DISCOVER FLAGSTAFF, Arizona

Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. It is the principal city of the Flagstaff, Arizona Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 52,894. The total Metropolitan Statistical Area was 122,000. It is the county seat of Coconino County GR6, an important railroad town, and home to Lowell Observatory and Northern Arizona University.

Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona. Photo by Leslie Connell

The city's name commemorates a Ponderosa Pine tree that was made into a tall flagpole by members of a scouting party from Boston, Massachusetts(Known as the Flagstaff Tea Party) on July 4, 1876 to celebrate the United States Centennial.

Flagstaff lies near the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau and along the western side of the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest on earth at an elevation of around 7,000 ft (2,000 m).

Flagstaff is located just south of the San Francisco Peaks, the highest mountain range in the state of Arizona. The San Francisco Peaks (known locally as simply "The Peaks") consist of several summits including Humphreys, Agassiz, Fremont, and Doyle Peaks. Humphreys Peak, also known as Mount Humphreys, is one corner of this ancient volcano and the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 ft (3,850 m). It is located about 10 mi (16 km) north of Flagstaff.

Historic Route 66 passes through Flagstaff between Barstow, California and Albuquerque, New Mexico and the town's name is mentioned in the lyrics to the song, "Route 66" by Bobby Troup. Flagstaff is the northern terminus of Interstate 17 which runs 145 mi (232 km) south to Phoenix, Arizona and is also the largest city on Interstate 40 west of Albuquerque.

Besides winter snow skiing at the Arizona Snowbowl west of Humphreys Peak, nearby tourist attractions include Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, Oak Creek Canyon, Barringer Crater (meteor crater), The Arboretum at Flagstaff, and the Museum of Northern Arizona.

Grand Canyon National Park is 75 mi (120 km) north of Flagstaff along U.S. Route 180 while Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell are both about 135 mi (216 km) north along U.S. Route 89

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HISTORY OF FLAGSTAFF

In 1855, then-Lieutenant Beale, surveyed a road from the Rio Grande in New Mexico to Fort Tejon in California. He passed over the spot where Flagstaff now stands, and camped out at the eastern extremity of the present town. The lieutenant had his men cut the limbs from a straight pine tree in order to fly the United States flag.

Flagstaff's first recognized permanent settler was Thomas F. McMillan, who arrived in 1876 and built a cabin at the base of Mars Hill. During the 1880s, Flagstaff began to grow, opening its first post office and attracting the booming railroad industry. The town's economy largely consisted of timber, sheep and cattle, and by 1886, Flagstaff was the biggest city on the main line between Albuquerque and the West Coast.

In 1894, astronomer Percival Lowell chose Flagstaff as the site for the now famous Lowell Observatory, primarily due to its high altitude and good astronomical seeing conditions. Thirty-six years later, Pluto was discovered using one of the observatory's telescopes. The Northern Arizona Normal School was established in in 1899, an institution that later became Northern Arizona University in 1966. During the 1920s, Route 66 was built and passed through the city making Flagstaff a popular tourist stop. Flagstaff was incorporated as a city in 1928.

Today, Flagstaff is a community rich with cultural diversity, beauty and history, as well as amazing educational, recreational and scientific opportunities.

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CLIMATE OF FLAGSTAFF

Flagstaff has four distinct seasons. The combination of high altitude, low humidity, and terrain provide mild weather conditions and clear air throughout most of the year, except winter. Weather in Flagstaff is very diverse with moderate summers but sometimes severe winters. Summer temperatures are moderate and high temperatures average around 80°F (about 20°F less than Phoenix).

Brief, but often intense, afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms are common during the monsoon season of July and August. The average annual snowfall is 108.8 inches, and the average annual rainfall is 22.80 inches.

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FLAGSTAFF TRIVIA

• Flagstaff in the early 20th century was considered as a site for an early film by Jesse Lasky and Cecil B. DeMille. But that idea was abandoned in favor of Hollywood. Some recent movies have been filmed in Flagstaff.

• In Midnight Run Charles Grodin gives Robert De Niro the slip in Flagstaff.

• In Forrest Gump the main character is seen jogging in downtown Flagstaff when he gives inspiration to a bumper sticker designer.

• In "Raise Your Voice" Hilary Duff's Character is originally from Flagstaff and moves to Los Angeles for music school.

• Edward Abbey's novel The Monkey Wrench Gang depicts an encounter with a Flagstaff policeman.

• Frank Poole discusses his childhood growing up in Flagstaff in Arthur C. Clarke's novel 3001: The Final Odyssey.

• Asteroid 2118 Flagstaff is named for the city and 6582 Flagsymphony is named for the Flagstaff Symphony.

• The author Richard Bausch has written a short story called, All the Way in Flagstaff, Arizona.

• Flagstaff, Arizona appeared in Stephen King's book, "Firestarter".

• The first Ramada Inn hotel opened in 1954 at Flagstaff at the intersection of U.S. Routes 66, 89 and 89A adjacent to Arizona State College, now Northern Arizona University. That original Ramada hotel is still intact today as a Super 8 Motel.

From Wikipedia.org, the Free Encyclopedia

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