Navajo County, Arizona Welcomes You!

Before Navajo County, Arizona was formed, it was first made part of Yavapai County on November 8, 1864. But Yavapai County was so large; it was subsequently divided into six different counties on February 24, 1879, from which Apache County was created. Encompassing almost 21,000 square miles, the newly created Apache County was mostly unknown and uninhabited. As Texas cattlemen began to move in, Apache and Navajo Indians raided the settlements. To further complicate matters on this large section of Old West frontier, Apache County was soon torn by range wars between the newly settled Texas cattleman and the already established Mexican and Indian sheep men. Then again, on March 21, 1895, Apache County was split to create Navajo County. The bill to create the new county, authored by Will C. Barnes, created a two month fight within the territorial legislature. Held up by a filibuster, it finally passed within a few moments of adjournment on the last day of the session. The newly created Navajo County made Holbrook, founded in 1881, its county seat. In the beginning the county was supported by lumbering, farming, railroading, ranching and trade with the Indians.

Law and order were non-existent, gambling was popular, and painted ladies far outnumbered “proper women.”

This introduces Navajo County and more information can be found on its major towns elsewhere on this website.

The Arizona State Coordinator is Gail Meyer Kilgore
Arizona Assistant State Coordinator, Sundee Maynez
County Coordinator: Stella Martinez since April, 2008
Site updated 5/06/08