"In 1874 a group of farmers who were tired of having their ranches washed out by the river at Gila Bend made their way up the Gila River the first American Colony in the Gila Valley east of Arizona.They settled atthe site of Safford, naming it for Governor Anson Pacely Killen Safford, who ws currently a visitor in the valley.C.M. Ritter located the townsite on January 28, 1874. Joshua E. Bailey arrived in the same month and established the first store in the new settlement. A post office was set up by his store.

Safford served as the county seat until 1883 after which the function was moved to Solomonville. It was returned to Safford in 1915."

Post Office Established March 5, 1875.

Barnes, Will C.; Granger, Byrd (ed.) Arizona Place Names University of Arizona Press. 1960.
P. 131.

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Websites

Arizona Department of Commerce Community Profiles- Safford, Arizona
http://www.commerce.state.az.us/pdf/commasst/comm/safford.pdf

Safford, Arizona Local Government Website
http://www.ci.safford.az.us/

Arizonan.com Safford, Arizona
http://www.arizonan.com/Safford/

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Newspapers

Eastern Arizona Courier
http://www.eacourier.com/

Sites to See

Safford City-Graham County Library
808 7th Avenue Safford, Arizona 85546
Phone: (520) 428-1531

Safford Discovery Park
DISCOVERY PARK
1651 West Discovery Park Blvd.
Safford, Arizona 85546
Phone: (928) 428-6260
Fax: (928) 428-8081
http://www.discoverypark.com/

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Books/Manuscripts found in the ASU Library Catalog

The growth and development of Safford, Arizona / by Stephen L. Owens.
LD179.15 1953 .O8

Highlights of the past, Safford, Arizona / compiled and written by William Ryder Ridgway.
F819.S27 R5x 1974 folio

Typewritten transcript of oral history interview with a Daughter of a pioneer of the Phoenix area, 1981 October 28 / conducted by Deborah Peska.
MS CO OH DAU,OF

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Items on the Arizona and Southwest Index

1874 - Safford - 1974 Centennial
CE EPH DTO-SAFFORD.7

CE DTO SAFFORD-Newsclippings

Copper Era Facsimilie, Clifton, Arizona; 1900
CE EPH DTO-CLIFTON.4

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Last Updated: July 23, 2002
If you would like to know more about the author of this site, Jeffrey Scott, feel free to visit his homepage.
In addition, if you have any questions about this site or Arizona History, feel free to e-mail Jeffrey