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Besides winter snow skiing at the Arizona Snowbowl west of Humphreys Peak, nearby tourist attractions include Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, Oak Creek Canyon, Meteor Crater, The Arboretum at Flagstaff, and the Museum of Northern Arizona. Grand Canyon ... more »
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Airports Besides winter snow skiing at the Arizona Snowbowl west of Humphreys Peak, nearby tourist attractions include Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, Oak Creek Canyon, Meteor Crater, The Arboretum at Flagstaff, and the Museum of Northern Arizona. Grand Canyon National Park is 75 mi (120 km) north of Flagstaff along U.S. Route 180 while Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell are both about 135 mi (216 km) north along U.S. Route 89.
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 52,894. It is the county seat of Coconino County, an important railroad town, and home to Lowell Observatory and Northern Arizona University.
The city's name commemorates a Ponderosa Pine tree that was made into a tall flagpole by members of a scouting party from Boston, Massachusetts on July 4, 1876 to celebrate the United States Centennial.
Flagstaff lies near the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau and along the western side of the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest on earth at an elevation of around 7,000 ft (2,000 m). Flagstaff is located just south of the San Francisco Peaks, the highest mountain range in the state of Arizona. The San Francisco Peaks (known locally as simply "The Peaks") consist of several summits including Humphreys, Agassiz, Fremont, and Doyle Peaks. Humphreys Peak, also known as Mount Humphreys, is one corner of this ancient volcano and the highest point in Arizona at 12,633 ft (3,850 m). It is located about 10 mi (16 km) north of Flagstaff.
Historic Route 66 passes through Flagstaff between Barstow, California and Albuquerque, New Mexico and the town's name is mentioned in the lyrics to the song, "Route 66" by Bobby Troup. Flagstaff is the northern terminus of Interstate 17 which runs 145 mi (232 km) south to Phoenix, Arizona and is also the largest city on Interstate 40 west of Albuquerque.
At 7,000 feet (2,121 m) elevation, located in the largest contiguous Ponderosa Pine forest in the world, the area around Flagstaff is considered a high altitude desert. However, ecosystems spanning from pinon-juniper studded plateaus, high desert, green alpine forest and barren tundra can all be found within a short drive of Flagstaff.
In 1855, then-Lieutenant Beale, surveyed a road from the Rio Grande in New Mexico to Fort Tejon in California. He passed over the spot where Flagstaff now stands, and camped out 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.
Sheep and Timber
Flagstaff’s first recognized permanent settler was Thomas F. McMillan, who arrived in 1876 and built a cabin at the base of Mars Hill. During the 1880s, Flagstaff began to grow, opening its first post office and attracting the booming railroad industry. The town's economy largely consisted of timber, sheep and cattle, and by 1886, Flagstaff was the biggest city on the main line between Albuquerque and the West Coast.
High in Flagstaff
In 1894, Percival Lowell chose Flagstaff as the site for the now famous Lowell Observatory, primarily due to its high altitude and great visibility. Thirty-six years later, Pluto was discovered through the observatory’s telescopes. The Arizona Teacher’s College began in 1899, which later became Northern Arizona University in 1966. During the 1920s, Route 66 was built and passed through the city making Flagstaff a popular tourist stop. Flagstaff was incorporated as a city in 1928.
Beauty and the Scientist
Today, Flagstaff is a community rich with cultural diversity, beauty and history, as well as amazing educational, recreational and scientific opportunities.
* Flagstaff has four distinct seasons. The combination of high altitude, low humidity, and terrain provide mild weather conditions and clear air throughout most of the year, except winter. Weather in Flagstaff is very diverse with moderate summers but sometimes severe winters. Summer temperatures are moderate and high temperatures average around 80°F (about 20°F less than Phoenix). Brief, but often intense, afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms are common during the monsoon season of July and August. The average annual snowfall is 108.8 inches, and the average annual rainfall is 22.80 inches.
Temperature - Yearly Average
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Distances are calculated as the crow flies, and are provided as an aid in planning only.
* This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Source wikipedia.
