Sahuarita, Arizona, a once-sleepy ranching and agricultural community, has blossomed into a bustling suburban oasis in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. Families flock to the area for the new housing developments in master-planned communities all within a short commute to the city of Tucson, Arizona. Given the incredible growth the area has experienced in the recent decades since its beginnings in the 1820’s, Sahuarita continues to maintain the same uniqueness as its namesake. Sahuarita is transitioning from being solely a bedroom community to a town with many economic development opportunities.

This is the story of Sahuarita, told through the primary voices of the folks, and their families, who have lived there for generations. The process of gathering first and second-hand anecdotes took several years, complicated by a global pandemic. But the volunteer researchers, interviewers, and authors succeeded in documenting captivating tales and portraits of what life was like in Sahuarita, Arizona, and the surrounding area, in the late 1800’s and beyond.

This book highlights and celebrates the hardships, successes, and everyday lives of the steadfast and resourceful citizens of the Sahuarita area, long before its incorporation as a town in 1994. It explores the answers to many questions locals have had over the years such as the story behind the many boarded up buildings along Old Nogales Highway, why the “older sages” in the area still remember the WWII Prisoner of War Camp across from Bull Farms and how ranch and mine children went to school before the current school districts were established. Please enjoy this work of the heart by so many lifelong citizens of the Sahuarita area.

The author’s cordially invite you to send any questions or comments you have about this work or the area to Friends.of.Sahuarita@gmail.com.

Reprinted from Activity Guide May/June 2022

Available on Amazon