"IN 1879 James Kilroy Brown established the Sahuarita Ranch south of Tucson, naming it because there were many saguaro in the vicinity. It was mapped that year as Saurita. Pedro Aguirre used the ranch headquarters as a stage station on the route between Tucson, Arivaca, and Quijotoa. The developing community was called Sahuarito, after the ranch. Brown gave the railroad the right of way with the provision that the railroad station be named Sahuarito, but the name came through as Saurita on an 1884 railroad map. When Geronimo was active in the region, Brown moved his family to Olive Camp where he was associated with they Olive Mining Company. He sold his ranch c. 1886 and the area fell into a decline, with the post office being discontinued. Hinton referred to this place as Columbus for reasons unknown. As activities gradually increased and a community re-developed here, the post office was re-established. Sahuarita Butte and Wash also have many giant cacti."
Barnes, Will C.; Granger, Byrd (ed.) Arizona's names : X marks the place Falconer Pub. Co. : distributed by Treasure Chest Publications, c1983. P. 539
Websites
Arizona Department of Commerce, Community Profiles- Saharita, Arizona
http://www.commerce.state.az.us/pdf/commasst/comm/saharita.pdf
Arizonan.com- Sahuarita, Arizona
http://arizonan.com/Sahuarita/
ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center
1421 West Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita, AZ
(520) 625-7513
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