Thatcher, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thatcher, Arizona
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Spencer W. Kimball Childhood Home Marker
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Location of Thatcher in Graham County, Arizona
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 Thatcher, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Graham |
| Government | |
| • Type | Incorporated Town |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.62 sq mi (17.14 km2) |
| • Land | 6.60 sq mi (17.10 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,914 ft (888 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,231 |
| • Density | 792.22/sq mi (305.86/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (no DST)) |
| ZIP code |
85552
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| Area code(s) | 928 |
| FIPS code | 04-73420 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2413382 |
| Website | Town of Thatcher |
Thatcher is a town in Graham County, Arizona, in the United States. In 2020, about 5,231 people lived there. Thatcher is part of the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is a group of nearby towns that are connected economically.
Thatcher is also home to Eastern Arizona College (EAC). This college offers two-year degrees and has a special nursing school.
Contents
History of Thatcher
Thatcher was first settled by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The very first settler was John M. Moody. He arrived in Thatcher with his family in 1881.
The town's founding is often credited to a pioneer named Christopher Layton. He bought a large area of land, about 2,000 acres. He named this land "Thatcher." Then, he divided it into smaller pieces and sold them to other settlers from his church. Christopher Layton also helped build important things like a gristmill (for grinding grain), roads, canals, and homes.
Eastern Arizona College's Roots
Eastern Arizona College has a long history. It started as the St. Joseph Stake Academy. This school was created by the church in a nearby town called Central. Central is also where the Gila Valley Arizona Temple is located.
Geography and Location
Thatcher is located in the Upper Gila River Valley. To the south, you can see one of Arizona's famous Madrean Sky Islands. These are tall mountains that look like islands rising from the desert. The Gila River flows to the north of the town.
The town covers about 6.7 square miles (17.14 square kilometers) of land. Only a very small part, about 0.02 square miles (0.04 square kilometers), is water.
Population and People
Thatcher has grown quite a bit over the years. Here's how the population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 320 | — | |
| 1900 | 644 | 101.3% | |
| 1910 | 904 | 40.4% | |
| 1920 | 899 | −0.6% | |
| 1930 | 895 | −0.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,106 | 23.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,284 | 16.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,581 | 23.1% | |
| 1970 | 2,320 | 46.7% | |
| 1980 | 3,374 | 45.4% | |
| 1990 | 3,763 | 11.5% | |
| 2000 | 4,022 | 6.9% | |
| 2010 | 4,865 | 21.0% | |
| 2020 | 5,231 | 7.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 4,022 people living in Thatcher. About 1,281 households were in the town. Many families lived there, with 59.3% being married couples. About 36.3% of households had children under 18.
The average age of people in Thatcher in 2000 was 25 years old. About 27.6% of the population was under 18. Also, 22.8% were between 18 and 24 years old.
Transportation in Thatcher
Getting around Thatcher and nearby areas is possible in a few ways.
Public Transit
San Carlos Apache Nnee Bich'o Nii Transit offers bus services. You can travel from Thatcher to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. It also connects to Safford and Globe.
Bus Services
Greyhound Lines also serves Thatcher. Their bus route goes between Phoenix and El Paso. This route passes through Globe.
Railroad
The Arizona Eastern Railway operates a freight train line through Thatcher. This line used to be run by the Southern Pacific company. It mainly carries copper products between Bowie and Miami, Arizona.
Famous People from Thatcher
Many interesting people have connections to Thatcher:
- Elliot Johnson – A professional baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB).
- Spencer W. Kimball – A former president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Don Lancaster – An early pioneer in personal computers. He helped design the keyboard for the Apple I computer.
- Jacque Mercer – She was crowned Miss Arizona and then Miss America in 1949.
- Jess Mortensen – A famous coach and NCAA-champion track athlete from the USC. He also held a world record in the decathlon.
- Jeremy Nelson – An award-winning artist who creates visual effects for movies and other media.
- Frank Wanlass – He invented CMOS technology, which is very important in modern electronics.
Historic Buildings in Thatcher
Thatcher has some interesting historic places, including the Brinkeroff Hotel and the childhood home of Spencer W. Kimball.
- Thatcher, Arizona
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Brinkeroff Hotel – 1900
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Spencer W. Kimball Childhood Home
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Inside the Spencer W. Kimball Childhood home
See also
In Spanish: Thatcher (Arizona) para niños
