MAPPING AND GEOGRAPHICAL WORLD

The Flagstaff, Arizona area was inhabited 1,400 years ago by the Anasazi Indians who built pueblo dwellings East and Northeast of today's town. They left 700 years ago, because of extended dry seasons and drought. Other Indian cultures later lived and traded nearby. In the 1850's, the Army explored the area looking for the best route to build a wagon road across the area. On July 4, 1876, the nation's centennial, a flag was hung on a tall pine that was stripped of its branches. It became a landmark for travelers along the road. When the railroad arrived in 1881, the city was officially named Flagstaff. The nearby forest provided a supply of wood for construction and railroad ties. Lumber became a big business and Flagstaff grew. The Lowell Observatory was built in 1894 (the planet Pluto was discovered from here in 1930). The city was a transportation hub and, in the 1920's, with the building of Route 66, 'The Mother Road' from Chicago to the California Coast, Flagstaff became a major stop along the way. At 7,000 feet above sea level, the city is cooler than most of Arizona and has attracted many who want to escape the desert heat. The San Francisco Peaks outside of town provide a scenic backdrop to the city.