Joseph City, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph City, Arizona
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Census-designated place (CDP)
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Location in Navajo County and the state of Arizona
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 Joseph City, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arizona |
| County | Navajo |
| Settled | 1876 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.41 sq mi (19.20 km2) |
| • Land | 7.40 sq mi (19.17 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,043 ft (1,537 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,307 |
| • Density | 176.62/sq mi (68.19/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (no DST/PDT) |
| ZIP code |
86032
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| Area code(s) | 928 |
| FIPS code | 04-36430 |
| GNIS ID(s) | 2582803 |
Joseph City is a small community in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. It is located on Interstate 40, about 80 miles east of Flagstaff. It's also about 35 miles west of Petrified Forest National Park. In 2020, about 1,307 people lived in Joseph City.
Contents
History of Joseph City
Joseph City was started in 1876 by a group of 73 pioneers. These settlers were members of a church called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were led by Captain William C. Allen and traveled to the Little Colorado River area in Arizona.
Joseph City was one of four early settlements along the Little Colorado River. The others were Brigham City, Sunset, and Obed. Joseph City is the only one of these original settlements that is still a community today.
Challenges with Water
One of the biggest challenges for the new settlers was getting enough water for their crops. They had to control the Little Colorado River, which was very difficult. The river often flooded and destroyed the dams they built.
The first dam was built in 1876, soon after the pioneers arrived. Over the next 18 years, they built ten more dams! The eleventh dam was built in 1894 and lasted for 29 years. When it was destroyed in 1923, the settlers had to build a new one. This dam is still used today to bring water to the community.
How Joseph City Got Its Name
The name of the community changed two times since it was founded. At first, it was called Allen's Camp, named after their leader, Captain Allen.
In January 1878, the name changed to St. Joseph. This was done to honor Joseph Smith, who founded the Latter Day Saint movement.
The final name change to Joseph City happened in 1923. The Santa Fe Railway, which had a train route through the town, also went through a city called Saint Joseph, Missouri. To avoid confusion with mail and freight, the railway asked St. Joseph, Arizona, to change its name. The people living there voted, and the name became Joseph City.
Geography and Climate
Joseph City is located in a semi-arid climate. This means it's usually dry, with not much rain. Winters can be cold or cool, and summers are hot.
Even though it's dry, Joseph City does get some snow. The average snowfall is about 6 inches (16 cm) per year. However, many winters don't get any snow at all.
| Climate data for Joseph City, Arizona | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) |
99 (37) |
89 (32) |
93 (34) |
101 (38) |
108 (42) |
106 (41) |
109 (43) |
106 (41) |
96 (36) |
89 (32) |
78 (26) |
109 (43) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 50.6 (10.3) |
57.9 (14.4) |
65.1 (18.4) |
73.3 (22.9) |
81.9 (27.7) |
92.2 (33.4) |
95.4 (35.2) |
92.2 (33.4) |
86.3 (30.2) |
74.7 (23.7) |
61.6 (16.4) |
51.5 (10.8) |
73.6 (23.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.9 (−6.2) |
25.2 (−3.8) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
35.9 (2.2) |
43.3 (6.3) |
51.4 (10.8) |
59.8 (15.4) |
59.0 (15.0) |
50.9 (10.5) |
38.2 (3.4) |
27.6 (−2.4) |
20.9 (−6.2) |
38.6 (3.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) |
−19 (−28) |
2 (−17) |
10 (−12) |
13 (−11) |
30 (−1) |
41 (5) |
36 (2) |
18 (−8) |
15 (−9) |
−10 (−23) |
−21 (−29) |
−21 (−29) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.71 (18) |
0.66 (17) |
0.72 (18) |
0.37 (9.4) |
0.38 (9.7) |
0.20 (5.1) |
1.17 (30) |
1.51 (38) |
1.18 (30) |
1.07 (27) |
0.66 (17) |
0.57 (14) |
9.2 (233.2) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.5 (3.8) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.8 (2.0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1.1 (2.8) |
0.9 (2.3) |
6.3 (16) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 5.4 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 49.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 inch) | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 3.4 |
Population and Economy
Population of Joseph City
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 1,307 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, the population of Joseph City was 1,307 people. This number helps us understand how many people live in the community.
Local Economy
The Cholla Power Plant is located near Joseph City. A power plant creates electricity, which is used by homes and businesses. This plant is an important part of the local economy.
Education in Joseph City
Joseph City has its own school district, called the Joseph City Unified School District. There are two schools that serve the community:
- Joseph City Elementary School
- Joseph City High School
The schools in Joseph City are known for their high standards, especially in tests like AIMS. The current leader of the school district is Superintendent Bryan Fields.
See also
In Spanish: Joseph City (Arizona) para niños
