Editing Thatcher, Arizona (section)

==History==
Thatcher was originally settled by members of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].  The first settler was [[John M. Moody]] who arrived in Thatcher with his wife and children in 1881.<ref>[[Andrew Jenson]]. ''Encyclopedic History of the Church''. (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1941) p. 870. accessed via infobase CD library</ref> The founding of Thatcher is attributed to Mormon pioneer [[Christopher Layton]], who bought two thousand acres, named the acreage "Thatcher", divided them into lots, and sold those lots to Mormon settlers. Layton also bought a gristmill and built roads, canals and homes.

[[Eastern Arizona College]] traces its history to the St. Joseph Stake Academy started by the church in nearby [[Central, Arizona|Central]]. Central is also the location of the [[Gila Valley Arizona Temple]].