Yucca, Arizona
{{Short description|Community in Mohave County, Arizona}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Yucca, Arizona
|settlement_type = Census-designated place
|image_skyline = yuccaarizona1883.jpg
|imagesize =
|image_caption = Water tank in Yucca, Arizona
|image_map = File:Mohave County Arizona Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Yucca Highlighted 0485470.svg
|map_caption =
|pushpin_map = Arizona#USA
|pushpin_map_caption =
|pushpin_label = Yucca
|pushpin_label_position = top
|subdivision_type =
|subdivision_type1 = State
|subdivision_type2 = County
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_name1 = Arizona
|subdivision_name2 = Mohave
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title =
|leader_name =
|established_title = Founded
|established_date = 1883
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_total_km2 = 5.79
|area_total_sq_mi = 2.24
|area_land_km2 = 5.79
|area_water_km2 = 0.00
|area_land_sq_mi = 2.24
|area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
|population_as_of = 2020
|population_total = 96
|population_density_sq_mi = 42.91
|population_density_km2 = 16.57
|timezone = MST
|elevation_ft = 1821
|coordinates = {{coord|34|51|46|N|114|08|40|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type = ZIP code
|postal_code = 86438
|area_code = 928
|blank_name = FIPS code
|blank_info = 04-85470
|blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
|blank1_info = 2582912{{GNIS|2582912}}
}}
Yucca is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 96, down from 126 at the 2010 census.
Located along Interstate 40, it lies southwest of Kingman, just east of the southern section of the Black Mountains and west of the Hualapai and McCracken Mountains in the Sacramento Valley. Yucca has a ZIP Code of 86438. Students in Yucca attend elementary school in the one-school Yucca Elementary School District, and high school in the Kingman Unified School District.
History
Yucca started as an order office and water fill station for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (affiliated with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway) in the 1880s. It was part of a rail line commissioned by the U.S. Congress running from St. Louis, Missouri, to Needles, California. This rail line grew to be transcontinental and is a major freight corridor to Southern California.[http://www.carrtracks.com/cbhistry.htm Santa Fe Transcon History] In 1918 Yucca started its own cemetery.{{cite web |last1=Block |first1=Kathy |title=Yucca Cemetery |url=http://apcrp.org/YUCCA_CEM/YUCCA_MAST_TXT.htm |website=American Pioneer & Cemetery Research Project |publisher=Neal Du Shane |date=May 24, 2009}}
During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces purchased {{convert|2284|acre|km2}} of land and developed the Yucca Army Airfield for training pilots. In 1954 the air base was purchased by Ford Motor Company and along with additional land, was turned into the Arizona Proving Ground comprising nearly {{convert|4000|acre|km2}}. Chrysler purchased the proving grounds in November 2007 from Ford for $34.9 million.[http://www.allpar.com/corporate/arizona-proving-grounds.html Chrysler Arizona proving grounds review]Chrysler Proving Grounds
Yucca became part of Route 66 in 1952 when the highway was realigned, bypassing Oatman, Arizona. This was the heyday for the small town when motels, cafés, and a Whiting Brothers truck stop operated. In the early 1970s, Interstate 40 replaced the section of Route 66 going through Yucca. The motels and truck stop went out of business as people used facilities in larger Kingman and Needles.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mcdonaldlawaz.com/aroundaz/route66/yucca.htm |title=Yucca |access-date=June 19, 2008 |archive-date=November 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127010425/http://mcdonaldlawaz.com/aroundaz/route66/yucca.htm |url-status=dead }} A small general store/café, post office, automotive service center, real estate office, and bar were the only retail businesses remaining by 2008.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}}
In 1997 a land exchange between the Santa Fe Railroad and the US Government of approximately {{convert|70000|acre|km2}} was completed just southwest of Yucca. Much of the land subsequently owned by the railroad was subdivided into typically {{convert|40|acre|m2|adj=on}} parcels and offered to the general public as the Stage Coach Trails development. This land has primarily been purchased by individuals for residential use or long-term investment. Other smaller developments opened just north of Yucca in 2006. Over time these residential developments may spur renewed business growth in the area.[http://www.stagecoach-trails.com/ Arizona land, Kingman real estate for sale]
Location and climate
Yucca is located in southern Mohave County, {{convert|35|mi}} north of Lake Havasu City, {{convert|24|mi}} southwest of Kingman, the county seat, and {{convert|38|mi}} east of Needles, California. Yucca has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) with brutally hot summers and cool winters. In summer, it is normal to record temperatures above {{convert|110|F|C}} for days on end, while in winter it is very mild with practically no snowfall: the highest rainfall in a month is merely {{convert|4.0|in|m}}. The average minimum temperatures in the winter are usually {{convert|30|to|45|F|C|1}}. The sun shines throughout the spring and early summer, and most of the limited rain falls from extratropical lows in the cooler months.
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| collapsed = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Yucca, Arizona (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1953–2007, 2009–2017)
| Jan record high F = 84
| Feb record high F = 87
| Mar record high F = 97
| Apr record high F = 103
| May record high F = 112
| Jun record high F = 117
| Jul record high F = 120
| Aug record high F = 119
| Sep record high F = 111
| Oct record high F = 105
| Nov record high F = 89
| Dec record high F = 81
| year record high F =
| Jan high F = 61.1
| Feb high F = 64.7
| Mar high F = 71.5
| Apr high F = 79.1
| May high F = 88.5
| Jun high F = 99.2
| Jul high F = 103.2
| Aug high F = 102.3
| Sep high F = 96.4
| Oct high F = 83.9
| Nov high F = 70.5
| Dec high F = 60.0
| year high F = 81.7
| Jan mean F = 49.5
| Feb mean F = 52.4
| Mar mean F = 58.3
| Apr mean F = 64.7
| May mean F = 74.1
| Jun mean F = 84.0
| Jul mean F = 90.3
| Aug mean F = 89.3
| Sep mean F = 82.0
| Oct mean F = 69.7
| Nov mean F = 57.4
| Dec mean F = 48.4
| year mean F = 68.3
| Jan low F = 37.9
| Feb low F = 40.0
| Mar low F = 45.2
| Apr low F = 50.4
| May low F = 59.7
| Jun low F = 68.9
| Jul low F = 77.4
| Aug low F = 76.3
| Sep low F = 67.7
| Oct low F = 55.5
| Nov low F = 44.2
| Dec low F = 36.9
| year low F = 55.0
| Jan record low F = 11
| Feb record low F = 18
| Mar record low F = 21
| Apr record low F = 31
| May record low F = 35
| Jun record low F = 46
| Jul record low F = 48
| Aug record low F = 48
| Sep record low F = 40
| Oct record low F = 28
| Nov record low F = 23
| Dec record low F = 15
| year record low F =
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.06
| Feb precipitation inch = 1.29
| Mar precipitation inch = 0.83
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.27
| May precipitation inch = 0.10
| Jun precipitation inch = 0.05
| Jul precipitation inch = 0.45
| Aug precipitation inch = 0.55
| Sep precipitation inch = 0.49
| Oct precipitation inch = 0.52
| Nov precipitation inch = 0.46
| Dec precipitation inch = 0.59
| year precipitation inch = 6.66
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 3.3
| Feb precipitation days = 4.3
| Mar precipitation days = 3.3
| Apr precipitation days = 1.5
| May precipitation days = 0.9
| Jun precipitation days = 0.2
| Jul precipitation days = 2.4
| Aug precipitation days = 3.2
| Sep precipitation days = 2.2
| Oct precipitation days = 2.0
| Nov precipitation days = 1.9
| Dec precipitation days = 3.1
| year precipitation days = 28.3
| Jan snow inch = 0.0
| Feb snow inch = 0.0
| Mar snow inch = 0.0
| Apr snow inch = 0.0
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 0.0
| Dec snow inch = 0.0
| year snow inch = 0.0
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 0.0
| Feb snow days = 0.0
| Mar snow days = 0.0
| Apr snow days = 0.0
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.0
| Dec snow days = 0.0
| year snow days = 0.0
| source = NOAA{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=vef
|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = December 16, 2023}}{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00029645&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = December 16, 2023}}
}}
Demographics
{{US Census population
|2010 = 126
|2020 = 96
|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}}
}}
Education
It is in the Yucca Elementary School District.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st04_az/schooldistrict_maps/c04015_mohave/DC20SD_C04015.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Mohave County, AZ|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|page=3 (PDF p. 4/4)|access-date=2024-10-04}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st04_az/schooldistrict_maps/c04015_mohave/DC20SD_C04015_SD2MS.txt Text list]