Tonopah, Arizona

{{Infobox settlement

|name = Tonopah, Arizona

|official_name =

|settlement_type = Census-designated place

|nickname =

|motto =

|image_skyline = Tonopah Tonopah Post Office-1934.jpg

|imagesize = 250px

|image_caption = Tonopah Post Office

|image_flag =

|image_seal =

|image_map = File:Maricopa County Arizona Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Tonopah Highlighted 0474540.svg

|mapsize = 250px

|map_caption = Location in Maricopa County, Arizona

|pushpin_map = Arizona#USA

|pushpin_label = Tonopah

|pushpin_map_caption =

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = United States

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Arizona}}

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Maricopa

|government_footnotes =

|government_type =

|leader_title =

|leader_name =

|leader_title1 =

|leader_name1 =

|established_title = Established

|established_date = 1929

|unit_pref = Imperial

|area_footnotes = {{cite web |title=2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Arizona |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2021_Gazetteer/2021_gaz_place_04.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=May 18, 2022}}

|area_total_km2 = 3.54

|area_land_km2 = 3.54

|area_water_km2 = 0.00

|area_total_sq_mi = 1.37

|area_land_sq_mi = 1.37

|area_water_sq_mi = 0.00

|population_as_of = 2020

|population_footnotes = {{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US0474540&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Tonopah CDP, Arizona: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=May 18, 2022}}

|population_total = 23

|population_density_km2 = 6.50

|population_density_sq_mi = 16.84

|timezone = MST

|utc_offset = -7

|timezone_DST = N/A

|utc_offset_DST =

|elevation_footnotes =

|elevation_ft = 1490

|coordinates = {{coord|33|29|37|N|112|56|14|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}

|postal_code_type = ZIP code

|postal_code = 85354

|area_code = 623 and 928

|blank_name = FIPS code

|blank_info = 04-74540

|blank1_name = GNIS feature ID

|blank1_info =

}}

Tonopah {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|oʊ|n|oʊ-|ˌ|p|ɑː}} is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in western Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, {{convert|52|mi}} west of downtown Phoenix off Interstate 10. The community is near the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, the largest power producer in the country, nuclear or otherwise. As of the 2020 census, the population of Tonopah was 23, down from 60 at the 2010 census.

It is located on the Tonopah Desert. Many wells in Tonopah are warm, in the {{convert|70|°F}} to {{convert|95|°F}} range, and many are hot; {{convert|110|°F}} to {{convert|120|°F}} wells are common. Prior to being called Tonopah, the settlement was known as "Lone Peak".

The area is also known to have been inhabited by groups of people for resource gathering, including the Hohokam, Patayan, and Yavapai.

Demographics

{{US Census population

|align=left|2010 = 60

|2020 = 23

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}

}}

As of the census{{Cite web|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/deeplinks?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffactfinder.census.gov%2Ffaces%2Ftableservices%2Fjsf%2Fpages%2Fproductview.xhtml%3Fpid%3DDEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table|title=Explore Census Data|website=data.census.gov|access-date=May 3, 2022|archive-date=January 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121220932/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/deeplinks?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffactfinder.census.gov%2Ffaces%2Ftableservices%2Fjsf%2Fpages%2Fproductview.xhtml%3Fpid%3DDEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13%26prodType%3Dtable|url-status=dead}} of 2010, there were 60 people living in the CDP. The population density was 1.13 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the CDP was 87% White, 2% Native American, 3% Asian, and 8% from other races. Twenty-three percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Schools

Crossroads Academy
Ruth Fisher Middle School
Tonopah Valley High School
Winters Well Elementary School

Incorporation efforts

In 2009, a political action committee named Tonopah United for Our Future (TUFF) filed paperwork with the county, proposing the incorporation of the area into a town.{{cite news|url=http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/2009/03/06/20090306swv-tonopah0307.html|title=Vote to incorporate Tonopah likely to be challenged|publisher=The Arizona Republic|first=Eric|last=Graf|date=March 7, 2009|access-date=June 12, 2009}} The proposal ran into difficulties when the neighboring town of Buckeye voted to publicly oppose the measure. State law forbids the incorporation of a new city or town within a specified distance of existing municipalities without their approval,{{cite web|url=http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=%2Fars%2F9%2F00101-01.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS|title=§9-101.01|publisher=Arizona Revised Statutes|access-date=June 21, 2008|archive-date=July 29, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729181322/http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/9/00101-01.htm&Title=9&DocType=ARS|url-status=dead}} and the proposed boundaries for Tonopah would abut the corporate boundaries of Buckeye, essentially giving Buckeye veto power over any incorporation efforts. In 2003, Buckeye had passed a measure approving of any future incorporation effort by Tonopah, but the town council rescinded the measure, citing concerns that the proposal would extend the new town's boundaries east of the Hassayampa River and into area Buckeye intends to annex.{{cite news|url=http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/2009/02/06/20090206swv-towncouncil0207.html|title=Buckeye says 'No' to Tonopah as a town|first=Eric|last=Graf|date=February 6, 2009|access-date=June 12, 2009|publisher=The Arizona Republic}} Council members did indicate that they were open to future incorporation efforts using the river as a boundary.

Residents also expressed concern that the proposal was too ambitious and that the new town would be incapable of managing the {{convert|100|mi2|km2}} of land included in the proposal. Geographically it would be among the largest in the state, while estimates placed the population of the proposed town at approximately 6,000. Additionally, a number of residents opposed the plan because they believed large tax increases would be necessary to fund a new government.

Ultimately the measure was defeated on March 10, 2009, by a vote of 523 against incorporation versus 356 in support.{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/elections/index.php?pgDate=20090310|title=Election Results : March 2009 Election|date=March 10, 2009|access-date=June 12, 2009|publisher=The Arizona Republic}}

In 2023, The Tonopah Incorporation Committee again initiated a voter referendum, that would allow Tonopah to incorporate in fall 2024.{{cite web |title=IncorporateTonopahAZ |url=https://incorporatetonopahaz.com |website=IncorporateTonopahAZ |access-date=20 May 2024}} If incorporated as planned, Tonopah would have a population of 4,300{{cite web |last1=Hardle |first1=Alexandra |title=Tonopah incorporation effort leaves more questions than answers about police, fire |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tonopah-incorporation-effort-leaves-more-questions-than-answers-about-police-fire/ar-BB1hbCS3?ocid=BingNewsSearch |website=www.msn.com |publisher=Arizona Republic |access-date=20 May 2024}}

Belmont

In November 2017, media outlets reported that a company associated with billionaire Bill Gates purchased {{convert|24800|acre|sqkm}} between Buckeye and Tonopah for $80 million. At the time, Gates's company announced plans to create a "smart city" called Belmont on the site."Bill Gates invests $80 million to build Arizona smart city," http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/13/technology/future/bill-gates-smart-city-arizona/index.html, accessed January 16, 2018 As of 2023, no construction has begun.

Climate

{{Weather box

|location = Tonopah, Arizona (Elevation 1,300ft)

|single line = Y

|collapsed = yes

|Jan record high F = 82

|Feb record high F = 91

|Mar record high F = 98

|Apr record high F = 105

|May record high F = 115

|Jun record high F = 121

|Jul record high F = 119

|Aug record high F = 117

|Sep record high F = 113

|Oct record high F = 104

|Nov record high F = 94

|Dec record high F = 87

|year record high F = 121

|Jan high F = 65.7

|Feb high F = 70.7

|Mar high F = 76.0

|Apr high F = 85.5

|May high F = 94.4

|Jun high F = 103.8

|Jul high F = 106.8

|Aug high F = 104.5

|Sep high F = 99.2

|Oct high F = 88.3

|Nov high F = 75.4

|Dec high F = 66.2

|year high F = 86.4

|Jan low F = 36.8

|Feb low F = 40.1

|Mar low F = 43.4

|Apr low F = 50.5

|May low F = 59.7

|Jun low F = 67.9

|Jul low F = 77.0

|Aug low F = 75.6

|Sep low F = 67.1

|Oct low F = 55.1

|Nov low F = 43.2

|Dec low F = 36.5

|year low F = 54.4

|Jan record low F = 17

|Feb record low F = 22

|Mar record low F = 23

|Apr record low F = 26

|May record low F = 41

|Jun record low F = 49

|Jul record low F = 60

|Aug record low F = 54

|Sep record low F = 42

|Oct record low F = 35

|Nov record low F = 16

|Dec record low F = 14

|year record low F= 14

| precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 1.08

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.88

|Mar precipitation inch = 0.75

|Apr precipitation inch = 0.27

|May precipitation inch = 0.05

|Jun precipitation inch = 0.06

|Jul precipitation inch = 0.62

|Aug precipitation inch = 1.18

|Sep precipitation inch = 0.57

|Oct precipitation inch = 0.44

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.61

|Dec precipitation inch = 1.13

|year precipitation inch= 7.63

|Jan snow inch = 0

|Feb snow inch = 0

|Mar snow inch = 0

|Apr snow inch = 0

|May snow inch = 0

|Jun snow inch = 0

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = 0

|Nov snow inch = 0

|Dec snow inch = 0

|year snow inch = 0

|source 1 = The Western Regional Climate Center{{cite web

| url =http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?az8641| title =Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information | access-date =November 18, 2013 | publisher =Western Regional Climate Center }}

|date=November 2013

}}

Image gallery

Includes:{{Cite web|url=http://aztvcc.com/history/|title=History}}

The ruins of the house of John Beauchamp, a major landowner in the area and Tonopah's first postmaster. The house and homestead were built in 1920. The ruins of the house are located near the corner of Indian School and 411th Avenue .
The Saguaro Sanitarium (which became the Motel Saguaro Mineral Wells), whose groundbreaking ceremony was on June 17, 1934, attended by George W. P. Hunt, the first elected governor of Arizona.
The ruins related to the Tonopah-Belmont mine workers camp.

{{Gallery

|title=Tonopah
File:Tonopah-John Beauchamp House-1920.jpg

|width=180px

|height=200px

|align=center

|File:Tonopah-John Beauchamp House-1930-2.jpg|John Beauchamp House

|File:Tonopah-Saguaro Sanitarium-Motel Saguaro Mineral Wells-1934.jpg|Motel Saguaro Mineral Wells

|File:Tonopah-Saguaro Sanitarium-Motel Saguaro Mineral Wells-1934-2.jpg|Motel Saguaro Mineral Wells office

|File:Tonopah-Ranch and Land Office-1934.jpg|Tonopah Ranch and Land Office

|File:Tonopah-Tonopah Ruins-1924-1.jpg|Tonopah-Belmont mine ruins

|File:Tonopah-Tonopah Ruins-1924-8.jpg|Tonopah-Belmont mine ruins

|File:Tonopah-Tonopah Ruins-1924-13.jpg|Tonopah-Belmont mine ruins

|File:Tonopah-Ruins-Water Tank.jpg|Tonopah Ruins water tank

|File:Tonopah-Tonopah Ruins-1924-3.jpg|Tonopah-Belmont mine ruins

|File:Tonopah-Water Tower.jpg|Tonopah water tower

}}