Gila County, Arizona

Gila County, Arizona
Gila County Courthouse in Globe, Arizona
Seal
Location in the state of Arizona
Arizona's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 8, 1881
Seat	Globe
Largest city	Payson
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	4,795.74 sq mi (12,421 km²) 4,767.70 sq mi (12,348 km²) 28.03 sq mi (73 km²), 0.58%
PopulationEst.  - (2011)  - Density	53,144 11/sq mi (4.3/km²)
Time zone	Mountain: UTC-7
Website	www.gilacountyaz.gov/

Gila County is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census its population was 53,597. The county seat is Globe.

Gila County contains parts of Fort Apache Indian Reservation and San Carlos Indian Reservation.

History

The county was formed from parts of Maricopa County and Pinal County on February 8, 1881. The boundary was then extended eastward to the San Carlos River by public petition in 1889. The original county seat was in the mining community of Globe City, now Globe, Arizona.

In the 1880s, a long range war broke out in Gila County that became the most costly feud in American history, resulting in an almost complete annihilation of the families involved. The Pleasant Valley War (also sometimes called the Tonto Basin Feud or Tonto Basin War) matched the cattle-herding Grahams against the sheep-herding Tewksburys. Once partisan feelings became tense and hostilities began, Frederick Russell Burnham, who later became a celebrated scout and the inspiration for the boy scouts, was drawn into the conflict on the losing side. Burnham shot many men in the feud, and was himself nearly killed by a bounty hunter. Tom Horn, a famous assassin, was also known to have taken part as a killer for hire, but it is unknown as to which side employed him, and both sides suffered several murders to which no suspect was ever identified. In the 1960s, it was home of Gerald Gault, who was the subject of the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in re Gault, that stated juveniles have the same rights as adults when arrested to be notifyed of the charges against them, the rights to attorneys and to confront their accusers.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 4,795.74 square miles (12,420.9 km²), of which 4,767.70 square miles (12,348.3 km²) (or 99.42%) is land and 28.03 square miles (72.6 km²) (or 0.58%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Yavapai County, Arizona - northwest
• Maricopa County, Arizona - west
• Pinal County, Arizona - south
• Graham County, Arizona - southeast
• Navajo County, Arizona - east, northeast
• Coconino County, Arizona - north

National protected areas

• Coconino National Forest (part)
• Tonto National Forest (part)
• Tonto National Monument

Transportation

Major highways

• U.S. Route 60
• U.S. Route 70
• State Route 77
• State Route 87
• State Route 188
• State Route 260

Airports

The following public-use airports are location in the county:

• Payson Airport in Payson, Arizona
• San Carlos Apache Airport near Globe, Arizona

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1890	2,021		—
1900	4,973		146.1%
1910	16,348		228.7%
1920	25,678		57.1%
1930	31,016		20.8%
1940	23,867		−23.0%
1950	24,158		1.2%
1960	25,745		6.6%
1970	29,255		13.6%
1980	37,080		26.7%
1990	40,216		8.5%
2000	51,335		27.6%
2010	53,597		4.4%
Est. 2011	53,144		−0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census 2011 estimate

2010

Where as according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:

• 76.8% White
• 0.4% Black
• 14.8% Native American
• 0.5% Asian
• 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
• 2.0% Two or more races
• 5.4% Other races
• 17.9% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 51,335 people, 20,140 households, and 14,098 families residing in the county. The population density was 11 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 28,189 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.82% White, 0.38% Black or African American, 12.92% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 6.59% from other races, and 1.80% from two or more races. 16.65% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 9.84% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 6.29% speak Western Apache.

There were 20,140 households out of which 26.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.10% were married couples living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.10% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 22.30% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 19.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,917, and the median income for a family was $36,593. Males had a median income of $31,579 versus $22,315 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,315. About 12.60% of families and 17.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.90% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Map of the incorporated and major unincorporated areas in Gila County. Also shown are borders for Indian reservations in the County.

City

• Globe

Towns

• Hayden (part of Hayden is in Pinal County)
• Miami
• Payson
• Star Valley
• Winkelman (part of Winkelman is in Pinal County)

Census-designated places

• Canyon Day
• Central Heights-Midland City
• Claypool
• Gisela
• Peridot
• Pine
• San Carlos
• Strawberry
• Tonto Basin
• Top-of-the-World
• Young

Other communities

• Kohls Ranch
• Punkin Center

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Gila County, Arizona
• Needle's Eye Wilderness

External links

• County website