Area Information

Pima County, the second largest of the four original Arizona counties, was created in 1864 and included approximately all of southern Arizona acquired from Mexico by the Gadsden Purchase. Settlement of the region goes back to the arrival in the 1690s of the Spanish who encountered Native Americans already living here.

About the middle of the 18th century, silver and gold were discovered in the region and prospectors from Mexico entered the area in droves. The latter part of the century saw expansion of mining and ranching in Pima County and an increase in population, despite the threat of attack from roaming bands of Apaches.

The Royal Presidio de San Augustin del Tucson was completed by 1781, and it remained the northern-most outpost of Mexico until the arrival of American soldiers in 1856. From a population of 395 in 1820, Tucson has grown to be the second largest city in Arizona. It has always served as the Pima County seat and was the Arizona Territorial capital from 1867 to 1877. Tucson is home to the University of Arizona and many historical and cultural attractions.

Just south of Tucson is Mission of San Xavier del Bac, founded in 1697 by Father Kino and still is in use today. Within Pima County are two cactus forests, Saguaro National Monument to the north and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in the western portion.

Although greatly reduced from its original size, Pima County still covers 9,184 square miles. It ranges in elevation from 1,200 feet to the 9,185-foot peak of Mount Lemmon. The San Xavier, Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O'odham reservations together account for ownership of 42.1 percent of county land. The state of Arizona owns 14.9 percent; the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, 12.1 percent; other public lands, 17.1 percent; and individual or corporate ownership, 13.8 percent. Pima County has two Enterprise Zones, one in South Tucson and portions of Tucson and the other in an unincorporated portion of the county just southwest of Tucson.