Editing St. Michaels, Arizona

{{Short description|CDP in Apache County, Arizona}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = St. Michaels, Arizona
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = Apache_County_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_St._Michaels_highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Apache County]] and the state of [[Arizona]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|pushpin_map = USA Arizona#USA
|pushpin_label = St. Michaels
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Arizona|County]]
|subdivision_name         = {{USA}}
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Arizona}}
|subdivision_name2        = [[Apache County, Arizona|Apache]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_date         = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 9.89
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.82
|area_land_km2            = 9.89
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.82
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|elevation_ft             = 6815
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1384
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_km2   = 139.92
|population_density_sq_mi = 362.40
|timezone                 = [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]]
|utc_offset               = -7
|timezone_DST             = [[Mountain Daylight Time|MDT]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -6
|coordinates              = {{coord|35|39|38|N|109|05|46|W|region:US-AZ|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 86511
|area_code                = 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 04-62420
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2409230<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2409230}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = 
|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>
}}
'''St. Michaels''' ({{langx|nv|{{spell-nv|Tsʼíhootso}}}}) is a [[Chapter house (Navajo Nation)|chapter]] of the [[Navajo Nation]] and a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Apache County, Arizona|Apache County]], [[Arizona]], United States. The Navajo Nation Government Campus is located within the chapter at Window Rock.

The population was 1,443 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0462420| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212183441/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US0462420| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): St. Michaels CDP, Arizona| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=April 30, 2013}}</ref>

==Geography==
St. Michaels is located on the eastern boundary of the Defiance Plateau. The community is located on the western side of the Black Creek Valley and [[Black Creek (Arizona)|Black Creek]], a north tributary to the southwest-flowing [[Rio Puerco (Rio Grande tributary)|Rio Puerco]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|9.9|km2|disp=flip}}, all  land.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==History==
The St. Michaels area is referred to as Ts'ithootso in the Navajo language and translates to "area that extends out in yellow and green." The [[microclimate]] was originally referred to by its Spanish translation '''Ciénega Amarilla''' (Spanish: "yellow meadow") describing the late summer yellow flowers and grass.  The area was first noted by the U.S. military in 1850 when Lt. James Harvey Simpson named it '''Sieneguilla de Maria''', its Spanish name misheard by a non-native speaker.

In the 1850s a planned ambush against local Navajos was thwarted by a man who went on to become a signatory to the Navajo Treaty of 1868.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://stfrancis.clas.asu.edu/gallery/st-michaels-mission-and-historical-museum-st-michaels-arizona-video |title=St. Michaels Mission and Historical Museum, St. Michaels, Arizona (Video) &#124; Saint Francis and the Americas |website=stfrancis.clas.asu.edu |access-date=January 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033225/https://stfrancis.clas.asu.edu/gallery/st-michaels-mission-and-historical-museum-st-michaels-arizona-video |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Delgadito (Chách'oshnééz ((“Tall Syphilis”)) successfully alerted Navajos preparing for a prisoner exchange with Mexican slave-holders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lapahie.com/st_michaels.cfm|title=St. Michaels, Arizona – Navajo Nation|website=Lapahie.com|access-date=October 14, 2017}}</ref>

===Saint Michael Convent===
Construction on the [[Franciscan]] [[Mission (station)|Mission]] began in 1896 using financing from Rev. Mother [[Katharine Drexel]], founder of the [[Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament]]. Rev. Anselm Weber took over construction on October 11, 1897, adopting the name Saint Michaels for the area (from [[Navajo language|Navajo]] ''Tsʼíhootso'': "Green Meadow"). St. Michael Parish would be officially founded in 1898.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://parishesonline.com/scripts/HostedSites/Org.asp?ID=567 |title=St Michael Parish Saint Michaels, AZ 86511 |access-date=January 7, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150111092531/http://parishesonline.com/scripts/HostedSites/Org.asp?ID=567 |archive-date=January 11, 2015 }}</ref>

In 1910, Fr. [[Berard Haile]] prepared a Navajo ethnologic dictionary at the Franciscan Mission.<ref name="Granger1960">{{cite book| author=Byrd H. Granger| title=Arizona Place Names| url=https://archive.org/details/arizonaplacename00barn| url-access=registration| access-date=December 9, 2011| year=1960| publisher=[[University of Arizona Press]]| page=[https://archive.org/details/arizonaplacename00barn/page/21 21]}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1990= 1119
|2000= 1295
|2010= 1443
|2020= 1384
|footnote=source:<ref>{{cite web
  |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing (1790–2000)|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=August 7, 2010}}</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 1,295 people, 306 households, and 247 families residing in the CDP.  The population density was {{convert|338.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 360 housing units at an average density of {{convert|94.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 7.0% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.8% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.0% from two or more races.  2.2% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 306 households, out of which 50.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 25.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.0% were non-families. 13.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 4.0 and the average family size was 4.5.

In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 40.8% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $34,107, and the median income for a family was $28,839. Males had a median income of $41,964 versus $24,531 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $11,572.  About 20.3% of families and 22.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 27.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
St. Michaels is a part of [[Window Rock Unified School District]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st04_az/c04001_apache/DC10SD_C04001_000.pdf|title=School District Reference Map (2010 Census): Apache County, AZ|work=[[2010 U.S. Census]]|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 8, 2020}} – WRUSD is depicted on pages [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st04_az/c04001_apache/DC10SD_C04001_001.pdf 1] and [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st04_az/c04001_apache/DC10SD_C04001_002.pdf 2].</ref> and is served by Window Rock Elementary School, Tse Ho Tso Middle School, and [[Window Rock High School]].

The community is also served by the [[Saint Michael Indian School]], a K–12 private, Catholic school established by [[Saint Katharine Drexel]] in 1902. Saint Michael Indian School is a member of the National Catholic Education Association and the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup]] Catholic School System.

A tribal elementary school that contracts with the [[Bureau of Indian Education]] (BIE), [[Hunters Point Boarding School]], is nearby and has a St. Michaels postal address.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hpbs-az.org/contact-us/|title=Contact Us|publisher=Hunters Point Boarding School|accessdate=April 25, 2021|quote= Route 12, South Lupton Rd. St. Michaels, AZ}} – [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st04_az/place/p0462420_st_michaels/DC10BLK_P0462420_001.pdf The boundaries of the St. Michaels census-designated place are here]. The school is ''not'' in the CDP boundary.</ref>

==Health care==
St. Michaels is served by the Fort Defiance Indian Hospital at Fort Defiance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ihs.gov/pharmacy/Resident/index.cfm?module=ftdefiance|title=Residency Program – Pharmacists|website=Ihs.gov|access-date=October 14, 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Apache County, Arizona}}
{{Communities of the Navajo Nation}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Michaels, Arizona}}
[[Category:Census-designated places in Apache County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Arizona]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Navajo Nation]]