The myth of the Seven Cities of Gold , also known as the Seven Cities of Cíbola ( / ˈ s iː b ə l ə / ), was popular in the 16th century and later featured in several works of popular culture. According to legend, the seven cities of gold referred to Aztec mythology revolving around the Pueblos of the Spanish Nuevo México , modern New Mexico and Southwestern United States .
30-794: The Rio San Bernardino , or San Bernardino River , begins in extreme southeastern Cochise County, Arizona , and is a tributary of the Bavispe River , in Sonora , Mexico . The Rio San Bernardino has two major tributaries, the Rio de Agua Prieta and the Arroyo Cajón Bonito . The river's headwaters are in extreme southeastern Cochise County, Arizona as Black Draw . From here the Rio San Bernardino flows south, crossing into Mexico east of Douglas, Arizona . In northern Sonora ,
60-561: A 2000 survey found five breeding pairs of beavers on the Cajón Bonito River mostly in remote ranches without livestock. The authors of the latter study reported that local ranchers kill beavers because they fear felled trees will block roads. However, beavers are considered keystone species and ecosystem engineers, as their dams raise the water table and turn seasonal stretches of streams into perennial reaches, producing highly beneficial impacts on species abundance and diversity in
90-711: A heavy military presence. In the United States House of Representatives, the county is mostly part of Arizona's 6th congressional district , which is represented by Republican Juan Ciscomani . In the Arizona Legislature, the county is part of the 19th district and is represented by Republican David Gowan in the State Senate and Republicans Gail Griffin and Lupe Diaz in the State House of Representatives. This district also includes
120-403: A household in the county was $ 32,105, and the median income for a family was $ 38,005. Males had a median income of $ 30,533 versus $ 22,252 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 15,988. About 13.5% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over. In 2000, the largest denominational group
150-659: A shipwreck off the Texas coast. Captured by Native Americans, they spent eight years finding their way back to Mexico City, via the San Pedro Valley . Their journals, maps, and stories led to the Cibola, seven cities of gold myth. The Expedition of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1539 using it as his route north through what they called the Guachuca Mountains of Pima ( Tohono O'odham ) lands and later part of
180-602: Is based on the 2010 census of Cochise County. † county seat School districts include: Unified: Secondary: Elementary: The Rucker Elementary School district, in 2002, operated no schools and sent its elementary students to the Elfrida district. The Rucker district had a bus driver and an administrator as employees. The residents liked the arrangement as they could pay less tax. Seven Cities of Gold Besides "Cíbola", names associated with similar lost cities of gold also included El Dorado , Paititi , City of
210-401: Is located on the U.S. Army installation Fort Huachuca in the city of Sierra Vista. The airport has three runways and one helipad. It is mostly used for military aviation for the surrounding military base. There are no commercial flights out of Cochise County; the nearest commercial airport is at Tucson , approximately 70 miles from Sierra Vista . The population ranking of the following table
240-510: The census of 2000, there were 117,755 people, 43,893 households, and 30,768 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile (7.3 people/km ). There were 51,126 housing units at an average density of 8 units per square mile (3.1 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 76.7% White , 4.5% Black or African American , 1.2% Native American , 1.7% Asian , 0.3% Pacific Islander , 12.1% from other races , and 3.7% from two or more races. 30.7% of
270-702: The 8th century, or one based on the capture of Mérida, Spain , by the Moors in 1150. The later Spanish tales were largely caused by reports given by the four shipwrecked survivors of the failed Narváez expedition , which included explorers Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and his slave Estevanico . Eventually returning to New Spain , the adventurers said they had heard stories from natives about cities with great and limitless riches. In 1539 , Italian Franciscan Marco da Nizza reached Zuni Pueblo and called it Cibola . However, when conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado finally arrived at Cíbola in 1540, he discovered that
300-567: The Caesars , Lake Parime at Manoa , Antilia , and Quivira . In the 16th century, the Spaniards in New Spain (Mexico) began to hear rumors of "Seven Cities of Gold" called "Cíbola" located across the desert, hundreds of miles to the north. The stories may have their root in an earlier Portuguese legend about seven cities founded on the island of Antillia by a Catholic expedition in
330-819: The Cajón Bonito River joins the San Bernardino River in the San Bernardino Valley after draining the Sierra San Luis and northern end of the Sierra Madre Occidental . Next the Rio San Bernardino is joined by the Agua Prieta River which also begins in Cochise County, crossing south as Whitewater Draw into Mexico at Douglas and Agua Prieta . The Agua Prieta River flows south and east to join
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#1732790525511360-493: The Republican nominee by large margins in every other election since 1968, except for 1996 and 1976 when Clinton and Jimmy Carter each lost only narrowly. Although the county includes the relatively liberal town of Bisbee , as well as the city of Douglas which has a large Latino population, this is outweighed by the heavily Republican tilt of the more populous Sierra Vista , which is adjacent to Fort Huachuca and thus has
390-817: The Rio San Bernardino, shortly after the Rio Agua Prieta has its confluence with the Rio Fronteras , the latter flowing north from near Nacozari de Garcia, Sonora . The San Bernardino River joins the Bavispe River at Morelos, Sonora at the northern end of the Sierra del Tigre . The Bavispe River flows south by southwest to the Yaqui River and eventually to the Gulf of California at Ciudad Obregon, Sonora . North American beaver ( Castor canadensis ) were documented by Leopold in 1977 in northern Mexico, and
420-415: The county has a total area of 6,219 square miles (16,110 km ), of which 6,166 square miles (15,970 km ) is land and 53 square miles (140 km ) (0.9%) is water. Cochise County is close to the size of the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined. As of the census of 2010, there were 131,346 people, 50,865 households, and 33,653 families residing in the county. The population density
450-598: The eastern route due to wars with France and England, so the main route north shifted west to the Santa Cruz valley , farther from the range of the Chiricahua Apache who almost exclusively controlled the area by 1821. Cochise County was created on February 1, 1881, out of the eastern portion of Pima County . It took its name from the Chiricahua Apache war chief Cochise . The county seat
480-474: The entirety of Greenlee County , as well as portions of Pima County , Graham County , and Santa Cruz County . Bisbee Municipal Airport is owned by the City of Bisbee and located five nautical miles (9 km) southeast of its central business district Sierra Vista Municipal Airport (IATA: FHU, ICAO: KFHU, FAA LID: FHU), a joint-use civil-military airport which shares facilities with Libby Army Airfield,
510-635: The mission routes north, but was actually occupied by the Sobaipuri descendants of the Hohokam . They found a large Pueblo (described as a small city) between modern Benson and Whetstone , and several smaller satellite villages and smaller pueblos including ones on Fort Huachuca, Huachuca City and North Eastern Fry. About 1657 Father Kino visited the Sobaipuris just before the Apache forced most from
540-449: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.4% reported speaking Spanish at home, while 1.3% speak German . There were 43,893 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who
570-407: The population. The largest ancestry groups were: Of the 50,865 households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age
600-523: The riparian zone. Beavers were also documented by Hendrickson et al. in 1978 on the Cajón Bonito. Cochise County, Arizona Cochise County ( / k oʊ ˈ tʃ iː s / koh- CHEESS ) is a county in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona . It is named after Cochise , a Chiricahua Apache who was a key war leader during the Apache Wars . The population
630-621: The stories were unfounded and that there were, in fact, no treasures as the friar had described—only adobe towns. While among the towns, Coronado heard an additional rumor from a native he called "the Turk": that there was a city with plenty of gold called Quivira , located on the other side of the Great Plains. However, when at last he reached this place (variously conjectured to be in modern Kansas, Nebraska, or Missouri), he found little more than straw-thatched villages. The historic Cíbola on
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#1732790525511660-654: The valley, as they were struggling to survive due to increasing Chiricahua Apache attacks as they moved into the area of Texas Canyon of the Dragoon Mountains . In 1775, Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate was founded on the west bank of the San Pedro River to protect the natives as well as the Spanish settlers who supplied the mission stations. The presidio was chronically short on provisions due to raids, however, and lacked personnel to adequately patrol
690-574: Was Tombstone until 1929 when it moved to Bisbee . Notable men who once held the position of County Sheriff were Johnny Behan , who served as the first sheriff of the new county, and who was one of the main characters during the events leading to and following the gunfight at the O.K. Corral . Later, in 1886, Texas John Slaughter became sheriff. Lawman Jeff Milton and lawman/ outlaw Burt Alvord both served as deputies under Slaughter. A syndicated television series which aired from 1956 to 1958, The Sheriff of Cochise starring John Bromfield ,
720-472: Was 125,447 at the 2020 census . The county seat is Bisbee and the most populous city is Sierra Vista . Cochise County includes the Sierra Vista - Douglas , Arizona Metropolitan Statistical Area . The county borders southwestern New Mexico and the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora . In 1528, Spanish explorers Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca , Estevanico , and Fray Marcos de Niza survived
750-416: Was 21.3 inhabitants per square mile (8.2 inhabitants/km ). There were 59,041 housing units at an average density of 9.6 units per square mile (3.7 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 78.5% white, 4.2% black or African American, 1.9% Asian, 1.2% American Indian, 0.3% Pacific islander, 9.9% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 32.4% of
780-406: Was 39.7 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 44,876 and the median income for a family was $ 53,077. Males had a median income of $ 42,164 versus $ 31,019 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 23,010. About 11.8% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over. As of
810-454: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.20 males. The median income for
840-422: Was filmed on location in Cochise County. The Jimmy Stewart movie Broken Arrow and subsequent television show of the same name starring John Lupton , which also aired from 1956 to 1958, were set in Cochise County but filmed at other locations. J.A. Jance 's Joanna Brady mystery series takes place in Cochise County, where Brady is sheriff. Beginning in the late 1950s, the small community of Miracle Valley
870-529: Was the Catholics (with 25,837 adherents) and Evangelical Protestants (with 12,548 adherents). The largest religious bodies were The Catholic Church (with 25,837 members) and The Southern Baptist Convention (with 5,999 members). Cochise County leans strongly towards the Republican Party in presidential elections. Although Bill Clinton carried the county narrowly in 1992, it has supported
900-558: Was the site of a series of bible colleges and similar religious organizations, founded by television evangelist A. A. Allen . In 1982, Miracle Valley and neighboring Palominas were the site of a series of escalating conflicts between a newly arrived black religious community and the county sheriff and deputies that culminated in the Miracle Valley shootout . According to the United States Census Bureau ,
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