Genealogy Trails

Mohave County, Arizona


Mojave ( Mohave ) County History

This county has an area of 13,421 square miles, or a little over one-fourth the size of the State of New York. This county is one of the original counties into which the Territory of Arizona was divided by the first legislature that met at Prescott, in 1864, excepting a small portion, a remnant of Pai Ute County, which was added later. The main portion of the Pai Ute County was, by act of Congress, attached to Nevada.

This county is bounded on the north by a portion of the State of Nevada and Utah, on the east by the counties of Coconino and Yavapai, on the south by the county of Yuma and on the west by the states of California and Nevada.

The population of this county by census of 1900 was 3,426. The county-seat is Kingman, which is a place of considerable commercial importance, situated upon the line of the Santa Fe and Pacific Railroad. From this point a road puts off to the north or nearly so, some thirty-five miles to a town called Chloride, which road will eventually be continued on into Nevada and connect with the Pacific Coast system. Up to the present time this is almost exclusively a mining county and some of the great producing mines of the Pacific slope are within its boundaries, yet her mountains have only been scratched over. Labor, judiciously applied, will yet make Mojave County one of the richest gems of earth as far as producing the precious metals will go toward such a result.

The Hualapi Indian Reservation lies partially in this county, and the lower portion of the Grand Canon of the Colorado. This county was among the earliest worked for the precious metals which may be attributed to its proximity to the Colorado River, as for a long distance that river separates it from California on the west and finally nearly bisects the county from east to west.

The Hualapi Indians were very troublesome in an early day, and even after Americans began to come in and locate for the purpose of working the mines, many were butchered and their bones left to bleach on hill and plain.

Mining in this county has been continuously conducted since 1864 at an immense profit to the fortunate owners. At or about this time the California Volunteers succeeded in subduing the Indians and placing them upon reservations, thus permitting the entrance of settlers, however, active settlement did not really commence until 1871 owing to the sullen hostility of these Indians.

The fame of the mines then began to be bruited abroad and in a short time many were opened and permanent settlements were assured. The earliest prospecting done in the limits of what is now Mojave County was in 1857-8, when many very important discoveries were made in the Sacramento Valley, but no great progress was made before 1863-4, owing to before mentioned Indian hostility.

The first settlements of American miners were in the Hualapi, Peacock and Cerbat Mountain Ranges, just before the outbreak of the Civil War. Since its organization as a county it has been the scene of active mining operations and in fact much mining was carried forward in this county when but little was done in any of the other counties of Arizona, and for some years the only communication with the outside world was by the long, tedious and uncertain route of the Colorado River and its development was in consequence slow.

There is in the county an immense amount of land, say 600,000 acres, that could be rendered productive by bringing water upon it, which can be done by means of irrigating canals from the Colorado River. The lands of Hualapi Valley, of which there are something over 400,0x30 acres, will produce small grains without irrigation, and if irrigated will raise all crops known to this latitude.

Of minerals, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, antimony, and turquoise are the principal ones of value. It is a cause of regret to many that there is only one church within the limits of the county, says one historian, but in making such a statement the author shows his views of "church" to be narrow, as when that passage was written the Methodists had a church at Kingman. The self-styled Latter-day Saints (Mormons) had a settlement in a valley up next the Utah line, and wherever they had a settlement or stake, was a place of worship. Of schools the county is well supplied, well taught and well attended.

In Kingman is a fine brick schoolhouse capable of accommodating two hundred pupils and at Kingman two good papers are published.

This county will, at no distant day, support a large population, but at present it takes too large an outlay of capital to bring water upon her uplands, and to open up her vast mineral deposits, to be available for men of limited means.

Source: The History of Arizona: From the Earliest Times Known to the People of Europe to 1903 By Sidney Randolph De Long, Arizona Pioneers' Historical Society Published by The Whitaker & Ray company, 1905


Mohave County

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of 2007, its population was estimated to be 194,944, an increase of 39,912 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman. The largest city is Lake Havasu City.

Mohave County contains parts of Grand Canyon National Park and Lake Mead National Recreation Area and all of the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. The Kaibab, Fort Mojave and Hualapai Indian Reservations also lie within the county.

History

Mohave County was the one of four original Arizona Counties created by the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature. The county territory was originally defined as being west of latitude 113° 20' and north of the Bill Williams River. Pah-Ute County was created from it in 1865 and was merged back into Mohave County in 1871 when much of its territory was ceded to Nevada in 1866. The county's present boundaries were established in 1881.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 13,470 square miles (34,886 km), of which, 13,312 square miles (34,477 km) of it is land and 158 square miles (409 km) of it (1.17%) is water. The county is the fifth largest U.S. county in area (excluding boroughs and census areas in Alaska), exceeded in size only by adjacent San Bernardino County, California (20,053 square miles), adjacent Coconino County (18,617 square miles), and the Nevada counties of Nye (18,147 square miles) and Elko (17,179 square miles).

The Colorado River forms most of the county's western boundary, and California, Nevada and Utah all border it. The river also runs east to west through Mohave County, dividing it between two of Arizona's geographic regions, the Arizona Strip in the north and the Mojave Desert in the south.

Adjacent counties

Mohave County and its adjacent counties form the largest such block of counties outside of Alaska. Their combined land area is 231,978.34 km (89,567.34 sq mi), or larger than that of the state of Idaho. They include the #1 (San Bernardino), #2 (Coconino), #5 (Mohave), and #7 (Lincoln) largest counties outside of Alaska.

National protected areas

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 155,032 people, 62,809 households, and 43,401 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 80,062 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.06% White, 0.54% Black or African American, 2.41% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 4.00% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. 11.08% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 62,809 households out of which 25.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.10% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.10% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 20.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,521, and the median income for a family was $36,311. Males had a median income of $28,505 versus $20,632 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,788. About 9.80% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

By 2006 Census Bureau estimates placed the population of Mohave County at 193,035. This represented a 24.5% increase in the population since 2000.[5]

Communities

Cities

Town

Census-designated places


Other communities


Mohave County, Arizona


This county is created out of the northwestern part of the Territory, and is surrounded on the west by the Colorado River. The remarks heretofore made of the river valley in Yuma County will apply to this county. The county lying east of the Colorado River is generally rolling and hilly, covered with nutritious grasses and an abundance of wood and timber. Stock thrives the year through without prepared food. There is a free pasturage in this county alone, yet unoccupied, for immense herds, and many valleys of excellent agricultural lands.

It has been known since the society of the Territory, that nearly all the mountains in this county contained lodes of gold, silver, copper and lead, and, in 1863, an attempt was made to developed and work some of these lodes; some machinery was erected and considerable money expended, but as has been the case in nearly all new mining counties, hostility of Indians, extravagance, want of experience, etc., the investments proved disastrous, and the mining interest has been paralyzed, until within the past few months. Recently a few practical miners undertook the task of giving new life to this abandoned and almost forgotten field. Upon development, a number of lodes of gold and silver have been found, rich and extensive. A population of about five hundred miners has already accumulated in the Wallapai mining district. Machinery is being erected, roads built, and mines developed with a good prospect of excellent returns.

The inhabited places of the county are Mohave City, located on the Colorado River; Hardyville, six miles above, and the Wallapai mining district.

All merchandise are principally shipped up the Colorado River, and landed either at Mohave or Hardyville, although wagon trains are constantly running from Los Angeles with goods for this section and the interior.

MOHAVE COUNTY.


"This county is bounded on the east by the line of 113° 20' west longitude; on the north by the parallel of 37° north latitude; on the west by the line of the State of California and the middle of the main channel of the Colorado River, and on the south by Williams' Fork and the main channel of the Santa Maria River above its junction with the latter stream. The seat of justice is established at Mojave City. This county lies directly north of Yuma County and is of the same general character.

"Ascending the Colorado, the first point of interest is Williams' Fork, the southern line of the county. It is the largest tributary of the Colorado, and has its rise in the interior country almost as far east as Prescott. It is not navigable but usually has a good body of water. Some of the richest copper mines in the Territory are near to its bank, and have already been extensively and profitably worked. Quantities of the ore sent to Swansea have give a larger return than was expected, and it is clearly demonstrated that it will pay to ship to that place, or to Boston, if reduction works cannot be reached at a nearer point.

"A road along Williams' Fork and its tributary the Santa Maria, leads to Prescott, but it will need considerable work to be made popular. A company was chartered by the Legislature to improve it. In the opinion of Capt. Walker, the veteran pioneer of Central Arizona, and of others, the junction of Williams' Fork and the Colorado is the natural and best point for a large town or city; and a town named Aubry has been laid out there.

"Fort Mojave, upon the Colorado, one hundred and sixty miles above La Paz, is a noted point, and one of the longest occupied in the Territory by the whites. Within a mile of the fort is Mojave City, a sprightly town laid out and chiefly built by the California volunteers stationed at the fort for two or three years past. There are some good agricultural lands in the vicinity, and gardens abound. The visit of the chief of the Mojave Indians (Iretaba) to New York and Washington in 1863-4, gave him such an exalted opinion of the white man and the power of the general government, that he has not ceased to urge his people to the most friendly relations, and to habits of industry and enterprise.

"At Mojave, as at La Paz and Fort Yuma, there is a well regulated ferry across the Colorado, with scows calculated to convey wagons and stock.

"Hardyville, nine miles above Mojave, upon the Colorado, is a young, but active and hopeful settlement. It has a large trade from the quartz mining districts around it, and even from the Wauba Yuma district, forty miles in the interior, and from Prescott, the capital, one hundred and sixty miles inland.

" Recently the Utah people have flocked to Hardyville for their annual supplies finding it much easier than to go, as heretofore, to San Bernardino and Los Angeles.

"The mines of the several districts contiguous to Mojave and Hardyville, and of El Dorado Canyon, sixty miles further up the river, are among the most noted and promising in the newly known portions of Arizona. The ledges are many of them very large; the ores both of gold and silver, the latter predominating, are surprisingly rich. Considerable money has already been expended in opening the lodes, one or two mills are in operation, and others are contracted for. Immediately upon the river there is a dearth of wood, but a supply may be had from the Sacramento and Wauba Yuma districts, and from the Vegas, thirty miles north of El Dorado Canyon, or from the Buckskin Mountains, one hundred miles north. Rafted down the river, it would cost but little more than for the cutting.

"The navigation of the Colorado above El Dorado Canyon has only been attempted (excepting by Ives) since the Mormon trade began to attract attention and assume importance. It has now been ascertained by trial that steamboats may ascend at all seasons to a point one hundred miles north of Hardyville, and less than four hundred miles from Great Salt Lake City, by a road over which goods may be hauled without difficulty. At this point upon the River a town named Callville is just begun. It will be the depot for Utah, and. of course, more convenient than Hardyville. Callville is but a little more than one hundred miles south of St. George, a thrifty Mormon town close upon the Arizona line, if not within the Territory, and from which place and the fertile district about it, supplies of cheese, butter, vegetables and fruit have already found their way to the mining districts of El Dorado Canyon, Hardyville and Mojave.

"The Colorado is the largest river between the Mississippi and the Pacific, and the only navigable stream in Arizona. Its position between the Territory and California, its connection with the Gulf and the Pacific, the vast mineral wealth of its banks, and the important trade of Arizona and Utah, make it a most valuable highway, and one to the navigation of which careful attention should be given. With a constantly changing channel, a swift current and a bed of quicksand, it requires experience, patience and skill to conduct the steamers with safety. These are necessarily of light draft and limited accommodation for freight. It is believed that those now in use may, by remodeling, be greatly improved in speed and capacity, and that freight may be delivered at much less cost of time and money than is now required. In the upper part of the river are a few obstructions, for the removal of which a small appropriation has been asked from Congress.

"The present rates of freight are from two to three cents per pound from San Francisco to towns as high up the river as La Paz, and four cents to Hardyville; probably six to Callville. Ore is carried to San Francisco for from $20 to $25 per ton. This is considerably cheaper than transportation can be had by the roads across California. As yet there is only an irregular line of sailing vessels from San Francisco to the mouth of the Colorado (one hundred miles below Fort Yuma), and upon an average, three weeks are consumed in making the voyage. With a line of propellers as projected, this time might be reduced to a week or ten days.

Source: History of Arizona, Volume 4 By Thomas Edwin Farish

Return To The Main Index Page