Itak, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Itak, Arizona
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Country | United States |
State | Arizona |
County | Pima |
Elevation | 2,297 ft (700 m) |
Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (MST) |
Area code(s) | 520 |
GNIS feature ID | 24471 |
Itak is a small community located in Pima County, Arizona, in the United States. It is known as a "populated place," which means it's an area where people live, but it doesn't have its own official city government like a big town or city.
What's in a Name?
The name Itak comes from the O'odham language, which is spoken by the Native American people who have lived in this region for a very long time. In their language, "Itak" means "point of mountain."
From Rocky Point to Itak
For many years, especially in the early 1900s, European settlers called this place Rocky Point. However, the local residents, who were mostly O'odham people, preferred their traditional name, Itak.
On September 8, 1939, an important government group called the Office of Indian Affairs (which is now known as the Bureau of Indian Affairs) asked the USGS to officially change the name. They wanted the name to be Itak because it was what the local people wanted and it had a deeper historical meaning.
Official Recognition
After looking into the request, another group called the Board on Geographic Names made a decision. On April 10, 1941, they officially agreed to name the place Itak. This made the name "Itak" the official one for this community.
Location and Landscape
Itak is located in a part of Arizona that has a unique landscape. It sits at an estimated elevation of about 2,297 feet (or 700 meters) above sea level. This means it's quite high up, giving it a different climate and environment compared to lower areas.