Top-of-the-World, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Top-of-the-World, Arizona
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Location in Gila County and the state of Arizona
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 Top-of-the-World, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| Counties | Gila, Pinal |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.06 sq mi (15.70 km2) |
| • Land | 6.06 sq mi (15.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,528 ft (1,380 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 274 |
| • Density | 31.18/sq mi (12.04/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (no DST)) |
| FIPS code | 04-74820 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1853171 |
Top-of-the-World is a small community in Arizona, United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that the government counts as a community for statistics, but it's not officially a city or town. It is located in both Gila and Pinal counties.
In 2020, about 274 people lived in Top-of-the-World. This number was a bit higher than in 2010, when 231 people lived there.
Contents
Where is Top-of-the-World Located?
Top-of-the-World is in the eastern part of Pinal County. It also stretches into Gila County. The main road, U.S. Route 60, goes right through the middle of the community.
If you drive east on Route 60, you'll reach Globe in about 15 miles (24 km). If you go southwest, you'll get to Superior in about 8 miles (13 km). The big city of Phoenix is about 72 miles (116 km) to the west.
The community covers an area of about 6.06 square miles (15.7 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
A Look at Top-of-the-World's History
Top-of-the-World is found on US-60, about 9.1 miles (14 km) west of Miami. It sits at a high point, around 4,600 feet (1,400 meters) above sea level. Most of this area is in Pinal County.
Mason's Valley and the Pinal Ranch
The area was once known as Mason's Valley. It was named after Charles G. Mason, an early settler and prospector. He helped discover the Globe mining district. Today, Mason's Valley is often called both Pinal Ranch and Top-of-the-World. The name "Top-of-the-World" actually came from a camping spot created in 1922. This spot was about two miles west of Mason's Valley.
The name "Pinal" comes from a Spanish word meaning "pine groves in the mountains." This name was given to the mountain range that stretches from Globe to Superior. These mountains were home to the Western Apache Pinal Band of Native Americans.
Military Camps in the Pinal Mountains
In 1870, the U.S. Military built a camp in the Pinal Mountains. This camp was meant to be a supply post for soldiers fighting the Apaches. It was first called Infantry Camp. It was located southeast of Mason's Valley.
Later, the camp was moved to Mason's Valley but kept its name. Five months after the move, the military changed its name to Camp Pinal. Another small camp, Camp Picket Post, was also set up. General Stoneman helped build these camps and a mule trail between them. This trail became known as Stoneman's Grade.
The military left the site in late 1871. The Stoneman Grade trail helped clear the Southern Pinal Mountains of Apaches. It became an important path for early miners and settlers traveling to the Globe-Miami area.
The Pinal Ranch's Beginnings
The Pinal Ranch was built where Camp Pinal used to be. It started before 1874. Andy Hawkins and Thomas Buchanan were the first owners. They built a house and other buildings. In 1877, they grew a lot of potatoes. The ranch offered food and shelter to travelers on the Stoneman Trail.
In 1877, Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Irion bought part of the ranch. They made many improvements. The ranch stayed in the Craig family (Mrs. Irion's son's family) until the 1970s. The old adobe ranch house is still in good shape today. The ranch had fields for corn and vegetables, and a large apple orchard. They also raised cattle.
Population and People
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 189 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 330 people living in Top-of-the-World. These people lived in 130 households, and 82 of these were families.
The community was made up of different groups of people:
- 88.8% White
- 1.5% Black or African American
- 3.0% Native American
- 4.2% from other backgrounds
- 2.4% from two or more backgrounds
About 19.1% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Families
Out of the 130 households:
- 31.5% had children under 18 living with them.
- 50.0% were married couples living together.
- 10.0% had a female head of household with no husband present.
- 36.2% were not families.
About 31.5% of all households were single people. About 10.8% of households had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The average household had 2.45 people, and the average family had 3.07 people.
Age Distribution
The population had people of all ages:
- 27.6% were under 18 years old.
- 5.5% were from 18 to 24 years old.
- 27.9% were from 25 to 44 years old.
- 24.5% were from 45 to 64 years old.
- 14.5% were 65 years old or older.
The average age in the community was 39 years.
Income Information
In 2000, the average income for a household in Top-of-the-World was $52,731. For families, the average income was $53,438. Men earned more on average ($43,813) than women ($19,792). The average income per person in the community was $21,039.
About 5.2% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 7.1% of those under 18.
