Sierra Vista, Arizona

"Sierra Vista" redirects here. For places in California, see Sierra Vista, California (disambiguation).
Sierra Vista, Arizona
City
Nickname(s): Hummingbird Capital of the United States

Location in Cochise County and the state of Arizona
Sierra Vista, Arizona

Location in the United States

Coordinates: 31°32′44″N 110°16′35″W / 31.54556°N 110.27639°W / 31.54556; -110.27639Coordinates: 31°32′44″N 110°16′35″W / 31.54556°N 110.27639°W / 31.54556; -110.27639
Country United States
State Arizona
County Cochise
Incorporated 1956
Government
 • Mayor Rick Mueller
Area
 • Total 152.5 sq mi (395.1 km2)
 • Land 152.3 sq mi (394.4 km2)
 • Water 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2)
Elevation 4,633 ft (1,412 m)
Population (2010)[1]
 • Total 43,888
 • Estimate (2014)[2] 43,806
 • Density 288/sq mi (111.3/km2)
Time zone MST (no DST) (UTC-7)
ZIP codes 85600-85699
Area code 520
FIPS code 04-66820
Website www.sierravistaaz.gov

Sierra Vista is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census the population of the city was 43,888.[3] The city is part of the Sierra Vista-Douglas Metropolitan Area,[4] with a 2010 population of 131,346. Fort Huachuca, a U.S. Army post, is located in the northwest part of the city.

Sierra Vista, which is Spanish for "Mountain Range View", is located 75 miles (121 km) southeast of Tucson and serves as the main commercial, cultural, and recreational hub of Cochise County.

History

At the end of the Apache Wars, with the protection of Fort Huachuca and the completion of the Southern Pacific and El Paso & Southwestern railroads, the San Pedro Valley began to populate. Oliver Fry and his two oldest sons traveled from Texas on the railroad and settled on 320 acres (1.3 km2) just outside Fort Huachuca around 1901.

The first business that opened just outside the east gate of Fort Huachuca was a saloon and house of ill repute owned by John and Ellen Reilly opened in 1892. In 1911, Margaret Carmichael bought the Reilly homestead and business. By 1913, Margaret Carmichael had leased the business back to the Reillys. Also in 1913, a group of dry land farmers settled in the local area and named their settlement Buena. Buena was located east of Garden Canyon on a railroad whistle-stop between Lewis Springs and Fort Huachuca. At this site was a post office and a school house that served children in Buena, Garden Canyon and outreaches of the local area.

By 1917, the Overton Post Office was established. This settlement's name came from the Overton Mercantile and Investment Company, who took option on the Carmichael property with plans to develop a townsite outside of Fort Huachuca. However, it is believed that the company was unable to persuade anyone to move to the area so when the option expired, the Carmichaels took back the property and a general mercantile store.

In 1918, the Carmichaels changed the name of the store and were the proprietors of the "Garden Canyon". Garden Canyon was also the name of the post office and Carmichael was the postmaster. In addition, the Carmichaels built a home across the street from Garden Canyon store, as well as 18 rock houses, on Garden Avenue. From 1927 to 1938, the Frys rented the Carmichael store.

In 1955, the first attempt to incorporate and rename the area was rejected, as Fry opposed both incorporating and renaming the town that bore his family name. In 1956, the ballot issue failed 76 to 61. People who owned land outside of Fry's property went forward with incorporation and renaming by petition on May 26, 1956, excluding the half-square-mile owned by Fry.

Sierra Vista was incorporated in 1956, and has a population of over 43,000 today. The city is the economic and commercial center of Cochise County, and northern Sonora, Mexico. Sierra Vista annexed Fort Huachuca, a U.S. military base, one of the largest employers in Arizona, and the adjacent community, in 1971.

Sierra Vista was the site of the first McDonald's drive thru, which opened in 1975.[5]

Geography

Sierra Vista is located in southwestern Cochise County at 31°32′44″N 110°16′35″W / 31.54556°N 110.27639°W / 31.54556; -110.27639 (31.545498, -110.276500).[6] It is bordered on the northwest by the much smaller town of Huachuca City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 152.5 square miles (395.1 km2), of which 152.3 square miles (394.4 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.7 km2) is water. It is located 4,623 feet (1,409 m) above sea level. Sierra Vista is flanked on the southwest side by the Huachuca Mountains, with Miller Peak rising to 9,466 feet (2,885 m) and Carr Peak to 9,236 feet (2,815 m), both south of the city limits. The city is accessible via Arizona State Routes 90 and 92. The San Pedro River flows just east of the city limits.

Geography surrounding Sierra Vista

Climate

Huachuca Mountains in the winter

In the Köppen climate classification system, Sierra Vista falls within the typical cold semi-arid climate (BSk) of mid-altitude Arizona. Fall and spring, like most other parts of Arizona, are very dry. Winters are cool to cold with frosts which can occasionally be hard freezes; frost can be expected to stop in mid- to late April. Spring, like fall, spends about half of itself within the frost season. Summer starts off dry, but progressively gets wetter as the monsoon season approaches. The city has a fairly stable climate with very little humidity. However, the North American Monsoon can bring torrential rains during the months of July and August and will produce almost half the yearly rainfall in just those two months alone. Due to the dry climate the rest of the year and the city’s high elevation, daily winter low temperatures range from 20 to 30 °F (−6.7 to −1.1 °C) on average and up to 50 °F (10.0 °C) on rare occasions when moist fronts bring warm air from the Gulf of California. Snow is not a common sight on the streets of Sierra Vista though some years the city can receive several inches of snow and other years it will receive none. However, a snow-capped Miller Peak and Carr Peak in the Huachuca Mountains is a common sight for four to five months every year.

Climate data for Sierra Vista, Arizona
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 81
(27)		 84
(29)		 91
(33)		 97
(36)		 102
(39)		 107
(42)		 108
(42)		 102
(39)		 99
(37)		 96
(36)		 85
(29)		 80
(27)		 108
(42)
Average high °F (°C) 61.2
(16.2)		 64.4
(18)		 69.7
(20.9)		 76.9
(24.9)		 85.1
(29.5)		 92.9
(33.8)		 91.6
(33.1)		 88.7
(31.5)		 86.8
(30.4)		 78.8
(26)		 69.5
(20.8)		 61.6
(16.4)		 77.3
(25.2)
Average low °F (°C) 34.2
(1.2)		 37.2
(2.9)		 41.5
(5.3)		 47.1
(8.4)		 54.9
(12.7)		 63.3
(17.4)		 66.3
(19.1)		 64.9
(18.3)		 60.3
(15.7)		 51.0
(10.6)		 40.9
(4.9)		 33.9
(1.1)		 49.6
(9.8)
Record low °F (°C) 12
(−11)		 3
(−16)		 23
(−5)		 28
(−2)		 38
(3)		 46
(8)		 51
(11)		 53
(12)		 45
(7)		 30
(−1)		 19
(−7)		 15
(−9)		 4
(−16)
Average rainfall inches (mm) 0.98
(24.9)		 0.70
(17.8)		 0.52
(13.2)		 0.41
(10.4)		 0.30
(7.6)		 0.51
(13)		 3.11
(79)		 3.82
(97)		 1.45
(36.8)		 0.93
(23.6)		 0.44
(11.2)		 1.03
(26.2)		 14.2
(360.7)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.3
(0.8)		 0.2
(0.5)		 0.2
(0.5)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.0
(0)		 0.1
(0.3)		 0.8
(2)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.01 in) 4 4 2 2 1 2 11 12 5 3 2 4 52
Source: National Weather Service, Tucson[8]

Parks and outdoors

Montezuma Pass at Coronado National Memorial. The United States / Mexican border fence can be seen in the middle of this photograph. Mexico is on the right / south side of the fence.

Nicknamed the "Hummingbird Capital of the United States", the city sees bird watchers from all over the world flock to the nearby Ramsey Canyon Preserve and other local canyons to observe and photograph hundreds of different bird species. Other outdoor sightseeing and recreational opportunities that are nearby include the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, the Coronado National Memorial in the Huachuca Mountains, and Parker Canyon Lake. Excellent views of the clear night sky have led Sierra Vista to become the chosen center of amateur astronomy in Arizona, with more than a dozen well equipped amateur observatories in the area and a large observatory at the University of Arizona South within the city limits.

The Cove

The Sierra Vista Aquatic Center, aka "The Cove," is a 36,500-square-foot (3,390 m2) facility that contains 11,347 sq ft (1,054.2 m2) of pool water surface, which equates to over 575,000 US gallons (2,180,000 l; 479,000 imp gal) of water. The Aquatic Center boasts a 0' depth, or "beach", entry, eight 25-yard lap lanes for lap and competitive swimming, and a wave machine with several wave patterns for Open Swim. The Cove has a submersible bulkhead which makes the switch from wave pool to competitive pool possible. The Cove also has a warm water therapy pool, children's lagoon with slide, two 1 meter diving boards and one 3 meter diving board, and two enclosed water tube slides to include a 150-foot (46 m) water tube slide.[9]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19603,121—
19706,689114.3%
198024,937272.8%
199032,98332.3%
200037,77514.5%
201043,88816.2%
Est. 201543,355[10]−1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
2014 Estimate[2]

Sierra Vista is the largest of seven incorporated cities in Cochise County, accounting for one-third of the county's population.[12] The population at the 2010 census was 43,888, up from 37,775 at the 2000 census, for a growth rate of 16.2% over the decade. Sierra Vista is the 21st largest incorporated place in Arizona as of the 2010 census.

Also indicated in the CER 2009 Economic Outlook publication, the Arizona DEC estimates the Sierra Vista Area population is approximately 75,000, which includes outlying areas of the Sierra Vista Southeast Census Designated Place, Huachuca City, Tombstone, Whetstone, Hereford and unincorporated surrounding areas. The population of the Sierra Vista Area is estimated to reach nearly 100,000 by 2028.

According to the 2000 Census figures, the Sierra Vista population consists of 14,196 households, and 9,993 families residing in the city. The population density was 246.1 people per square mile (95.0/km²). There were 15,685 housing units at an average density of 102.2 per square mile (39.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.34% White, 10.89% Black or African American, 3.57% Asian, 0.83% Native American and 0.46% Pacific Islander. 6.05% of the population is from other races, and 4.86% from two or more races. 15.8% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

There were 14,196 households out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the city the age distribution of the population shows 25.8% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,427, and the median income for a family was $44,077. Males had a median income of $30,053 versus $23,805 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,436. About 8.0% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

As of the 2000 Census, of the population (37,775) 25 years and older 91.5 percent had at least a high school diploma or equivalent and an estimated 25.7 percent held a bachelor's degree or higher.[13] The CER indicates that there has been an increasing trend for residents to attain a bachelor's degree or higher making the local area competitive in today's technological working environment. The estimated population of resident's educated at a post-secondary level (some college credit or more) in Sierra Vista is estimated to be higher than county, state, and national averages.[12]

Fort Huachuca, a U.S. Army post, an active and historical military installation and a communications and information technology hub, was annexed into the city in 1971. In addition, the city has been actively working to annex Cochise County enclaves within city limits as outlined in the City Council's strategic plan "Our Future Vistas".[14]

Notable residents

Government

The City of Sierra Vista is a council-manager municipality. The city council sets public policy while a professional city manager implements policy and oversees the day-to-day operation of the city.

Economy

Sierra Vista is the commercial center for Cochise County and parts of northern Mexico. Retailers such as Lowe's, Home Depot, K-Mart, Walmart, Target, Dillard's, Sears, and Marshalls are located in the community, along with three major supermarkets and dozens of smaller specialty shops. The Mall at Sierra Vista is a 400,000-square-foot (37,000 m2) mall located in Sierra Vista.

Sierra Vista has a substantial employment base due to Fort Huachuca — the community's major employer and primary driving economic force. Because of contracts with the Army, the professional, scientific and technical services sector is unusually large, but nearly half of all jobs in Sierra Vista are in the government sector.

Wick Communications, which publishes several dozen newspapers in some twelve states, is headquartered in Sierra Vista.

Education

Sierra Vista Public Library

The Sierra Vista Unified School District includes one high school, Buena High School, one middle school, and six elementary schools. There are also several charter and private education opportunities. Higher education is available through the University of Arizona South, Cochise Community College, the University of Phoenix, Wayland Baptist University, and Western International University.

There is a 31,000-square-foot (2,900 m2) public library located within the city.

Culture

Pictographs in the Huachuca Mountains

Sierra Vista has a variety of cultural and family-oriented activities throughout the year. Some of the major events include the Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering in February, the Festival of the Southwest in the spring, Independence Day celebration, the Southwest Wings Festival in August for bird watching enthusiasts, and Arizona's longest-running holiday parade in December. During the winter months, the Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra presents three concerts of classical and popular music, including pre-concert seminars, and puts on special fund raising events. Throughout the year, the Art Discovery Series presents plays, concerts, and musicals, and in the summer, there are regular band concerts at Veterans' Park, as well as many activities at the Sierra Vista Public Library such as a film series, lectures, readings, and other programs for children and adults. Pictographs created by Native Americans can be found in certain areas of the Huachuca Mountains.

The Gray Hawk Nature Center offering nature education programs and housing live reptile and invertebrate exhibits is located nearby on the San Pedro River.

Media

Sierra Vista is served by the Sierra Vista Herald since 1955.

Television station KWBA-TV, channel 58, is licensed to Sierra Vista and serves the Tucson/Sierra Vista market.[17] The station has broadcast since 1996 and is an affiliate of The CW network. The station's transmission tower is located in the Santa Rita Mountains between Sierra Vista and Tucson. Other area television stations include KFTU-DT, channel 36, the Spanish-language UniMás affiliate, licensed to Douglas with a broadcast tower in the Mule Mountains near Sierra Vista; and formerly K33CG, channel 33, a TBN affiliate.

Radio station KZMK (K-101) serves as a Top 40 hits FM radio station covering Sierra Vista and most of Cochise County. The station provides live broadcasts for significant events occurring in and around the city.[18] Sister radio station KTAN (1420 AM) broadcasts a News Talk Information format. Both stations are owned by CCR-Sierra Vista IV, LLC., which also owns nearby Bisbee, Arizona radio station KWCD (92.3 FM), which broadcasts a Country music format.

Sports teams and events

The Cochise County Cavaliers have combined with the Bisbee Ironmen, both former members of the Arizona Football League (AzFL), to form the Cochise County Ironmen. The Ironmen began their first season of play in the Copper Football League in 2011.

Healthcare

Canyon Vista Medical Center (CVMC) and the Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center (located on nearby Fort Huachuca) serve the community's health care needs. Medical personnel of all major specialties are available in the area. Canyon Vista Medical Center was recently completed adjoining an existing Ambulatory Surgery and Imaging Center on SR 90. A management agreement for long term operations of the Hospital was signed with RegionalCare Hospital Partners. The US Department of Veterans Affairs opened a clinic in Sierra Vista to better serve the area's large retired military population.[19]

Regional health concerns

Residents and health professionals became concerned after observing an elevated number of leukemia and related childhood cancer cases being reported in Sierra Vista since 1995. In 2001, with seven reported cases since 1995, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) determined the number of cases was statistically elevated over the expected norm. In response, the ADHS launched an environmental review of air, drinking water and soil in the Sierra Vista area to determine if environmental exposure had placed residents at greater risk of childhood leukemia or other cancers. By October 2002, the ADHS in conjunction with the Arizona Cancer Registry, determined that, "No common environmental exposure from drinking water, ambient air or waste sites were identified that might have placed residents of the Sierra Vista area at greater risk of developing leukemia." No further action was recommended at that time.[20]

In 2003, three more cases of leukemia were reported. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was hesitant to investigate in depth, initially leaving the matter to state health departments, but became involved after the ADHS requested their assistance in the spring of 2003. The CDC concluded two formal studies, in 2004 and 2006, with mixed results. They did not discover any environmental causes for the increased incidence of leukemia, but they did note that they only tested four children with leukemia. They cautioned that with such a small number of study participants, "any attempt to measure associations between environmental exposure and disease would be inherently suspect and not statistically appropriate." Biological samples were tested for 128 chemicals, with results showing average or below average levels for all chemicals except tungsten, styrene and PCB-52, which were above average.[21][22][23]

There were no more reported cases in the several years following the CDC reports, bringing the occurrence statistics back in line with national averages. However, with a total of thirteen children diagnosed and another five potentially linked cases being investigated since 1995, some people still have concerns.[24][25][26][27] Families Against Cancer and Toxics (FACT) was formed in Southern Arizona in 2003 when parents of children with cancer gathered to encourage continued investigation into the possible causes of childhood leukemia.

Transportation

Sierra Vista is supported by a public mass transit system called Vista Transit, operated by the city.[28] There are two highways (SR 90 and SR 92) connecting Sierra Vista with neighboring communities. The city is also served by the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (FHU) which is jointly operated by the U.S. Army as Libby Army Airfield. Currently there are no commercial flights arriving to or departing from FHU.

Major highways

Sister cities

Sierra Vista established its Sister Cities program in 1989 with Resolution 2282 in order to promote a relationship with MexicoCananea, Sonora, Mexico. Sierra Vista was later twinned with Germany Radebeul, Germany on May 22, 1998 by Resolution 3956. Sierra Vista and Radebeul currently have a foreign exchange program with each other.[29]

References

  1. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014-07-06.
  2. 1 2 "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Sierra Vista city, Arizona". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  4. ↑ Rice, Valorie H and Hammond, George W. (2013). "Arizona has a new metropolitan area: Sierra Vista-Douglas"
  5. ↑ We're Thru; Slate; December 11, 2009
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. ↑ New Record Low Temperature Set In Sierra Vista; The Herald; February 4, 2011
  8. ↑ "nws.noaa.gov". Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Sierra Vista Aquatic Center". Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  10. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  11. ↑ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  12. 1 2 Cochise: Center For Economic Research - Publications
  13. ↑ 37,775
  14. ↑ "City of Sierra Vista, City Council, Strategic Plan". 2009-06-29. Retrieved 2009-06-29.
  15. ↑ Audrey Sibley - Miss Arizona; CMT.com; 2006
  16. ↑ UA Student to Promote Healthy Habits During Miss Arizona Reign; Tucson Citizen; June 24, 2008
  17. ↑ FCC Record for KWBA-TV
  18. ↑ K101 Radio station
  19. ↑ "Sierra Vista Community Based Outpatient Clinic". Archived from the original on 2010-04-09. Retrieved 2010-09-28.; United States Department of Veterans Affairs; April 6, 2010
  20. ↑ 2002 Environmental Study by ADHS
  21. ↑ CDC Biosampling Final Report - 2006
  22. ↑ For the Kids - Parents, scientists investigate cancer cluster
  23. ↑ CDC Main catalog of Sierra Vista studies
  24. ↑ Cancer Wars - Leukemia cases in Sierra Vista
  25. ↑ Possible tungsten-leukemia link
  26. ↑ CDC Cluster studies
  27. ↑ Cochise County Health Department Review of cluster studies; Updated January 2010
  28. ↑ Vista Transit
  29. ↑ "Sierra Vista Sister Cities Commission". Retrieved February 9, 2012.
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