Apache Wells, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Apache Wells, Arizona
|
|
|---|---|
|
Populated place
|
|
 Apache Wells, Arizona
Location in Arizona
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Maricopa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1 sq mi (3 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,427 ft (435 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (MST) |
| ZIP codes |
85205
|
| Area code(s) | 480 |
| FIPS code | 04-02900 |
| GNIS feature ID | 36924 |
Apache Wells is a name you might hear in two different ways! It's a place that shows up in old Western movies, and it's also a real community in Arizona today.
Apache Wells in Movies
In many old Western movies, "Apache Wells" is a made-up place. It's usually a quiet stop for stagecoaches in the Old West, often in southern Arizona. This name became very popular after the famous 1939 movie Stagecoach. This film helped make John Wayne a huge movie star! The movie was so popular that it was remade in 1966 and 1986.
Other Western movies that featured a fictional "Apache Wells" include:
- Duel at Apache Wells (1957)
- Apache Territory (1958)
- Convict Stage (1965)
- Rampage at Apache Wells (1966)
- 40 Guns to Apache Pass (1967)
When the name "Apache Wells" was first used in movies, there wasn't a real town with that exact name in Arizona. However, there were two small places nearby with similar names: Apache Junction and Desert Wells. Both of these places had been important stops for stagecoaches since the 1800s.
The Real Apache Wells
Today, Apache Wells is a real place where people live. It's a retirement community located inside the city of Mesa. Mesa is a large suburb of Phoenix, which is a major city in Arizona. Apache Wells is part of Maricopa County.
This community was started in 1962 by the Hughes family. It sits about 1,427 feet (435 meters) above sea level. The area of Apache Wells is about one square mile.
