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Tuba City, Arizona

Tó Naneesdizí
Tuba Trading Post built in 1905
Tuba Trading Post built in 1905
Location in Coconino County and the state of Arizona
Location in Coconino County and the state of Arizona
Tuba City, Arizona is located in Arizona
Tuba City, Arizona
Tuba City, Arizona
Location in Arizona
Tuba City, Arizona is located in the United States
Tuba City, Arizona
Tuba City, Arizona
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  Arizona
County Coconino
Government
 • Type Navajo chapter
Area
 • Total 8.97 sq mi (23.24 km2)
 • Land 8.97 sq mi (23.24 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
4,961 ft (1,512 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 8,611 8,072
 • Estimate 
(2016)
N/A
Time zone UTC-7 (MST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code
86045
Area code 928
FIPS code 04-76010
GNIS feature ID 12802

Tuba City (Navajo: Tó Naneesdizí) is an unincorporated town in Coconino County, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, United States. It is the second-largest community in Coconino County. The population of the census-designated place (CDP) was 8,611 at the 2010 census.

It is the most populous community within the Navajo Nation, slightly larger than Shiprock, New Mexico, and the site of the headquarters of the Western Navajo Agency. The Hopi village of Moenkopi lies directly to its southeast, and Hopi also live in the city.

European Americans named the town in honor of chief Tuuvi, a Hopi man from Oraibi who converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and allowed Mormon migrants to settle in the area. The Navajo name for this community, Tó Naneesdizí, translates as "tangled waters". It likely refers to the many below-ground springs that are the source of several reservoirs.

Tuba City is located within the Painted Desert near the western edge of the Navajo Nation. Tuba City is located approximately 50 miles (80 km) from the eastern entrance to Grand Canyon National Park and approximately 78 miles (126 km) from Flagstaff. Most of Tuba City's residents are Navajo, with a small Hopi minority. It is located within Arizona's 1st congressional district, currently represented by Tom O'Halleran.

History

The written history of the town dates back more than 200 years. When Father Francisco Garcés visited the area in 1776, he recorded that the Indians were cultivating crops. The town was named after Tuuvi, a Hopi leader. Chief Tuuvi converted to Mormonism circa 1870, and invited the Mormons to settle near Moenkopi.

Tuba City was founded by the Mormons in 1872. Tuba City drew Hopi, Navajo and Paiute Indians to the area because of its natural springs. In 1956, Tuba City became a uranium boomtown, as the regional office for the Rare Metals Corporation and the Atomic Energy Commission. The mill closed in 1966, and reclamation of the millsite and tailings pile was completed in 1990.

Geography and climate

Tuba City is located at 36°7′45″N 111°14′19″W / 36.12917°N 111.23861°W / 36.12917; -111.23861 (36.129044, -111.238718). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23 km2), all land.

Geologically, Tuba City sits upon the Glen Canyon Group from the early Jurassic (about 180-210 Ma) and on modern superficial Quaternary deposits.

Arizona does not currently observe Daylight Saving Time, though the Navajo reservation does. In practice the community has a varied observance: tribal offices and schools observe DST, while most businesses do not.

Tuba City, owing to its location in the rain shadow of the Mogollon Rim which keeps out moisture from the Gulf of California, has a cold desert climate (Köppen BWk) with hot, dry summers—though less hot than Phoenix—and cold, dry winters. Frosts are normal from October to April but the majority of winters do not have measurable snowfall due to the dryness of the air descending from mountains to the south.

Climate data for Tuba City, Arizona (1971 to 2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 76
(24)
76
(24)
84
(29)
94
(34)
100
(38)
110
(43)
110
(43)
108
(42)
103
(39)
92
(33)
80
(27)
71
(22)
110
(43)
Average high °F (°C) 45.4
(7.4)
53.0
(11.7)
60.1
(15.6)
68.3
(20.2)
77.7
(25.4)
88.8
(31.6)
93.4
(34.1)
90.7
(32.6)
83.4
(28.6)
71.9
(22.2)
56.3
(13.5)
46.0
(7.8)
69.6
(20.9)
Daily mean °F (°C) 33.8
(1.0)
39.7
(4.3)
46.2
(7.9)
53.2
(11.8)
62.5
(16.9)
72.2
(22.3)
78.0
(25.6)
75.8
(24.3)
68.2
(20.1)
56.4
(13.6)
43.2
(6.2)
33.8
(1.0)
55.3
(12.9)
Average low °F (°C) 22.2
(−5.4)
26.4
(−3.1)
32.2
(0.1)
38.0
(3.3)
47.2
(8.4)
55.5
(13.1)
62.5
(16.9)
60.9
(16.1)
53.0
(11.7)
40.8
(4.9)
30.0
(−1.1)
21.5
(−5.8)
40.9
(4.9)
Record low °F (°C) −15
(−26)
−9
(−23)
5
(−15)
13
(−11)
10
(−12)
30
(−1)
34
(1)
40
(4)
20
(−7)
11
(−12)
−4
(−20)
−13
(−25)
−15
(−26)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.55
(14)
0.52
(13)
0.59
(15)
0.27
(6.9)
0.32
(8.1)
0.17
(4.3)
0.66
(17)
0.69
(18)
0.98
(25)
0.85
(22)
0.43
(11)
0.32
(8.1)
6.35
(162.4)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.8
(2.0)
0.8
(2.0)
0.1
(0.25)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.9
(2.3)
2.6
(6.55)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) 4.2 3.6 5.3 2.3 3.2 2.3 6.3 6.8 4.7 4.1 3.1 3.6 49.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 inch) 0.6 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.1

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1990 7,323
2000 8,225 12.3%
2010 8,611 4.7%
2020 8,662 0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
Languages (2000) Percent
Spoke Navajo at home 61.2%
Spoke English at home 38.5%
Spoke Hopi at home 0.5%
Spoke Spanish at home 0.8%

As of the census of 2015, there were 9,722 people, 2,360 households, and 1,675 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 921.6 people per square mile (356.0/km2). There were 2,465 housing units at an average density of 274.0 per square mile (105.8/km2). The racial make-up of the CDP was 76.2% Native American, 8.4% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.8% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 14.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,360 households, out of which 52.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 26.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.00 and the average family size was 4.49.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 42.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 15.7% from 45 to 64, and 4.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males.

Tuba City's median household income is $47,091, and the median income for a family was $37,813. Males had a median income of $29,280 versus $26,855 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $14,140. About 23.1% of families and 28.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.0% of those under age 18 and 44.8% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions

Tuba City Dinosaur Track
Dinosaur track in Tuba City
Coal Mine Canyon sunset
Coal Mine Canyon at sunset
Hahonogeh sunrise
Hahonogeh Canyon at sunrise
  • The Explore Navajo Interactive Museum opened in 2007 in the center of Tuba City, next to the historic Tuba City Trading Post.
  • Tuba City is noted for dinosaur tracks, found about 5 miles (8 km) west.
  • Coal Mine Canyon, a colorful canyon with many hoodoos, is 15 miles (24 km) southeast.
  • Hahonogeh Canyon, near Coal Mine Canyon, is noteworthy for its blue colors at sunrise and sunset.

Tuba City in popular culture

  • Sgt. Jim Chee was the officer in charge of the Tuba City Navajo Police office, in Tony Hillerman's 1982 novel The Dark Wind. Also his 1991 movie The Dark Wind starring Lou Diamond Phillips was filmed in and around the area.
  • Tuba City was filmed during the six-episode run of the TV show Navajo Cops which aired on National Geographic Channel between March and May 2012. It followed Navajo Nation Police patrolling the western portion of the Navajo Nation, which spans over 27,000 square miles in three states.
  • Musician Glenn Danzig was beaten up by a bouncer inside Greyhills Academy High School. The video of the incident is now popular.
  • A special episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition filmed in Tuba City aired on ABC in mid-2005. They built the Western Navajo Veterans Administration building on Maloney Street.
  • Several scenes of Easy Rider, a 1969 American road movie, feature the terrain, views, and land west of Tuba City in the Little Colorado River Valley, as well as to the east near Kayenta, AZ, and Monument Valley, Utah.
  • Leroy Van Dyke's song "Who's Gonna Run The Truck Stop In Tuba City When I'm Gone" was set in Tuba City, and mentions a Greyhound bus passing through daily en route to Burbank.


Education

The area is served by the Tuba City Unified School District, as well as several tribal/federal schools within the area.

Schools in Tuba City include:

  • Tuba City High School
  • Tuba City Jr. High School
  • Eagles' Nest Intermediate School
  • Tuba City Primary School
  • Nizhoni Accelerated Academy

Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools include:

Moencopi Day School (tribal) is in nearby Moenkopi.

Tertiary institutions include:

Sports

On January 4, 1988, Northern Arizona beat Central Connecticut 72–70 in Tuba City in the first Division I basketball game ever played on an Indian reservation.

Transportation

The town is served by U.S. Route 160, near the junction with Arizona State Route 264.

It is served by the Tuba City Airport.

Navajo Transit System provides connections to Flagstaff and Fort Defiance. Hopi Senom Transit provides connections to Moenkopi. Express provides connecting service to Page.

Notable people

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Tuba City (Arizona) para niños

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