Safford, Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Safford
City
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Location of Safford in Graham County, Arizona
Safford, Arizona Location in the United States Show map of the United States Safford, Arizona Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Graham
Area
• Total	9.30 sq mi (24.07 km2)
• Land	9.27 sq mi (24.00 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation	2,920 ft (890 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,129
• Density	1,093.02/sq mi (422.03/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST (no DST))
ZIP codes	85546, 85548
Area code(s)	928
FIPS code	04-62000
GNIS feature ID	2411753
Website	City of Safford

Safford is a city located in Graham County, Arizona, in the United States. It is also known as Ichʼįʼ Nahiłtį́į́ in the Western Apache language. In 2020, about 10,129 people lived here. Safford is the main city of Graham County and serves as its county seat, which means it's where the county government is located.

Safford is also the most important city in the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area. This area includes all of Graham County and helps describe how cities and their surrounding areas are connected.

History of Safford

Safford was started by three people: Joshua Eaton Bailey, Hiram Kennedy, and Edward Tuttle. They came from a place called Gila Bend in southwestern Arizona. They left Gila Bend in the winter of 1873-1874 because their work on canals and dams was ruined by floods.

When they arrived in early 1874, these first settlers planned out the town. They built some simple buildings to start. The town was named after Anson P. K. Safford, who was the governor of the Arizona Territory at that time. The town officially became a town on October 10, 1901, and later became a city in 1955.

Geography and Mountains

Safford is located near the Pinaleño Mountains. These mountains are southwest of the city and are very tall. They have the biggest difference in height from their base to their peak of any mountain range in Arizona.

The city covers about 9.30 square miles (24.07 square kilometers) in total. Most of this area is land, with a very small part being water.

Population and People

In 2020, Safford had 10,129 people. The population density was about 1,093 people per square mile. Most of the people in Safford are White, and a large part of the population is of Hispanic or Latino background.

The city has many households, and about 31.9% of them have children under 18 living there. The average household has about 2.85 people. Most homes are owned by the people who live in them.

The population is almost evenly split between males and females. The average age of people in Safford is about 32.1 years old. About 28.4% of the population is under 18 years old. Most households in Safford speak English, but a good number also speak Spanish.

Many people in Safford have finished high school or have some college education. About 61.7% of people aged 16 or older are part of the workforce.

Climate and Weather

Safford has a hot semi-arid climate. This means it's usually hot and dry, but it gets enough rain to not be a full desert. The city is at a lower elevation compared to other places in eastern Arizona. This makes it hotter, often reaching temperatures similar to Phoenix.

In January, the average high temperature is around 60°F (16°C), and the low is about 29°F (-2°C). In July, it gets much hotter, with an average high of 98°F (37°C) and a low of 68°F (20°C). Safford gets about 9.8 inches (250 mm) of rain each year. Snow is very rare here.

Economy and Jobs

Safford has several important employers that provide many jobs. The largest employers include Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold, which is a big mining company. The Safford Unified Schools also employs many people. Other companies like DRG Technologies Inc, Bowman Consulting Group, Open Loop Energy, and Walmart are also major employers.

Recently, Freeport-McMoRan opened two new mining sites north of the city. These are the biggest new mining operations in North America. Agriculture is also a big part of Safford's economy. You can see many cotton fields around the city, and there's a gin (a machine that separates cotton fibers) right in town. A billboard proudly states, "Safford .... Copper, Cattle & Cotton," showing the main industries.

Transportation Around Safford

Safford has different ways for people and goods to travel. A freight train line, the Arizona Eastern Railway, serves the community. The city also has its own airport, the Safford Regional Airport.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is working to improve U.S. Route 191. They are making it a four-lane highway from Interstate 10. There are also plans to build a new loop for U.S. Route 70 south of the city.

For public transport, San Carlos Apache Nnee Bich'o Nii Transit offers rides from Safford to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation and Globe. Greyhound Lines also has a bus stop in Thatcher, serving the route between Phoenix and El Paso through Globe.

Education and Learning

The Safford Unified School District provides education for all students in Safford and nearby areas. For higher education, Eastern Arizona College is close by. The University of Arizona also has an agricultural center east of the city.

There have been discussions about changing Eastern Arizona College from a two-year community college to a four-year university.

Safford is also home to the Eastern Arizona College's Discovery Park Campus. This is a special place for learning and fun. You can take tours to see the amazing telescopes at the Mt. Graham International Observatory. It also has a public observatory with a powerful telescope. You can find the world's largest permanent "Camera Obscura" here. There's even a shuttle simulator that takes you on a journey through the Milky Way galaxy!

The campus also has galleries with historical items from Graham County and a "History of Astronomy" exhibit. Outside, there's a beautiful natural area with a pond for ecology education and over four miles of trails. These trails let you explore the homes of native birds, reptiles, and mammals.

The Safford City-Graham County Library offers books, computers, free classes, and programs to help children learn to read. It serves many people from Graham, Greenlee, and Gila counties.

Observatories and Dark Skies

Safford is a great place for observatories because it has very dark night skies. The city is quite isolated, which means there's not much light pollution. To help with this, Safford and Thatcher keep their street lights dim. This helps improve the quality of images taken by the telescopes on the nearby mountains.

Mount Graham, the mountain the county is named after, is just southwest of Safford. This mountain is home to the Mount Graham International Observatory (MGIO). Here you can find the Large Binocular Telescope, or LBT, which is very powerful. Other important telescopes on Mount Graham include the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, or VATT, and the Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope, or SMT. The University of Arizona operates the Mount Graham International Observatory complex.

Notable People from Safford

Many interesting people have come from Safford, including:

• D. J. Carrasco, a professional baseball pitcher in MLB.
• Michael Ensign, an actor.
• Justin Gaethje, a well-known mixed martial artist.
• Matthew Lopez, another UFC mixed martial artist.
• Carol Lee MacDonald, who served as a state legislator in 1987.
• Fred Mortensen, a former NFL quarterback.
• Dale Smith, a world champion in team roping and a member of the Rodeo Hall of Fame.

See also

In Spanish: Safford (Arizona) para niños