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PIMA COUNTY
Pima
County,
the second largest of the four original counties, was
created in 1864 and included approximately all of southern Arizona
acquired from Mexico by the Gadsen Purchase. Settlement of the region
goes back to the arrival in the I 690s of the Spanish who encountered
Native Americans already living there.
About
the
middle of the 18th century, silver and gold were discovered
and prospectors from Mexico entered the area in droves. The latter part
of the century saw expansion of mining and ranching in Pima County and
an increase in population, despite the threat of attack from roaming
bands of Apaches.
The
Royal
Presidio de San Augustin del Tucson was completed by 1781,and
it remained the northern-most outpost of Mexico until the arrival of
American soldiers in 1856. From a population of 395 in 1820, Tucson has
grown to be the second largest city in Arizona. It has always served as
the Pima County seat and was the Arizona Territorial capital from 1867
to 1877. Tucson is home to the University of Arizona and offers many
historical and cultural attractions.
Just
south
of Tucson is the Mission of San Xavier del Bac, founded in
1697 by Father Kino and still in use today. Within Pima County are two
cactus forests Saguaro National Park to the northeast and Organ Pipe
Cactus National Monument in the southwestern portion.
Although
greatly
reduced from its original size, Pima County still
covers 9184 square miles. It ranges in elevation from 1,200 feet to the
9,185-foot peak of Mount Lemmon. The San Xavier, Pascua Yaqul and
Tohono O'odham reservations together account for ownership of 42.1
percent of land located in Pima County. The state of Arizona owns 14.9
percent; the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, 12.1
percent; other public lands, 17.1 percent: and individual or corporate
ownership, 13.8 percent. Pima County has an Enterprise Zone that
includes all of South Tucson, central Tucson, portions of Marana,
Sahuarita, parts of Pima County and parts of the Tohono QOdham and
Pasqua Yaqui Indian Reservations.
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