Santa Cruz Country
July 21, 2008 by Carl Chapman
Filed under Arizona
The 20th Territorial Assembly established Arizona ’s smallest county in March 1899. The county was named after the Santa Cruz River. The word “Santa Cruz” means “holy cross” in Spanish. It is believed that in the 17th century, Father Kino named the region Santa Cruz. He did so because the Santa Cruz River flows from Arizona into Mexico and then winds itself back into Southern Arizona , only to head underground and become a part of the Gila River.
Nogales was given the honor of county seat. The town serves as one of the major gateways between the United States and Mexico. Nogales also has its sister city, south of the border, called Nogales, Sonora.
Santa Cruz County covers 1,245 square miles. Over half of the land is a part of the Coronado National Forest. Both Interstate 19 and the Santa Cruz River Valley run through its middle.
Many consider this part of Arizona , as the place where it all began. There are several attractions that tell the history of the state. Tubac Presidio State Historic Park is Arizona ’s first state park. In 1751, a horrible battle between the Pima Indians and the Spanish led to the construction of the Tubac Presidio. Throughout its history, the presidio has endured difficult times.
Although it has experienced great ones, such as being the town with the first state newspaper, “The Weekly Arizonan.” Today, visitors can see what pioneer life was like by walking the presidio’s grounds.
Tumacacori National Historic Park is just a couple miles south of Tubac. Tumacacori is a mission built in 1823 and then later abandoned in 1828 by Mexican decree. The mission became a national monument in 1908. A visitor center and a self-guided walking tour are provided at the park. Patagonia State Park stretches 640 acres, with the 265-acre lake as its crowning jewel. It is beautiful spot to soak in nature and to hook some fish. Bass, bluegill and catfish can be found in these waters. There is a campground, picnic area and birdwatching available.
Rio Rico is a planned community located in Santa Cruz County, 57 miles south of Tucson and 12 miles north of Mexico. The community’s 39,000 acres roll gently down from the Santa Rita Mountains through the San Cayetano Foothills westward to the Santa Cruz River.
Santa Cruz might be a small county, but it is packed full of interesting places to visit.
