.76% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 1.18% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 4.53% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. 11.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,341 households out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.72.

In the town the population was spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,716, and the median income for a family was $40,051. Males had a median income of $34,219 versus $25,417 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,772. About 6.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

In the early 1820's, stalwart hunters and trappers explored the Hassayampa River in search of beavers, whose pelts were sold to hat makers in the eastern United States and in Europe. Their reports helped pique American interest in the West. The Wickenburg area and much of the West became part of the United States following the Mexican-American War in 1848.

An 1862 gold strike on the Colorado River near the present-day Yuma inspired hardy prospectors and miners, predominantly from California and Mexico, to search for minerals throughout central Arizona. The names of these Argonauts now grace many of the surrounding geographic landmarks, including the Weaver Mountains and Peeples Valley.

Among the gold searchers was an Austrian man named Henry Wickenburg. His quest for gold was rewarded by the discovery of the Vulture Mine, where over $30 million in gold has been dug from the ground. Throughout the foothills surrounding Wickenburg are relics of other mines that stand as a tribute to the pioneer miner and prospector. The mining lore of the region, past and present, adds much to the charm of the area.

Henry Wickenburg

Ranchers and farmers who built homes along the fertile plain of the Hassayampa River accompanied the miners. Many of the resourceful and committed settlers came from Sonora, Mexico, giving this area the distinction of being the northern edge of the Hispanic ranching frontier. Together with Henry Wickenburg and the miners, they helped found the young community of Wickenburg in 1863.

The infant town went through many trials and tribulations in those first decades, surviving Indian wars, mine closures, desperadoes, drought, and a disastrous flood in 1890 when the Walnut Creek Dam burst, killing nearly 70. Through it all, the town continued to grow. Its prosperity was insured with the coming of the railroad in 1895. The historic depot still stands today as the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitor's Center.

Along the town's main historic district, early businesses built many structures that still grace Wickenburg's downtown area. The abundant clean air and wide-open spaces attracted a new aspect of the Wickenburg neighborhood. Guest ranches offered a unique western experience to tourists who fell in love with the West. The Bar FX Ranch became the first true guest ranch in 1923, followed by the Remudas, Kay El Bar, Rancho de los Caballeros, and Flying E ranches, just to mention a few. The construction of the Phoenix to California highway (Highway 60) brought even more tourists, making Wickenburg the Dude Ranch Capital of the World. Today, some of these ranches still offer their unique brand of Western hospitality.

The Hassayampa community became a vital contributor to America's patriotic war effort during World War II when the U.S. Army trained thousands of men to fly gliders at a newly constructed airfield west of Wickenburg. After the War, modern pioneers and home builders developed Wickenburg into a splendid American community. Wickenburg of today is a modern town with over 600 businesses providing a full range of services, shopping conveniences, specialty shops and galleries for gifts of western distinction.