Apache Junction is a city in Pinal and Maricopa counties in the

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * '' Our ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,499, most of whom lived in Pinal County. It is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and Old West Highway. The area where Apache Junction is located used to be known as Youngberg. Superstition Mountain, the westernmost peak of the

Superstition Mountains The Superstition Mountains ( yuf-x-yav, Wi:kchsawa) is a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination f ...

, is to the east.

History

Apache Junction arose at an intersection on an unpaved stagecoach trail to the nearby

. The location became a historical landmark, part of a scenic byway that was opened to the public in 1922 and is currently part of a "circle trail" that begins and ends in Apache Junction. The O'odham Jeweḍ, Akimel O'odham (Upper

Pima Pima or PIMA may refer to: People * Pima people, the Akimel O'odham, Indigenous peoples in Arizona (U.S.) and Sonora (Mexico) Places * Pima, Arizona, a town in Graham County * Pima County, Arizona * Pima Canyon, in the Santa Catalina Mountains ...

), and

Hohokam Hohokam () was a culture in the North American Southwest in what is now part of Arizona, United States, and Sonora, Mexico. It existed between 300 and 1500 AD, with cultural precursors possibly as early as 300 BC. Archaeologists disagree about ...

people all have tribal ties to the area.

Geography

Apache Junction is in northern Pinal County at . A small portion of the city limits comprising the El Dorado Mobile Estates Resort and Senior Cottages of Apache Junction extends west into Maricopa County. The city is bordered to the west partly by the city of

Mesa A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge or hill, which is bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and stands distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas characteristically consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks capped by a ...

and to the southeast by unincorporated Gold Canyon. Downtown Phoenix is to the west via

U.S. Route 60 U.S. Route 60 is a major east–west United States highway, traveling from southwestern Arizona to the Atlantic Ocean coast in Virginia. The highway's eastern terminus is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where it is known as Pacific Avenue, in the ...

, which also leads east to

Globe A globe is a spherical model of Earth, of some other celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but unlike maps, they do not distort the surface that they portray except to scale it down. A model glo ...

. Arizona State Route 88, following the route of the old Apache Trail, leads northeast from Apache Junction through the Superstition Mountains to State Route 188 at Theodore Roosevelt Lake. Apache Junction is located in the east part of the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler Metropolitan Area. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has an area of , of which , or 0.03%, were listed as water. The town is bounded to the east by the

(a federal wilderness area and home of the

Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine The Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine (also known by similar names) is, according to legend, a rich gold mine hidden in the southwestern United States. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, e ...

) and to the north by the

Goldfield Mountains The Goldfield Mountains of Arizona are located adjacent to the Superstition Mountains, between Usery Pass and Canyon Lake (Arizona). In 1893, the southern part of the Goldfield Mountains was a large mining district. Hiking Because there are no tr ...

with the

Bulldog Recreation Area The Bulldog is a British dog breed, breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * ''Ghost Town'' (1956 film), an American Western film by All ...

of Goldfield. In October 2021, Apache Junction annexed ten square miles south of the city's previous southern boundary.

Demographics

Apache Junction first appeared on the 1970 U.S. Census as an unincorporated village. It formally incorporated as a city in 1978. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 35,840 people, 15,574 households, and 9,372 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 22,771 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.5%

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 1.2%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 1.1% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 4.9% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 14.4% of the population. There were 15,574 households, out of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.85. In the city, the population had 19.9% under the age of 20, 4.5% from 20 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 26.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.5 years. The median income (as of the 2000 census) for a household in the city was $33,170, and the median income for a family was $37,726. Males had a median income of $31,283 versus $22,836 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $16,806. About 7.3% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Apache Junction was incorporated as a city on November 24, 1978. The city is governed by a collection of elected officials, clerk, and nine boards and commissions. The city council has seven members, which includes the mayor and vice-mayor. The mayor serves a two-year term. The current mayor is Chip Wilson, Vice Mayor Christa Rizzi.

Historic structures

This gallery includes images of some of the remaining historical structures located in Apache Junction. Among the exhibits on the grounds of the Superstition Mountain Museum are studio sets and other Western paraphernalia that were saved from the Apacheland fire of 1969. Apacheland was a 1,800-acre movie set which opened in 1960. Also located in Apache junction is the ghost town of Goldfield. Goldfield was a mining town established in 1893 next to the Superstition Mountain. When the mine vein faulted, the grade of ore dropped and the town eventually became a ghost town. The town and its historic buildings were revived as a tourist attraction. File:Superstitionmountain.jpg, The Lost Dutchman Mine, located in the Superstition Mountains File: Apache Junction-Superstition Mountain Museum-Audie Murphy Barn.JPG , The Audie Murphy Barn on the grounds of Superstition Mountain Museum, moved there from the Apacheland Movie Ranch File: Apache Junction-Superstition Mountain Museum-Windmill.JPG , A 19th-century windmill located on the grounds of Superstition Mountain Museum

Transportation

Apache Junction is located along

. Apache Junction is not served by local buses.

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and ...

serves Apache Junction on its Phoenix-

El Paso El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...

via

route.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Cities in Arizona Cities in Pinal County, Arizona Cities in Maricopa County, Arizona Arizona placenames of Native American origin Phoenix metropolitan area Populated places in the Sonoran Desert Mining communities in Arizona