Sedona, Arizona

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Sedona, Arizona
Courthouse Butte
Courthouse Butte
Location in Yavapai County and the state of Arizona
Location in Yavapai County and the state of Arizona
Coordinates: 34°51′36″N 111°47′21″W / 34.86°N 111.78917°W / 34.86; -111.78917Coordinates: 34°51′36″N 111°47′21″W / 34.86°N 111.78917°W / 34.86; -111.78917
Country United States
State Arizona
Counties Yavapai, Coconino
Government
 - Mayor
Area
 - Total 18.6 sq mi (48.2 km2)
 - Land 18.6 sq mi (48.2 km2)
 - Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 4,326 ft (1,319 m)
Population (2007)[1]
 - Total 11,471
 - Density 548.0/sq mi (211.6/km2)
Time zone MST (UTC-7)
ZIP code 86336
Area code(s) 928
FIPS code 04-65350
Website www.sedonaaz.gov
For the Kia Motors Sedona automobile, see Kia Carnival

Sedona (pronounced /sɨˈdoʊnə/) is a city and community that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 11,220.[2]

Sedona's main attraction is its stunning array of red sandstone formations, the Red Rocks of Sedona. The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. The Red Rocks form a breathtaking backdrop for everything from spiritual pursuits to the hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails.

Sedona is named after Sedona Miller Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of the city's first postmaster, who was celebrated for her hospitality and industriousness.[3]

Contents

[edit] Climate

Sedona has a temperate mountain climate. In January, the normal high temperature is 51 degrees with a low of 21. In July, the normal high temperature is 93 degrees with a low of 63. Annual precipitation is around 19 inches.

[edit] Geography and geology

 Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (June 2007)

Sedona is located at 34°51′36″N 111°47′21″W / 34.859897°N 111.789199°W / 34.859897; -111.789199,[4] which is in the Upper Sonoran Desert of northern Arizona. At an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,372 m), Sedona has mild winters and summers that are often described as being, "not as hot as Phoenix."

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.6 square miles (48.2 km²), all of it land.

The famous red rocks of Sedona are formed by a layer of rock known as the Schnebly Hill Formation. The Schnebly Hill Formation is a thick layer of red to orange-colored sandstone found only in the Sedona vicinity. The sandstone, a member of the Supai Group, was deposited during the Permian period.

Among the rock formations is one that closely resembles the character Snoopy (from the popular Peanuts comic strip) lying on top of his doghouse. Another nearby rock is said to resemble Lucy, also from Peanuts. Other landmark rock formations include Coffeepot Rock, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Chimney Rock, Courthouse Butte, the Mittens, the Cow Pies, and the Rabbit Ears.

Panoramic view of the immediate Sedona area, covering an angle of view of approximately 90 degrees. The line of bare (deciduous) trees at center left marks the course of Oak Creek.
Panoramic view of the immediate Sedona area, covering an angle of view of approximately 90 degrees. The line of bare (deciduous) trees at center left marks the course of Oak Creek.
Panoramic north view of Sedona from Airport Mesa. Visible in the center is Greyback, also called Thunder Mountain, and Coffeepot to the right.
Panoramic north view of Sedona from Airport Mesa. Visible in the center is Greyback, also called Thunder Mountain, and Coffeepot to the right.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 10,192 people, 4,928 households, and 2,863 families residing in the city. The population density was 548.0 people per square mile (211.6/km²). There were 5,684 housing units at an average density of 305.6/sq mi (118.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.17% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 4.29% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. 8.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

At the 2000 census there were 7,229 people living in the Yavapai County (western) portion of the city (70.9% of its population) and 2,963 living in the Coconino County (eastern) portion (29.1%). By land area Yavapai had 66.2% of its area, versus 33.8% for Coconino. [6]

There were 4,928 households out of which 15.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.52.

In the city the population was spread out with 13.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 35.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,042, and the median income for a family was $52,659. Males had a median income of $32,067 versus $24,453 for females. The per capita income for the city was $31,350. About 4.7% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

[edit] Native American

The Yavapai-Apache tribe were forcefully removed from the Verde Valley in 1876, to the San Carlos Indian Reservation, 180 miles southeast. 1500 people were marched, in midwinter, to San Carlos. Several hundred lost their lives. The survivors were interned for 25 years. About 200 Yavapai-Apache people returned to the Verde Valley in 1900.[7]

[edit] Anglo-American settlement

The McDonald's in Sedona, Arizona is the only one in the world with teal arches. They are not yellow because the city thought they would mesh poorly with the surrounding red rocks. The first color McDonalds offered was teal which the city accepted.

The first Anglo settler, John J. Thompson, moved into Oak Creek Canyon in 1876. The early settlers were farmers and ranchers. Oak Creek Canyon was well-known for its peach and apple orchards. In 1902, when the Sedona post office was established, there were 55 residents. In the mid-1950s, the first telephone directory listed 155 names. Parts of the Sedona area weren't electrified until the 1960s.

Sedona began to develop as a tourist destination, vacation-home and retirement center in the 1950s. Most of the development seen today was constructed in the 1980s and 1990s. As of 2007, there are no large tracts of undeveloped land remaining. Section source:[8]

[edit] Political structure

Politically, Uptown Sedona (the part in Coconino County) and West Sedona (the Yavapai County portion) form the City of Sedona. Originally founded in 1902, the town was incorporated into a city in January 1988. The Village of Oak Creek, despite its location seven miles (11 km) to the south and outside Sedona city limits, is a significant part of the community.

[edit] Cinematic legacy

Many of Hollywood's classic westerns were filmed in or near Sedona. The red rock buttes and desert landscape provided a striking setting for these films, most notably Broken Arrow (1950), starring James Stewart. A number of the movie's shooting locations can still be visited via off-road trails.

An intricate chase scene in the Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin comedy Midnight Run was filmed on the trails surrounding Sedona.

[edit] Fire

The Brins fire of 2006

On June 18, 2006, a wildfire, reportedly started by campers, began about one mile (1.6 km) north of Sedona.[9] The so-called "Brins Fire" covered 4,317 acres (17 km2) on Brins Mesa, Wilson Mountain and in Oak Creek Canyon before the USDA Forest Service declared it 100% contained as of 6 p.m. on June 28. Containment cost was estimated at $6,400,000.[10]

[edit] Arts and special events

There are several events that are hosted annually in the Sedona area, including:

Sedona is home to several notable arts organizations in Northern Arizona.

  • The Sedona Arts Center, founded in 1958, is the oldest arts center in northern Arizona.
  • The Sedona Jazz on the Rocks festival, founded in 1982, takes place annually at Radisson Poco Diablo Resort and other locations over four days in September.
  • Chamber Music Sedona sponsors a chamber music program annually from October to May. 2007-2008 is the 25th anniversary season for this organization.
  • Sedona International Film Festival & Workshop was established in 1995. The weeklong annual festival takes place in late February and early March at Harkins Theatres while supplemental events take place at area resorts. The festival also hosts monthly events.
  • GumptionFest, established in 2006 by GumptionFest Artistic Support Foundation Executive Director Dylan Jung, is a grassroots, local art street festival takes place the first weekend of June.
  • NORAZ Poets, founded in 2003, is a nonprofit poetry network based in Sedona.

[edit] References in popular culture

  • Sedona is mentioned in the Pixies song "Havalina" the last song on their album "Bossanova." The lyrics are: "Walking in the breeze / On the plains of old Sedona / Arizona / Among the trees."
  • The Electro group Dynamix II released a single by the name of Sedona.
  • Aerosmith recorded a song called "Sedona Sunrise" released on their 2006 compilation Devil's Got a New Disguise. The lyrics and laidback tone of the song were apparently inspired by the songwriters' visit to Sedona.
  • Inspired by the gorgeous rock formations surrounding the town, music composer Steven Reineke wrote a piece which he named "Sedona."
  • In Jamie O'Neal's love ballad, "There Is No Arizona", Jamie belts out the name Sedona in the chorus, "There is no Arizona. No painted desert, no Sedona."
  • Since the 2007 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks professional baseball club, which plays its home games in Phoenix, has had uniforms dominated by a shade of red called "Sedona Red".
  • Published in 2007, the novel DEVIL'S BRIDGE by Greg Lilly sets the climatic scene on the Devil's Bridge trail near Sedona, Arizona.
  • Laughing Colors frontman Dave Tieff wrote a song called 'Sedona' on his first studio solo album, 'The Art of Peace'.

[edit] Education

Sedona is served by the Sedona-Oak Creek Unified School District.

Verde Valley School, a boarding International Baccalaureate high school with many international students, is located between the Village of Oak Creek and Red Rock Crossing. It hosts numerous 'traditions' and performances open to the community. The mascot is the Coyote. Total attendance measures about 120 students per year, grades 9-12, Monday through Friday.

Sedona Red Rock High School (SRRHS), is located near the edge of town in West Sedona. The school's mascot is the Scorpion. The high school's new campus, a series of single story buildings, is located opposite the Sedona campus of Yavapai College, in West Sedona.

Sedona Charter School (SCS) is located behind the Sedona Public Library, it serves as Montessori based school for grades K-8th grade.

Yavapai College's Sedona Center for Arts & Technology includes the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking, the Business Partnership Program, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and the University of Arizona Mini Med School.

University of Sedona, a non-traditional institute providing ministerial training and education in metaphysics.

[edit] Vortices

Cairns can signify a vortex, but more commonly, a hiking trail.
Main article: vortex

There is a specialized New Age tourist industry in Sedona, where the "Harmonic Convergence" was organized by Jose Arguelles in 1987. Some purported that "spiritual vortices" are concentrated in the Sedona area at Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, and Schnebly Hill.[11][12]

[edit] Notable current residents

[edit] Notable former residents

[edit] Photos

Susan Kliewer's statue of Sedona Schnebly outside the Sedona Public Library
Sunset over the red rocks
Sinkhole called The Devil's Kitchen in Soldier's Pass. The giant rock in the center is called The Grand Piano.
Sinagua fountain statue, also by Susan Kliewer, Sinagua Plaza, uptown Sedona
Devil's Bridge, off Dry Creek Road

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Arizona". United States Census Bureau. 2008-07-10. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2007-04-04.csv. Retrieved on 2008-07-14. 
  2. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arizona" (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. June 21, 2006. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2005-04-04.csv. Retrieved on November 14 2006. 
  3. ^ Territorial Women's Memorial Rose Garden: Sedona Miller Schnebly. (n.d.) Sharlot Hall Museum. Retrieved December 16, 2006.
  4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 
  5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 
  6. ^ American Factfinder, United States Census Bureau
  7. ^ History of the Yavapai-Apache Exodus
  8. ^ Heidinger & Trevillyan, 2007, Images of America: Sedona, Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738548005
  9. ^ USDA Forest Service. (2006, June 19). Brins Fire Update. Retrieved December 16, 2006.
  10. ^ USDA Forest Service. (2006, June 29). Brins Fire Update.PDF (34.6 KiB) Retrieved December 16, 2006.
  11. ^ NY Times travel Guide
  12. ^ NY Times: Sedona

[edit] External links

Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sedona, Arizona
v • d • e
Municipalities and communities of
Coconino County, Arizona
County seat: Flagstaff
Cities

Flagstaff | Sedona‡ | Williams
Towns
CDPs
Unincorporated
communities
Footnotes

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
v • d • e
Municipalities and communities of
Yavapai County, Arizona
County seat: Prescott
Cities

Cottonwood | Peoria‡ | Prescott | Sedona‡
Towns
CDPs
Unincorporated
communities
Footnotes

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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