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Flagstaff Community Profile
Flagstaff, Arizona is located at the intersection of Interstate 17 and Interstate 40, and is the largest city in Northern Arizona. The city is also the regional center and county seat for Coconino County, the second largest county in the 48 contiguous states. The City of Flagstaff, becoming a town in 1894, incorporated as a city in 1928, and currently comprising of just over 64 square miles, is nestled at the base of the San Francisco Peaks and surrounded by one of the largest pine forests on earth. Flagstaff drew its name from a very tall pine tree made into a flagpole in 1876 to celebrate our nations centennial. At nearly 7,000 feet, Flagstaff is also one of the highest elevation cities in the United States. The city is a year-round mecca for visitors and many Arizonans maintain second homes here.
History
In 1855 Lieutenant Beale, in surveying a road from the Rio Grande in New Mexico to Fort Tejon in California, passed over the spot where Flagstaff now stands. While camping 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.
The town’s first recognized permanent settler, Thomas F. McMillan, arrived in 1876 and built a cabin at the base of Mars Hill. During the 1880’s Flagstaff began to grow, opening its first post office and welcoming the booming railroad industry. The town had timber, sheep and cattle and by 1886 Flagstaff was the biggest city on the main line between Albuquerque and the West Coast.
In 1894, Dr. Percival Lowell chose Flagstaff, due to its great visibility, as the site for the now famous Lowell Observatory. Thirty-six years later, Pluto was discovered through the observatory’s telescopes. The Arizona Teacher’s College began in 1899, later becoming Northern Arizona University (1966). During the 1920’s, Route 66 was built and passed right through town 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.
Economic Information
Flagstaff is a governmental, educational, transportation, cultural and commercial center. Government is one of the largest employment sectors. Tourism is also a large employer as the city sees over 5,000,000 visitors a year. In addition, the City houses Northern Arizona University and other scientific and high tech research and development industries.
NAU, the largest employer in the City, has a major economic impact annually. The campus is used year-round and hosts many professional athletes, e.g., Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Suns, and Olympic athletes that choose Flagstaff as training site because of the climate, altitude, and available facilities. The University, in partnership with the City of Flagstaff and the State of Arizona, has institutionalized this with the development of the High Altitude Sports Training Center. The Center invites athletes worldwide to train at our 7,000 feet elevation, which has proven to offer a competitive advantage. The Center offers facilities, health assessments, and other services to these international athletes.
Five business and industrial parks are situated with excellent access to the Interstates (I-40 and I-17). One additional site resides within 15 miles of the City limits. Major manufacturers include W.L. Gore & Associates (of Gortex renown), manufacturer of medical equipment; Nestle Purina Petcare Products, manufacturer of pet food; SCA Tissue, manufacturer of tissue paper; and Joy Cone, manufacturer of ice cream cones.
Total sales generated by Flagstaff businesses reached $2.75 billion in FY 2005.
Tourism is a year-round industry attracting skiers in the winter, vacationers in the summer, and sightseers viewing the aspen turning gold in the fall. Non-city residents provided an estimated 50% of the sales tax revenue. The City has 381 licensed businesses generating BBB tax revenues (an additional 2% sales tax).
Education
Flagstaff Unified School District #1 has 9 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 alternative schools, 5 magnet schools, and 3 high schools. In addition to the public school system, there are 10 charter schools run by private parties. These schools provide educational opportunities for children in kindergarten to high school. The schools specialize in everything from specific learning styles to programs focused on the Arts.
Coconino County Community College offers 33 associate degrees, 29 certificate programs, continuing education, and special programs for small businesses. In the fall of 2004, enrollment was 4,380 students (3,540 of which were enrolled at the two Flagstaff campus).
Flagstaff's commitment to education is enhanced by Northern Arizona University's contribution to the community. Established in 1899, NAU is one of Arizona's three state universities. In the fall of 2004, NAU offered 95 Bachelor, 47 Master, 8 Doctorate, and 1 Professional degrees along with 30 Undergraduate and 12 Graduate certificates. Top enrollment for its 19,147 students (12,980 of which were enrolled at the Flagstaff campus) are Elementary Education, Business Preparation, Hotel & Restaurant Management, Criminal Justice, and Psychology.
Learn more about this city
City of FLAGSTAFF, AZ official site
City of FLAGSTAFF, AZ chamber of commerce
City of FLAGSTAFF, AZ general information
City of FLAGSTAFF, AZ yellow pages
City of FLAGSTAFF, AZ newspaper
County of COCONINO, AZ official site