Central, Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Central, Arizona
Census-designated place
Location of Central in Graham County, Arizona.
Central, Arizona Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Central, Arizona Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Graham
Area
• Total	1.68 sq mi (4.34 km2)
• Land	1.68 sq mi (4.34 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	2,881 ft (878 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	758
• Density	452.27/sq mi (174.62/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
ZIP code	85531
Area code(s)	928
GNIS feature ID	2582751

Central is a small community in Graham County, Arizona, United States. It's called a census-designated place, which means it's a special area used for counting people. In 2020, about 758 people lived there. Central is part of the larger Safford micropolitan area.

You can find Central between the towns of Thatcher and Pima. These towns are all west of Safford, which is the main city in Graham County. The main road through Central is U.S. Route 70. Central uses the ZIP Code 85531.

History of Central

Early Settlers and Community Building

Central's story began in 1880. The Cluff family was the first to settle here. They built the Central Canal to bring water to their farms. Other settlers later helped extend this canal.

In 1883, people started building a one-room white rock building. This building was used as both a church and a school. By 1884, about twenty families lived in Central. These families included the Cluffs, Nortons, Shurtz, Biglers, and Websters. In 1978, the streets in Central were named after these early families.

The Church and Education

In December 1883, a local church group, the Central Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was formed. Joseph Cluff became its first leader. A new red brick church was built in 1885. This was the first proper meeting house in this part of Arizona.

This church also served as the first home for the LDS Academy from December 1890 to May 1891. A special marker near Highway 70 remembers this important place. The academy later moved to Thatcher and became Eastern Arizona College.

Growth and Changes

In 1894, a church historian named Andrew Jensen visited Central. He reported that 35 families, or 178 people, were part of the church. He noted that Central had many orchards, large fields of alfalfa, and good grain. The church building was the only public building. There was also a small store and a post office. Many homes were built from brick and adobe.

A railroad line was completed through Central in 1896. This helped the community connect with other places. In 1905, the main part of the Central Canal washed away. After that, people used the Smithville and Union Canals for water. By 1960, Central's population was around 100 people.

The Gila Valley Arizona Temple

The Gila Valley Arizona Temple is a special building for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It opened in Central in 2010. This temple was the third one built in Arizona. It was also the first temple announced by Thomas S. Monson after he became the church's president in 2008. President Monson dedicated the temple on May 23, 2010.

Geography of Central

Central is located just south of the Gila River. This area is known as the Upper Gila Valley. If you look south from Central, you can see Mount Graham. This tall mountain is part of the Pinaleño Mountains and makes for a beautiful view.

Population Information

The population of Central has grown over the years.

• In 1960, about 100 people lived in Central.
• By 2020, the population had grown to 758 people.

Notable People from Central

Some interesting people have connections to Central:

• Jack Elam (1920–2003) was a famous actor. He appeared in 119 movies and 260 television shows. He lived in Central for a short time as a child.
• Dale Smith (1928–2017) grew up in Central. He was a very skilled cowboy. He was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1995. He also joined the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.
• James Martin Smith (1892–1970) was a local rancher and farmer. He was also a church leader and a politician. He ran for governor of Arizona as a Democrat. He also owned a newspaper called the Arizona Journal.

See also

In Spanish: Central (Arizona) para niños