San Simon River (Arizona) facts for kids
The San Simon River is a special kind of river or stream that doesn't always have water flowing in it. It's called an ephemeral river, meaning it only flows after heavy rains or snowmelt. This river runs through the San Simon Valley in parts of Graham and Cochise County, Arizona, and also into Hidalgo County, New Mexico.
The San Simon River eventually joins the Gila River near Safford in Graham County. Its starting point is in the mountains at 31°51′21″N 109°01′27″W / 31.85583°N 109.02417°W.
River's Past: A Journey Through Time
The San Simon River has had many names over the years! The Spanish first called it Rio San Domingo. Later, people knew it by names like Rio de Sauz, San Simon Creek, and San Simon Wash.
Important Stop for Travelers
In 1849, a man named Colonel John Coffee Hays found a new, shorter path for wagons. This path went from the Animas Valley to Tucson. It passed through places like Puerto del Dado (which is also known as Apache Pass) and Nugent’s Pass.
Along this route, there was a wet, marshy area on the river called the Cienega of San Simon. This spot, located at 32°13′20″N 109°1′32″W / 32.22222°N 109.02556°W, became a very important place for travelers to get water and set up camp. It was part of a major route called the Southern Emigrant Trail.
Mail Routes and Changing Paths
Later, this area became part of the first route for the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line, which delivered mail across the country.
Another famous mail service, the Butterfield Overland Mail, used a different route for a while. They traveled through places like Soldier's Farewell Stage Station and Stein's Peak Station. However, when the American Civil War began, traveling became very dangerous. Attacks by the Apache people in the Peloncillo Mountains made these new routes unsafe. Because of this, travelers went back to using Colonel Hays' older, safer path along the San Simon River.
