Dragoon Wash (Arizona) facts for kids

Dragoon Wash is a small stream in Cochise County, Arizona. It flows into a bigger river called the San Pedro River. The stream starts near the town of Dragoon and then travels southwest until it joins the San Pedro River.

A Look Back: The History of Dragoon Wash

This stream has a cool history! Back in 1855, it showed up on a railroad map. But it wasn't called Dragoon Wash then. It was named Quercus Canyon. "Quercus" is the fancy word for oak trees. This name was chosen because many oak trees grew along the stream's path.

The valley and stream bed of Dragoon Wash were very important long ago. They offered the shortest way to travel between Dragoon Springs and the San Pedro River. This route went through a place called Dragoon Pass. This pass is located between the Dragoon Mountains and the Little Dragoon Mountains.

After reaching the end of Dragoon Wash, travelers could find a crossing point for the San Pedro River. This crossing was about 5 or 6 miles north on the east side of the river. This path was used by early mail delivery services. These included the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line and the famous Butterfield Overland Mail. Other stagecoach lines also used this route later on.