List of National Historic Landmarks in Arizona facts for kids

Arizona is home to many amazing places that are super important to the history of the United States! These special spots are called National Historic Landmarks (NHLs). Think of them like VIPs of history – they are recognized because they tell important stories about our country.

There are 47 National Historic Landmarks in Arizona. This number includes the famous Hoover Dam, which is so big it's in both Arizona and Nevada! It also includes the Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites, which stretches into California. The very first place in Arizona to become an NHL was the beautiful San Xavier del Bac Mission way back in October 1960. The newest one is the Klagetoh (Leegito) Chapter House, added in January 2021.

Amazing Historic Places in Arizona

1956 Grand Canyon Aviation Accident Site

This site marks the spot of a terrible airplane crash in 1956. Two big planes, one from TWA and one from United Airlines, crashed into each other over the Grand Canyon National Park. More than 100 people died, making it the first major commercial air disaster in the United States. This sad event led to the creation of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which helps make sure air travel is safe for everyone.

Air Force Facility Missile Site 8

Near Green Valley, you can find the last remaining Titan II missile launch facility. This was a super-secret place during the Cold War, designed to launch huge missiles if needed. Luckily, it was never used for that! Now, it's a museum where you can learn about this part of history.

Apache Pass and Fort Bowie

Located near Bowie, this area remembers the long conflict between the Chiricahua Apaches and the United States military. It also protects the ruins of Fort Bowie, an old army fort. It's a place to learn about a challenging time in Arizona's past.

Awatovi Ruins

The Awatovi Ruins near Keams Canyon are the remains of a 500-year-old pueblo village. This ancient village was even visited by explorers working for Coronado in 1540! It gives us a peek into the lives of people who lived here centuries ago.

Casa Malpais Site

The Casa Malpais site near Springerville is a ruin built around 1250 by the Mogollon culture. People lived here until about 1400. Today, you can take tours and visit a museum to explore this fascinating ancient settlement.

Mary Jane Colter Buildings

These buildings are found along the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. They were designed by a famous architect named Mary Jane Colter. She made sure her buildings, like the Desert View Watchtower and Hopi House, blended in beautifully with the natural surroundings of the Grand Canyon.

Desert Laboratory

The Desert Laboratory in Tucson was started in 1903. Scientists here studied how plants survive in the dry desert. Their long-term experiments helped create the science of Ecology, which is all about how living things interact with their environment. It's part of the University of Arizona.

Double Adobe Site

Near Douglas, the Double Adobe site is an important archaeological spot. It's where scientists learned a lot about the ancient Cochise Culture, showing how people lived and developed in this area a very long time ago.

El Tovar Hotel

The El Tovar Hotel is a classic lodge located at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, in Grand Canyon Village. Built in the early 1900s, it's known for its rustic style and amazing views.

Fort Apache and Theodore Roosevelt School

This site in Fort Apache was once the historic Fort Apache. Later, it became a school called the Theodore Roosevelt School, which aimed to teach Native American children new ways of life. Today, it's a tribal museum that shares the history of the area.

Fort Huachuca

Fort Huachuca near Sierra Vista is a historic army post. It's especially known for its connection to the "Buffalo Soldiers," African American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army after the Civil War.

Gatlin Site

The Gatlin Site in Gila Bend protects a special platform mound, pit houses, ball courts, and ancient canals built by the Hohokam people. These ruins show how advanced this ancient culture was.

Grand Canyon Depot

This railway station in Grand Canyon Village was built between 1909 and 1910 for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. It's a beautiful old building that welcomed many visitors to the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon Lodge

The Grand Canyon Lodge is located at Bright Angel Point on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. It's a stunning lodge that offers incredible views of the canyon.

Grand Canyon Park Operations Building

This building in Grand Canyon Village was built in 1929 for the National Park Service. It was designed to blend in with the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon, showing early efforts to make buildings fit their surroundings.

Grand Canyon Power House

Also in Grand Canyon Village, the Grand Canyon Power House is another rustic building. It was designed to hide its true purpose: providing power to the railroad that brought visitors to the canyon.

Grand Canyon Village Historic District

Grand Canyon Village is a planned town that's important for how it was designed. It shows early ideas about urban planning and being kind to the environment, making sure the town fit well with the amazing natural landscape.

Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is a massive and historic dam, power plant, and water-storage facility. It's located in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and is shared by Arizona and Nevada. Built in the 1930s, it's an incredible feat of engineering!

Hubbell Trading Post

The Hubbell Trading Post near Ganado was a meeting place where two cultures came together: the Navajo people and the settlers. It's a special spot that shows how different groups interacted and traded goods.

Jerome Historic District

Jerome is a historic copper mining town. It's known for its steep hills and old buildings that tell the story of Arizona's mining boom.

Kinishba Ruins

The Kinishba Ruins near Whiteriver are the remains of a large pueblo village. You can visit these ruins through the Fort Apache Historical Park to learn about the ancient people who lived there.

Klagetoh (Leegito) Chapter House

The Klagetoh (Leegito) Chapter House in Klagetoh is the most recently designated National Historic Landmark in Arizona, added in 2021. It's an important place for the Navajo community.

Lehner Mammoth-Kill Site

Near Hereford, the Lehner Mammoth-Kill Site is an archaeological site where the ancient Clovis culture hunted and butchered mammoths. It gives us clues about how early humans lived and hunted thousands of years ago.

Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi Mission

The Mission Los Santos Ángeles de Guevavi near Nogales are the ruins of a Spanish mission church. It was founded in 1691 and is an important part of Arizona's Spanish colonial history.

Lowell Observatory

The Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff is a famous place where scientists study space. It's where the dwarf planet Pluto was discovered in 1930!

C. Hart Merriam Base Camp Site

This site near Flagstaff was where C. Hart Merriam worked. He was a very important eco-biologist who studied how living things interact with their environment, paving the way for new scientific discoveries.

Murray Springs Clovis Site

The Murray Springs Clovis Site near Sierra Vista is another important Clovis culture site. Here, archaeologists found evidence of ancient people hunting bison and mammoths. You can visit this site to learn more about early human life.

Navajo Nation Council Chamber

The Navajo Nation Council Chamber in Window Rock is the main building for the government of the Navajo Nation. It's a very important place for the Navajo people and their leaders.

Old Oraibi

Old Oraibi is a historic Hopi village near Oraibi. It's one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in North America, meaning people have lived there for a very, very long time!

Painted Desert Community Complex Historic District

This complex is located in Petrified Forest National Park. It's a group of buildings that are important for their design and how they fit into the unique desert landscape.

Painted Desert Inn

The Painted Desert Inn is a lodge also found in the Petrified Forest National Park. It's known for its unique architecture and its beautiful views of the colorful Painted Desert.

Phelps Dodge General Office Building

This building in Bisbee was the main office for the Phelps Dodge mining company from 1896 to 1961. It tells the story of Arizona's rich mining history and the companies that shaped it.

Point of Pines Sites

The Point of Pines Sites are a group of archaeological sites on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. They contain evidence of several ancient cultures, including the Anasazi, Mogollon, and Hohokam. It was also a site for archaeological field camps.

Poston Elementary School, Unit 1, Colorado River Relocation Center

Located near Parker, this is the only surviving elementary school building from any World War II-era Japanese internment camp. It was part of the former Poston War Relocation Center, where Japanese Americans were forced to live during the war. It's a powerful reminder of a difficult time in American history.

Pueblo Grande Ruin and Irrigation Sites

In Phoenix, the Pueblo Grande Ruin and Irrigation Sites include the Pueblo Grande Ruin and nearby ancient irrigation systems built by the Hohokam-Pima people. These sites show how ancient cultures managed water in the desert.

Sage Memorial Hospital School of Nursing

This historic site in Ganado was a school for nursing at the Sage Memorial Hospital. It played an important role in healthcare and education for the Navajo Nation.

San Bernardino Ranch

The San Bernardino Ranch near Douglas is a historic cattle ranch. It tells the story of early ranching in Arizona and how the land was settled.

San Cayetano de Calabazas Mission

The Mission San Cayetano de Calabazas near Nogales are the ruins of another Spanish mission. Also known as Calabasas, it's part of Tumacácori National Historic Park and shows the spread of Spanish influence in the region.

San Xavier del Bac Mission

The San Xavier del Bac Mission in Tucson is a beautiful Spanish mission founded in 1699. It's often called the "White Dove of the Desert" and is a stunning example of Spanish colonial architecture. It was the first NHL in Arizona!

Sierra Bonita Ranch

The Sierra Bonita Ranch near Bonita was the very first permanent American cattle ranch in Arizona. It's a key part of the state's cowboy and ranching history.

Snaketown

Snaketown is an archaeological site within the Hohokam Pima National Monument. It contains the remains of the ancient Hohokam culture, giving us clues about their villages and way of life.

Taliesin West

Taliesin West in Scottsdale was the winter home and architectural school of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It's a unique building designed to blend with the desert landscape.

Tombstone Historic District

Tombstone is a classic Western mining boomtown. It's famous for its wild history, including the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral. It's like stepping back in time to the Old West!

Tumacacori Museum

The Tumacacori Museum in Tumacacori is a museum dedicated to Spanish missions. The museum building itself is an important architectural landmark!

Ventana Cave

Ventana Cave near Santa Rosa is an archaeological site that shows evidence of Native American people living in the area for the last 4,000 years! It's like a time capsule of human history.

Winona Site

The Winona Site near Winona is an archaeological site. It provides evidence of how cultures changed after the eruption of Sunset Crater, a volcano that shaped the landscape.

Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites

The Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites include important archaeological and historical places in Yuma, AZ and Winterhaven, CA. This area was a key crossing point on the Colorado River and includes sites like the Yuma Quartermaster Depot and the Arizona Territorial Prison.

Former Listing

Sometimes, a National Historic Landmark might be removed from the list if it changes too much or loses its historic importance.

Roosevelt Dam

The Roosevelt Dam was once a National Historic Landmark. When it was built between 1906 and 1911, it was the tallest masonry dam in the world and the first major dam project in the western United States. However, it was significantly changed between 1989 and 1996 when it was enlarged and covered in concrete. Because of these big changes, it was removed from the list of National Historic Landmarks in 1999.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Arizona
• List of National Historic Landmarks by state