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Welcome To KEY TO THE CITY's Page For
Ajo
Pima County, Arizona

ZipCodes
85321

Motto
"Where Summer Spends the Winter"
"Papago word for Paint or the Spanish name for Garlic"
"Ajo is Arizona's Hometown."

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Page Contents for Ajo, Arizona

Statistics & Facts

Location

Geography

History & History-related items

City Attractions

Economy

Chamber of Commerce.

Community events.

Organizations, Churches, and Sports.

Libraries.

Miscellany

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Statistics & Facts

• The Arizona state capital is Phoenix.
• The population of Ajo is approximately 3,705 (2000), 3304 (2010).
• The approximate number of families is 1,809 (1990), 1512 (2010).
• The amount of land area in Ajo is 28.1 sq. miles.
• The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
• The distance from Ajo to Washington DC is 2139 miles.
• The distance to the Arizona state capital is 92 miles. (as the crow flies)
• Ajo is positioned 32.38 degrees north of the equator and 112.86 degrees west of the prime meridian.
• Ajo elevation is 1,798 feet above sea level.
• Ajo per capita income is $ 14,548 (2000).
• Ajo median income is $ 25,618 (2000).
• Ajo average annual rainfall is 8.95 inches per year
• The average low temperature is 58.6 degrees F.
• The average high temperature is 84.0 degrees F.
• The average winter temperature is 54.5 degrees F.
• The average spring temperature is 69.0 degrees F.
• The average summer temperature is 89.9 degrees F.
• The average fall temperature is 75.0 degrees F.

Location

On Hwy 85 between Yuma and Tucson in the southern portion of the state. It is in western Pima County southwest of Phoenix and west of Tucson. Here is a Map page for Ajo. The only nearby communities are the very small communities of Why and Schuchuli. Gila Bend and Pisinemo are about 40 miles away.
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Geography

a city surrounded by Sonoran desert and mountains
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Weather

typical for this desert area. Here is a weather page for the Ajo area.
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History & History Related Items

Ajo's original indian name was "Tin Aja De Mu Vavi" (holder of water)

This is a good history page for Ajo.

The area's copper mining possibilities were first noticed in 1853 by Captain Peter Brady, part of a surveying party withy the Thirty-Second Parallel Railroad. Even with the great potential for mining, the area was not developed until 1911 when a cost-effective process for the ore was discovered. The Phelps-Dodge Corp., a large mining company, has a large stock in the town and area. They have a huge open pit mine near Ajo. The mine is over a mile in diameter and a thousand feet deep

Ajo is a small community which began as a mining town with the Phelps Dodge Corporation. During the 1980's it became primarily a retirement community. Now in the late 1990's, Phelps Dodge may open the mines back up to bring the industry back in Ajo.

The Tohono O'odham (formerly known as the Papago Indians) were the first known people in the area. From the ore-rich rocks they obtained a pigment, au-auho, or red paint, which gave them one of the first names for this area. The first Mexican miners, possibly influenced by hearing the Indian name, called the place after the abundant wild garlic known as the Ajo lily.

Learn about the history and what is happening now in the More history at this site.

Historical attractions in Ajo.
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The settling of Ajo

1911

Attractions

Webspage for Ajo, Arizona information

The Guest House Inn is the historic guest house of the Phelps Dodge mining company in Ajo. It is now a Bed & Breakfast inn with its own website

For lots of news and information about Ajo, see the Ajo Copper News
Call us at 520-387-7688
Stop by & see us at 10 Pajaro in Ajo
Write to us at P.O. Box 39, Ajo, AZ 85321

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge
Established in 1939 with 860,010 acres to help conserve the natural wildlife resources of the area.

Windowpane Observatory

Ajo Historical Museum
161 Mission St.
Ajo, Arizona 85321-2601
Open Winter Season Only 1-4, Summer by Appointment
Phone: (520) 387-7105

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Economy & Industry

mostly in the tourist, service and commercial sectors.
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Ajo Chamber

Ajo District Chamber of Commerce
400 Taladro St.
Ajo, AZ 85321
Phone: (520) 387-7742

Ajo Community Events

A Community calendar for Ajo

Ajo Organizations

Ajo District Chamber of Commerce
400 Taladro St.
Ajo, AZ 85321
Phone: (520) 387-7742

Ajo Libraries

Salazar-Ajo Public Library
15 W. Plaza St. #179
Ajo, AZ, 85321
Phone: (520) 387-6075 part of the Tucson-Pima County Library System Ajo

Miscellany

The population of Ajo was:
1990 - 2,919
1998 - 5,492
1999 - 2,809
2000 - 3,705

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