Editing Dewey–Humboldt, Arizona

{{Short description|Town in Yavapai County, Arizona}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Dewey–Humboldt, Arizona
|settlement_type          = Town
|image_skyline            = Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey-Humboldt Marker-1912.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Town of Dewey-Humboldt historic marker
|image_seal               = 
|image_flag               = Flag of Dewey–Humboldt, Arizona.gif
|image_map                = AZMap-doton-Dewey-Humboldt.png
|mapsize                  = 150px
|map_caption              = Location of Dewey–Humboldt in Yavapai County, Arizona
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Arizona|County]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_name1        = [[Arizona]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Yavapai County, Arizona|Yavapai]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Matthew Fenn
|established_title        = Incorporated (town)
|established_date         = 2004
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 48.68
|area_total_sq_mi         = 18.79
|area_land_km2            = 48.68
|area_land_sq_mi          = 18.79
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|elevation_ft             = 4581
|elevation_m              = 1396
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 4326
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_km2   = 88.87
|population_density_sq_mi = 230.18
|timezone                 = [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]]
|utc_offset               = -7
|coordinates              = {{coord|34|31|57|N|112|15|9|W|region:US-AZ|display=inline,title}}
|timezone_DST             = 
|utc_offset_DST           = 
|postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 86329<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zipdatamaps.com/86329|title=Humboldt ZIP Code|publisher=zipdatamaps.com|year=2022|access-date=November 11, 2022}}</ref>
|area_code                       = [[Area code 928|928]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 04-19145
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = {{GNIS4|2412424}}
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.dhaz.gov/}}
|footnotes                = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_04.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey Original Town site-1912-4.jpg|thumb |Building in the Dewey Original Town site]] [[File:Dewey-Humboldt-Humboldt Iron King water tower-1906.jpg|thumb|1906 Iron King Mine Water Tower]] [[File:Dewey-Humboldt- Iron King Mine and Humboldt Smelter-1906.jpg|upright|thumb|The 1906 Iron King Mine smelter]] [[File:Dewey-Humboldt-Old Black Canyon Highway-1860.jpg|thumb|Historic Old Black Canyon Hwy]]

'''Dewey–Humboldt''' is a town in [[Yavapai County, Arizona|Yavapai County]], [[Arizona]], United States. The population of the town was 3,894 according to the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 23, 2014}}</ref>  The Dewey–Humboldt area was a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) at the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]], at which time its population was 3,453.

==Brief history==
{{more citations needed section|date=July 2021}}
Dewey–Humboldt was incorporated on December 20, 2004, from the existing unincorporated towns of '''Dewey''' and '''Humboldt''', located adjacent to one another in the [[Agua Fria River]] Valley, 15 miles east of [[Prescott, Arizona|Prescott]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dewey-humboldt.net/about/|title=About the Town of Dewey–Humboldt|publisher=Town of Dewey–Humboldt}}, dead as of July 1, 2017</ref>

After discovery of gold on [[Lynx Creek]] in the spring of 1863, the Dewey area was settled around the summer 1863 by pioneer prospector, rancher and politician [[King Woolsey]] (1832–1879), who founded the Agua Fria Ranch, in what was then known as "Woolsey Valley," to supply the miners. Woolsey used stones from decimating prehistoric ruin to build his ranch house, built an irrigation system off the Agua Fria (probably part of a prehistoric system), and introduced some of the first cattle into newly organized Yavapai County (1864). At the "falls" of the Agua Fria at present Humboldt, Woolsey built a small quartz mill to work gold ores from the nearby hills and a small water-powered grist mill. During 1864, he led the storied Woolsey Expeditions to the east in retaliatory raids on Apache and in search of gold; all failed to find a new Eldorado. All these activities caused his bankruptcy, and sale of the ranch property to the Bowers Brothers, sutlers at Fort Whipple. The brothers continued to use the house and farm the lands to supply the region with corn, barley, and other agricultural products. (The ruins of Woolsey's ranch house can still be seen between the old Black Canyon Highway and the Agua Fria River about one mile north of Humboldt. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.)

As the valley began to fill up with a few ranches and farms, a post office was established in 1875. The stage station (Prescott to Phoenix wagon road via Black Canyon) and post office nearby was named "Agua Fria." By the early 1870s water diversions were being used to irrigate an extensive area of corn and other crops. In the mid-1870s a small water-powered, silver-lead furnace, "Agua Fria Furnace," was built to work the ores from what would become the Iron King mine area. The small plant, built at the site of Woolsey's earlier mill at today's Humboldt, proved the value of the region, but was too isolated to make a profit.

The isolation of the region came to an end in 1898. The Prescott & Eastern Railroad was built from near Prescott to Mayer (later it was extended all the way to Crown King). The {{nowrap|P & E}} followed along the Agua Fria and built sidings at Cherry Creek Siding (Dewey Post Office), and Val Verde, the site of a smelter built by the Val Verde Smelting Company—a large plant at the site of Humboldt. The Agua Fria post office closed in 1895. When a new post office opened in 1898, the community was renamed Dewey, probably to honor [[Admiral Dewey]]'s great victory that year at the [[Battle of Manila (1898)|Battle of Manila]]—this was the height of the [[Spanish–American War]]. Another post office was established at Val Verde (Humboldt) in 1899.

In 1902 the Val Verde smelter burnt to the ground. A new company was formed, the Consolidated Arizona Smelting Company, which built a giant smelting plant upon the ashes of the Val Verde works. This operation served not only local mines, but operations throughout the then Arizona Territory. The Val Verde post office was renamed Humboldt in 1905 to honor Baron [[Alexander von Humboldt]], who had visited [[New Spain]] early in the 19th century and predicted that greater riches would be found to the north (interpreted by early twentieth century promoters as the [[Bradshaw Mountains]] region).<ref>Philip Varney, ''Arizona Ghost Towns and Mining Towns: A Travel Guide to History'', Phoenix, Arizona Highways Books, 1988; p. 16</ref> Around this time the town of Humboldt began to develop.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/167054166/|title=Cameron Wins He Also Loses|publisher=Williams News, Williams, Ariz.|date=September 2, 1905|page=1}}</ref> The smelter and the railroads into the Bradshaws created probably the most widespread mining boom in the county. By 1907 the population had reached 1,000. With two daily trains, business in the town boomed and the city decided to showcase their development by hosting a Labor Day celebration that year. The celebration featuring a parade on Main Street became an annual tradition, now organized by the Agua Fria Chamber of Commerce and held on the last Saturday in September.

The Humboldt smelter operation went through a half decade of reorganization after the [[Panic of 1907]] deflated the local mining boom. Revival came during the high mineral market prices of the World War I era, when the smelting plant operated in conjunction with the Blue Bell Mine, the one productive copper mine in the Bradshaw Mountains. The train connected the mine, located south of Mayer, with the smelter, which kept the town prosperous. Many of Humboldt's historic buildings date from the early twentieth century period.

One of the early important mines was the nearby '''Iron King Mine''', but its over promotion in the early 1900s, with the panic of 1907, caused it to close temporarily. It was reopened during the high mineral market prices of World War I. After World War I, a post-war economic down turn caused the smelter and mine to close again. Revival came by the mid-1920s and the local farm and mine economy prospered until the Wall Street crash of 1929 hit. Mines and the smelter closed, and by 1930 the population of Humboldt had dwindled to 300. Humboldt had a second but smaller boom in 1934 when the mine reopened, but its duration of operation would be longer under the Shattuck-Denn company of Bisbee, Arizona fame. The Iron King became the most productive mine in the Bradshaws, and produced $100&nbsp;million in gold, silver, lead and zinc before its closure in 1968.<ref>Robert L. Spude, ''Central Arizona Ghost Towns'' (Las Vegas: Nevada Publications, 1978).</ref><ref name="Full1968">{{cite book |last1=Gilmour |first1=Paul |last2=Still |first2=Arthur |editor1-last=Ridge |editor1-first=John |title=The Geology of the Iron King Mine, in Ore deposits of the United States, 1933–1967 |date=1968 |publisher=The American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum engineers, Inc. |location=New York |pages=1238–57}}</ref>

The mine tailings are presently being reprocessed into iron-rich [[Ironite]] fertilizer. There have been questions raised about the lead and [[arsenic]] content of the fertilizer, but the company maintains its product is harmless. "The lead and arsenic are in forms that cannot escape into the environment. You can eat them and they'll pass right through you," said Rob Morgan, Ironite's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "They're not harmful."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=120 |title=The Ironite Story, from ''Dallas Morning News'' |access-date=June 10, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930021232/http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=120 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] has recently posted a cautionary statement, warning that potentially harmful amounts of arsenic could be released from use of Ironite. Ironite is banned in Canada.<ref>[http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/lrpcd/wm/projects/135367.htm Release of Heavy Metals from Ironite]</ref>

The railroad track, the old Prescott & Eastern line which long before had been taken over by the Santa Fe, was removed in 1971. Today in Humboldt, a lone smelter smokestack, a significant reminder of the region's mining history and pioneers' legacy, remains overlooking the historic buildings on Main Street.

Farming continued in a small portion of the area until 2006 when the last working farm was sold to developers. Today Dewey is a low-density residential area.

==Geography==

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of {{convert|18.6|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land.

===Climate===

{{Weather box
|location = Dewey-Humboldt, AZ, normals
|single line = Y
|collapsed = Y
|Jan high F = 51.6
|Feb high F = 55.0
|Mar high F = 61.0
|Apr high F = 68.9
|May high F = 78.1
|Jun high F = 87.7
|Jul high F = 90.8
|Aug high F = 88.2
|Sep high F = 82.6
|Oct high F = 72.3
|Nov high F = 60.0
|Dec high F = 50.9
|year high F =
| Jan mean F  =
| Feb mean F  =
| Mar mean F  =
| Apr mean F  =
| May mean F  =
| Jun mean F  =
| Jul mean F  =
| Aug mean F  =
| Sep mean F  =
| Oct mean F  =
| Nov mean F  =
| Dec mean F  =
| year mean F =
|Jan low F = 28.5
|Feb low F = 30.6
|Mar low F = 34.9
|Apr low F = 40.8
|May low F = 49.5
|Jun low F = 57.8
|Jul low F = 64.0
|Aug low F = 62.8
|Sep low F = 56.1
|Oct low F = 44.8
|Nov low F = 34.2
|Dec low F = 27.8
|year low F =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.4
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.6
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.5
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.7
|May precipitation inch = 0.5
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.4
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.1
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.7
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.6
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.1
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.1
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.2
|year precipitation inch =
| Jan precipitation days  =
| Feb precipitation days  =
| Mar precipitation days  =
| Apr precipitation days  =
| May precipitation days  =
| Jun precipitation days  =
| Jul precipitation days  =
| Aug precipitation days  =
| Sep precipitation days  =
| Oct precipitation days  =
| Nov precipitation days  =
| Dec precipitation days  =
| year precipitation days =
|Jan snow inch =
|Feb snow inch =
|Mar snow inch =
|Apr snow inch =
|May snow inch =
|Jun snow inch =
|Jul snow inch =
|Aug snow inch =
|Sep snow inch =
|Oct snow inch =
|Nov snow inch =
|Dec snow inch =
|year snow inch =
| Jan snow days  =
| Feb snow days  =
| Mar snow days  =
| Apr snow days  =
| May snow days  =
| Jun snow days  =
| Jul snow days  =
| Aug snow days  =
| Sep snow days  =
| Oct snow days  =
| Nov snow days  =
| Dec snow days  =
| year snow days =
|source 1 = Bestplaces.net<ref name="best places.net">{{cite web
| url=https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/arizona/dewey-humboldt |title=Dewey-Humboldt,AZ |access-date=March 28, 2021 |date=March 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1990= 3640
|2000= 3453
|2010= 3894
|2020= 4326
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{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}}</ref>
}}

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 6,295 people, 2,795 households, and 2,023 families residing in the CDP.  The population density was {{convert|274.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 3,358 housing units at an average density of {{convert|146.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.4% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.2% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.6% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.0% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.5% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.9% from two or more races.  5.2% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 2,795 households, out of which 16.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.8% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.59.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 16.8% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 31.4% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $36,839, and the median income for a family was $41,232. Males had a median income of $35,446 versus $22,484 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $20,326.  About 4.8% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
It is in the [[Humboldt Unified School District]]<!--UNI 03870-->.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st04_az/schooldistrict_maps/c04025_yavapai/DC20SD_C04025.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Yavapai County, AZ|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|page=2 (PDF p. 3/3)|access-date=2024-12-28}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st04_az/schooldistrict_maps/c04025_yavapai/DC20SD_C04025_SD2MS.txt Text list]  - Includes boundaries of municipalities and CDPs.</ref>

==Landmarks==
{{Lists of historic properties}}
[[King S. Woolsey]] was a notable American pioneer rancher, Indian-fighter, prospector and politician who had a ranch located right off the Old Black Canyon Highway in what is now the town of Dewey-Humboldt.

Eventually, the land in which his ranch was located  was sold and in 1946, became Young's Farm, a family-owned farm selling [[turkey (bird)|turkeys]] and [[pumpkins]]. Hay rides, pumpkin patches, and a country restaurant made it a popular attraction for city dwellers seeking a taste of farm life. Youngs Farm held a "Pumpkin Fest" every October, drawing large numbers of tourists from other parts of Arizona.  After preservation attempts failed, Young's Farm was sold to developers, and closed in late 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.youngsfarminc.com/Farm/SaveIndex.asp |title=Sale of Young's Farm |access-date=February 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221095607/http://www.youngsfarminc.com/Farm/SaveIndex.asp |archive-date=December 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of mid-2010, the site remains undeveloped, however as of April 2011, Mortimer Family Farms purchased the Young's farm and continued to sell sweet corn in the summer and pumpkins in the fall to the public.<ref>{{cite web|title=New family takes over Young's Farm in Dewey|url=http://www.azcentral.com/style/hfe/food/articles/2011/04/15/20110415new-family-takes-over-youngs-farm-dewey.html#ixzz1MeFjsH5e|publisher=AZ Central|access-date=April 15, 2011}}</ref> The ruins of Woolsey's ranch are still standing and can be seen from the Old Black Canyon Highway.<ref>[https://www.dhaz.gov/2165/History History]</ref>
{{Clear}}

==Images==
The following are images of some of the remaining original structures of both Dewey and Humboldt.

{{Gallery
|title=Historic Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona<br />[[File:Dewey-Humbodlt-Humbodlt town buildings late 1800s.jpg|center|thumb|250px|{{center|'''19th Century town buildings on Prescott St.'''}}]]
|width=180px
|height=200px
|align=center
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey Original Town site-1912-9.jpg|19th Century Stagecoach which serviced Dewey
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey Original Town site-1912-6A.jpg |Dewey Original Town site
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey Original Town site-1912-3.jpg |Dewey Original Town site
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey Original Town site-1912-1A.jpg |Dewey Original Town site
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Humboldt Bank Building-1918-in Arizona.jpg |Humboldt Bank Building – 1918
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Humboldt Hotel-1917-in Arizona.jpg |Humboldt Hotel – 1917
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Humboldt Post Office-1910-in Arizona.jpg |Humboldt Post Office – 1910
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Humboldt Agua Fria Christian Church-1907.jpg |Humboldt Agua Fria Christian Church – 1907
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Humboldt Commercial Building-1910.jpg |Humboldt Commercial Building – 1910
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey King Woolsey Ranch-1863-2.jpg|Ruins of [[King Woolsey]]'s ranch
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey King Woolsey Ranch-1863-3.jpg|Different view of the ruins of King Woolsey's ranch
|File:Dewey-Humboldt-Dewey King Woolsey Ranch-1863-4.jpg|Different view of the ruins of King Woolsey's ranch
}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://dhaz.gov// Official site, town of Dewey–Humboldt]
* [http://www.azcommerce.com/doclib/COMMUNE/dewey-humboldt.pdf Community profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717171408/http://www.azcommerce.com/doclib/COMMUNE/dewey-humboldt.pdf |date=July 17, 2007 }}
* [http://www.ghosttowngallery.com/htme/humboldt.htm Humboldt pictures on GhostTownGallery.com]
* [http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/humboldt.html Humboldt-Val Verde ghost town info]
* [http://prescottenews.com/ Prescott eNews – Local News Website]

{{Portal bar|Arizona|Cities}}
{{Yavapai County, Arizona}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona}}
[[Category:Towns in Yavapai County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Former census-designated places in Arizona]]