Gila Bend, Arizona
Encyclopedia
Gila Bend founded in 1872, is a town in Maricopa County
, Arizona
, United States
. The town is named for an approximately 90-degree bend in the Gila River
, which is close to but not precisely at the community's current location. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 2,055.
Just outside the town is the San Lucy district (O'odham: Weco Cekṣanĭ) of the Tohono O'odham Nation
, with a tiny settlement, San Lucy (O'odham: Si:l Mek) bordering the town itself.
On December 14, 2006, Volkswagen of America, Inc., leased 11900 acres (48.2 km²) of land at a cost of $55 million for 25 years, ten miles (16 km) west of Gila Bend, on which they plan to develop a new automobile proving ground.
Gila Bend enjoys a minor notability among tourists and aficionados of roadside attractions. Besides the quirky welcome sign (shown at right), the town boasts several roadside sculptures and the Space Age Lodge motel and restaurant (opened in 1963), named for its "Space Age" themed architecture and decor.
The band Los Lobos
wrote a song called "The Road To Gila Bend", which appears on their 2006 release The Town and the City
.
on Arizona SR 85
, which provides access between I-8 and Interstate 10
north of Gila Bend. In recognition of historical routes that pass through the area, the town's website refers to Gila Bend as "The Crossroads of the Southwest". According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 22.8 square miles (59.1 km²), all of it land.
desert climate, characterized by extremely hot summer
s and warm winter
s. The average annual rainfall is approximately 7 inches (177.8 mm).
During the winter months, daytime highs average about 65°F to 75°F (18°C to 24°C). As typical with the desert
in relatively undeveloped areas, there is nothing to keep the heat continuing after the sun sets, so temperatures rapidly drop after sunset. Sometimes this swing can be larger than 30 degrees. This means that average winter
time night lows are about 40°F to 50°F (4°C to 10°C), with an occasional night lower than 40°F (4°C). The all time lowest recorded temperature in Gila Bend was 10°F (-12°C), which occurred on January 13, 1963.
Gila Bend has extremely hot summers with highest temperatures recorded for the state of Arizona, and temperatures at or exceeding 110°F (41°C) are the norm for the entirety of summer as well as the beginning of September. Even the month of May experiences some days above 100°F (38°C). It should also be noted that with an average July high of 109°F (43°C), temperatures exceeding 115°F (46°C) are common for the area, especially for that particular month. Lows during the summer are generally in the upper 70s and low 80s. The all time highest recorded temperature in Gila Bend is 122°F (50°C), which occurred on June 26, 1990 and again on July 28, 1995.
of 2000, there were 1,980 people, 659 households, and 492 families residing in the town. The population density
was 86.7 people per square mile (33.5/km²). There were 766 housing units at an average density of 33.5 per square mile (13.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 51.31% White
, 1.31% Black
or African American
, 10.25% Native American
, 0.35% Asian
, 32.42% from other races
, and 4.34% from two or more races. 52.63% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 659 households out of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples
living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.51.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.9% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,895, and the median income for a family was $30,403. Males had a median income of $25,284 versus $20,588 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $10,793. About 22.2% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 23.8% of those age 65 or over.
village. When Father Eusebio Francisco Kino visited in 1699, the older site along fertile banks of the Gila River
had been abandoned by another early tribe called the Opas, who instead used the river to irrigate their crops at a nearby rancheria. This same rancheria was visited by Juan Bautista de Anza
, commander of the Presidio at Tubac and founder of the city of San Francisco, and by Father Francisco Tomas Garces in 1774.
From 1857, Gila Ranch was a stagecoach stop on the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
and the later more famous Butterfield Overland Mail route to California located 17 miles from Murderer's Grave Station to the west and 40 miles east of Maricopa Wells Station
. Later other stage and freight routes and the railroad converged here. The nickname the "Crossroads of the Southwest" stems from the area having been part of an important transportation route in the settling, development and growth of the Great Southwest. Gila Bend was the "center of a wheel", with spokes leading in many directions throughout the region.
A more recent event in the area was the October 1995 sabotage of the Amtrak Sunset Limited
train.
In 2010 Abengoa Solar secured a $1.45 BUSD loan guarantee to build a large 280 megawatt Concentrated Solar Power Plant in Gila Bend. It is estimated that the project will employ a peak of 1,500 workers with an operational permanent employment of approximately 85 workers. The Solana Generating Station
is scheduled to start providing power for Arizona Public Service
in 2013.
Maricopa County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*73.0% White*5.0% Black*2.1% Native American*3.5% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*12.7% Other races*29.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The town is named for an approximately 90-degree bend in the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
, which is close to but not precisely at the community's current location. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 2,055.
Just outside the town is the San Lucy district (O'odham: Weco Cekṣanĭ) of the Tohono O'odham Nation
Tohono O'odham
The Tohono O'odham are a group of Native American people who reside primarily in the Sonoran Desert of the southeastern Arizona and northwest Mexico...
, with a tiny settlement, San Lucy (O'odham: Si:l Mek) bordering the town itself.
On December 14, 2006, Volkswagen of America, Inc., leased 11900 acres (48.2 km²) of land at a cost of $55 million for 25 years, ten miles (16 km) west of Gila Bend, on which they plan to develop a new automobile proving ground.
Gila Bend enjoys a minor notability among tourists and aficionados of roadside attractions. Besides the quirky welcome sign (shown at right), the town boasts several roadside sculptures and the Space Age Lodge motel and restaurant (opened in 1963), named for its "Space Age" themed architecture and decor.
The band Los Lobos
Los Lobos
Los Lobos are a multiple Grammy Award–winning American Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños.-History:The...
wrote a song called "The Road To Gila Bend", which appears on their 2006 release The Town and the City
The Town and the City
The Town and the City is a novel by Jack Kerouac, published by Harcourt Brace in 1950. This was the first major work published by Kerouac, who later became famous for his second novel On the Road . Like all of Jack Kerouac's major works, The Town and the City is essentially an autobiographical...
.
Geography
Gila Bend is located at 32°57′0"N 112°43′29"W (32.950027, -112.724701). The town is just off Interstate 8Interstate 8
Interstate 8 is an Interstate Highway in the southwestern United States. It runs from the southern edge of Mission Bay at Sunset Cliffs Blvd, in San Diego, California, almost at the Pacific Ocean, to the junction with Interstate 10, just southeast of Casa Grande, Arizona...
on Arizona SR 85
State Route 85 (Arizona)
State Route 85, or SR 85, is a state highway in the U.S. state of Arizona. The highway runs from the United States-Mexico border near Lukeville to the north ending at Interstate 10 in Buckeye...
, which provides access between I-8 and Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
north of Gila Bend. In recognition of historical routes that pass through the area, the town's website refers to Gila Bend as "The Crossroads of the Southwest". According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 22.8 square miles (59.1 km²), all of it land.
Climate
Gila Bend has an aridArid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
desert climate, characterized by extremely hot summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
s and warm winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
s. The average annual rainfall is approximately 7 inches (177.8 mm).
During the winter months, daytime highs average about 65°F to 75°F (18°C to 24°C). As typical with the desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
in relatively undeveloped areas, there is nothing to keep the heat continuing after the sun sets, so temperatures rapidly drop after sunset. Sometimes this swing can be larger than 30 degrees. This means that average winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
time night lows are about 40°F to 50°F (4°C to 10°C), with an occasional night lower than 40°F (4°C). The all time lowest recorded temperature in Gila Bend was 10°F (-12°C), which occurred on January 13, 1963.
Gila Bend has extremely hot summers with highest temperatures recorded for the state of Arizona, and temperatures at or exceeding 110°F (41°C) are the norm for the entirety of summer as well as the beginning of September. Even the month of May experiences some days above 100°F (38°C). It should also be noted that with an average July high of 109°F (43°C), temperatures exceeding 115°F (46°C) are common for the area, especially for that particular month. Lows during the summer are generally in the upper 70s and low 80s. The all time highest recorded temperature in Gila Bend is 122°F (50°C), which occurred on June 26, 1990 and again on July 28, 1995.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,980 people, 659 households, and 492 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 86.7 people per square mile (33.5/km²). There were 766 housing units at an average density of 33.5 per square mile (13.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 51.31% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.31% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 10.25% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.35% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 32.42% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.34% from two or more races. 52.63% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 659 households out of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.51.
In the town the population was spread out with 32.9% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,895, and the median income for a family was $30,403. Males had a median income of $25,284 versus $20,588 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $10,793. About 22.2% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 23.8% of those age 65 or over.
Historical events
The town of Gila Bend is situated near an ancient HohokamHohokam
Hohokam is one of the four major prehistoric archaeological Oasisamerica traditions of what is now the American Southwest. Many local residents put the accent on the first syllable . Variant spellings in current, official usage include Hobokam, Huhugam and Huhukam...
village. When Father Eusebio Francisco Kino visited in 1699, the older site along fertile banks of the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
had been abandoned by another early tribe called the Opas, who instead used the river to irrigate their crops at a nearby rancheria. This same rancheria was visited by Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto was a Novo-Spanish explorer and Governor of New Mexico for the Spanish Empire.-Early life:...
, commander of the Presidio at Tubac and founder of the city of San Francisco, and by Father Francisco Tomas Garces in 1774.
From 1857, Gila Ranch was a stagecoach stop on the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line
The San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line, also known as the Jackass Mail, was the earliest overland stagecoach and mail operation from the eastern United States to California. It was the creation of organized and financed by James E. Birch the head of the California Stage Company. Birch was awarded the...
and the later more famous Butterfield Overland Mail route to California located 17 miles from Murderer's Grave Station to the west and 40 miles east of Maricopa Wells Station
Maricopa, Arizona
-Surrounding Municipalities:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 43,482 people, 14,359 households, and 11,110 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,356.8 people per square mile . There were 17,240 housing units at an average density of 540.4 per square mile...
. Later other stage and freight routes and the railroad converged here. The nickname the "Crossroads of the Southwest" stems from the area having been part of an important transportation route in the settling, development and growth of the Great Southwest. Gila Bend was the "center of a wheel", with spokes leading in many directions throughout the region.
A more recent event in the area was the October 1995 sabotage of the Amtrak Sunset Limited
1995 Palo Verde derailment
The 1995 Palo Verde derailment took place on October 9, 1995, when Amtrak's Sunset Limited derailed near Palo Verde, Arizona on Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. The two locomotives and eight of the twelve cars derailed, four of them falling 30 feet off a trestle bridge into a dry river bed....
train.
In 2010 Abengoa Solar secured a $1.45 BUSD loan guarantee to build a large 280 megawatt Concentrated Solar Power Plant in Gila Bend. It is estimated that the project will employ a peak of 1,500 workers with an operational permanent employment of approximately 85 workers. The Solana Generating Station
Solana Generating Station
The Solana Generating Station is a solar power plant which is under construction near Gila Bend, Arizona, about southwest of Phoenix. It is being built by the Spanish company Abengoa Solar, and will have a total capacity of 280 megawatts , which is enough to power 70,000 homes while...
is scheduled to start providing power for Arizona Public Service
Arizona Public Service
Arizona Public Service Company is the largest electric utility in Arizona and the principal subsidiary of publicly-traded S&P 500 member Pinnacle West Capital Corporation , which in turn had been formerly named AZP Group, when Arizona Public Service reorganized as that holding company in 1985.With...
in 2013.
External links
- http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,907001,00.htm Death at Gila Bend