Greenlee County, Arizona
Greenlee County,
Arizona's 14th county was created from the eastern part of Graham
County by an act of the 25th territorial assembly on March 10, 1909.
There was great resistance to the formation of this new county because
Graham County would loose considerable revenue. As a compromise
Greenlee County assumed $146,000 debt that Graham County had and
Greenlee County was smaller than originally proposed. The County was
named after Mason Greenlee, an early day mining man. The County is 120
miles long and 20 miles wide it covers 1,837 square miles. The majority
of the land is government owned. The Forest Service controls 63.5
percent; the Bureau of Land Management controls 13.6 percent; the State
of Arizona controls 14.8; and individual or corporate ownership is 8.1
percent. Greenlee County has a population of 8,605 (2002 Census).
Clifton's population is 2,595; Duncan's population is 825; Morenci's
population is 1,882. Clifton is the county seat. The topography
consists of desert terrains, river valley, and high mountain ranges. In
about a four-hour drive you can experience dramatic environmental
changes ranging from the cacti of the upper Sonoran desert to
spectacular and sweeping slopes of mountains covered with pine, fir,
and aspen. The life zones that exist in the 127 mile trip from Clifton
to Springerville are the same as what you would see on a road trip from
Mexico to Canada. Mining and stock raising are the principal
industries. The copper industry has been an important industry in
Greenlee County and the State of Arizona for more than 130 years. The
Morenci mining district has evolved into a world class operation
providing approximately 18% of the world copper production. In recent
years, more people are discovering the many rich and varied scenic and
recreational delights to be found here. Greenlee County is becoming
increasingly important as a travel attraction in the State of Arizona.
| Greenlee County | Arizona | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, 2003 estimate | 7,517 | 5,580,811 |
| Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2003 | -12.1% | 8.8% |
| Population, 2000 | 8,547 | 5,130,632 |
| Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000 | 6.7% | 40.0% |
| Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2000 | 8.3% | 7.5% |
| Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2000 | 31.7% | 26.6% |
| Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2000 | 9.9% | 13.0% |
| Female persons, percent, 2000 | 47.8% | 50.1%? |
| White persons, percent, 2000 (a) | 74.2% | 75.5% |
| Black or African American persons, percent, 2000 (a) | 0.5% | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2000 (a) | 1.7% | 5.0% |
| Asian persons, percent, 2000 (a) | 0.2% | 1.8% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2000 (a | Z | 0.1% |
| Persons reporting some other race, percent, 2000 (a) | 20.0% | 11.6% |
| Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2000 | 3.5% | 2.9% |
| Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000 (b) | 43.1% | 25.3% |
| White persons, not of Hispanic/Latino origin, percent, 2000 | 53.9% | 63.8%? |