Miracle Valley, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Miracle Valley, Arizona
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Location of Miracle Valley in Cochise County, Arizona.
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 Miracle Valley, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Cochise |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.55 sq mi (1.41 km2) |
| • Land | 0.55 sq mi (1.41 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,334 ft (1,321 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 571 |
| • Density | 1,047.71/sq mi (404.74/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (no daylight saving time)) |
| ZIP code |
85615
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| Area code(s) | 520 |
| FIPS code | 04-46840 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2582827 |
Miracle Valley is a small community in Cochise County, Arizona, in the United States. It is a "census-designated place," which means it's a special area defined by the government for counting people.
Miracle Valley is about 17 miles southeast of Sierra Vista. It is located along Arizona State Highway 92. In 2010, about 644 people lived there. By 2020, the population was 571.
Contents
Miracle Valley Bible College History
Miracle Valley was started in 1959 by a preacher named A. A. Allen. He built the Miracle Valley Bible College (MVBC) on a large piece of land. This land was about 1,240 acres.
After Allen passed away in 1970, different groups owned or used the college property. These groups included the Don Stewart Evangelistic Association and the Southern Arizona Bible College. Later, the Miracle Valley Bible College and Seminary also used the campus.
The property faced financial problems and was taken over by the bank in 2009. A few years later, in 2014, a new group bought the property. They planned to fix up the old buildings and start a bible college there again.
Miracle Valley Community Conflict
In the late 1970s, a group called the Christ Miracle Healing Center and Church (CMHCC) moved to Miracle Valley. About 300 members came from Mississippi and Chicago. They bought land across the highway from the bible college.
The leader of this church, Frances E. Thomas, had been a student at the Miracle Valley Bible College earlier. She had tried to buy the college after A. A. Allen died.
Rising Tensions in the Community
Over the next two years, there were many disagreements between the church members and the local community. There were also problems with law enforcement.
One concern was about children in the church. Some children had died, and it was believed that some of these deaths happened because the church members chose not to seek medical help. The church believed strongly in faith healing.
Another issue was when the church refused to let parents and police get children who had been brought to Miracle Valley without their parents' permission. There were also racial tensions between the mostly African American church members and the mostly white local residents.
Confrontation and Departure
In late 1982, these problems led to a serious confrontation. Local police officers, with help from state law enforcement, came to arrest some church members. A large group of church members faced the officers.
During this confrontation, two church members were killed. Seven law enforcement officers were also hurt. Sadly, one church member and one sheriff's deputy later died from their injuries. After this event, the church members left Miracle Valley in early 1983.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 571 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
See also
In Spanish: Miracle Valley para niños
