Colorado City then Arizona City  and Finally Yuma The Place We Call Home

Surveyed and survey filed at San Diego, 1854. California collected taxes on it for several years. Said to have been the only occupied place in 1854, in what is now Arizona.  Town first called Colorado City, also Arizona City, then Yuma city. On east side of river. An act of Territorial Legislature, Feb. 2, 1873 reads as follows: "An Act, to change the name of Arizona City. Be it enacted, etc., that the name of Arizona City, the county seat of Yuma county, be, and is hereby, changed to Yuma, and shall be known as such from and after the passage of this act."  Post Office records at Washington show that John B. Dow was appointed Post Master at Colorado City March 7, 1858. It was then in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, and Dow's commission was issued that way. These official records also show the post office was called Yuma before the passage of the legislative act in 1873 for the first post office was established under the name Yuma, October 16, 1866, Francis Hutton, PM. In 1874, the legislature authorized the Territorial Penitentiary Commissioners to purchase- "not less than 10 acres of land on which to locate the Territorial Penitentiary." This was first location of the Arizona Penal institution. Opened for business July 1, 1876. Closed in 1909.

Click Here to see a chronological time line of Arizona history 1000BC to 2001

River Ferry on the Colorado River 1870

Hotel at Yuma Arizona Territory

Photo of Early Yuma 1880

Home on what is now Gila Street of David and Luz Balsz. Pioneers in Yuma

Another Early Frame Structure on Gila Street the Home of Salvador and Concepcion Contreras.

Main Street Yuma 1896

This rare 1800's Photo shows why Main Street was truly main street of early Yuma the street is so wide that 20 mule team wagons can make a clean U turn.

One of the many Farm Delivery wagons in early Yuma

1870's photo of a 20 team mule train wagon.

Yuma's early town folk.

Yuma Crossing and Rail Road Bridge 1886

One of Yuma's many Ferries in operation 1889

The Sam Kee Laundry, Many Chinese immigrants found a more welcoming Anglo community in the Arizona Territory than in other areas of the west

 

 

The first Saloon to include a music and dance hall in Yuma

 

 

Competition was fierce among bars in Yuma in 1881 Yuma had two hotels, four grocery and variety stores, two drug stores, one stationery, two butcher shops, one saddle and harness shop, four bakeries, one jewelry ,one stable four china wash houses and 11 saloons

 

 

On three separate occasions the Great Colorado River has flooded and devastated the town of Yuma below you will find some pictures of the aftermath of the great floods.