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This settlement has gone through a variety of name changes. Today it is called Black Canyon City because of its location at Black Canyon. However, it has been referred to as Agua Fria District, Goddard, Canon, Rock Springs and Black Canyon. the first known travelers to this area passed through in the 1860's . The travelers were cavalry troops heading up to Fort Whipple, who had stopped to water their horses at the Agua Fria River.

At this time, the place was known as Rock Springs. It was this same time that King Woolsey, an early settler discovered the canyons in the area was ideal passageways from the plateau to the mountains. Woolsey found a pass that he used to bring in the first wagon. The trail was named Woolsey Trail. Later, in 1872 a stage stop was established. The stage stop was a part of a popular trail called the Black Canyon wagon road and stage line.

The Arizona Stage Company ran the line and made the 140-mile journey from Prescott to Phoenix three days a week. The trek would take a little over a day to complete and Black Canyon City marked the halfway point in stage route. the stage line either up from Black Canyon City or down to it was the scene of many holdups. The rough landscape and steep slopes were perfect spots to plan an attack. It was also a dangerous one-way grade, where drivers awaited each other at turnouts. Stage drivers carried long tinhorns like those used during fogs in new home England. A long blast sounded an approach and two blasts meant an acknowledgement. If the horns were not heard and two coaches met at an impassable place, then the up team was unhitched.

Next, two men would take the tongue of the coach and roll it down the hill, until they reached a point where the coaches could pass. In 1894, Charles Goddard became the first postmaster along the southeast bank of the Agua Fria River. It was at this time, the name Goddard was used for the community. Unfortunately, the post office closed in 1906. It wasn'tuntil years later that the post office reopened, but this time with the name Black Canyon. then in 1898, the Agua Fria School was established. The school's name was eventually shortened to Canon School. The town's name was then switched to Canon. It wasn'tuntil 1920, when electricity was finally brought into town.

The Kay Copper Mine located just outside of town needed the electricity. The mine eventually closed in 1929. During the 1930's through the 1950's , the community was known for both its farming and cattle. There were a variety of crops being harvested such as celery, cotton and maize. Many cattlemen used Black Canyon City as a rested spot when they drove their cattle down from the mountains in Northern Arizona to Phoenix. then in the 1960's , farming began to diminish when the construction of Interstate 17 began.

The highway cuts through the east side of Black Canyon on its way to the top of Black Mesa. The Interstate connects the town to Phoenix and to other large cities. The interstate put the town on the map, so to speak. Today it is a growing community with new home businesses developing and many tourists finding it to be an ideal haven for the winter