Apache Trail
Historic supply road through Arizona's Superstition Mountains.
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The Apache Trail is a stagecoach trail in Arizona that runs through the Superstition Mountains, originally used by Apache Indians. It links Apache Junction with Theodore Roosevelt Lake, passing through the Tonto National Forest. The trail is notable for its steep, winding route through rugged desert mountains and its unpaved sections that require caution.
Quick Facts
- Length
- 40 miles
- Construction start
- August 29, 1903
- Construction completion
- September 3, 1905
- Construction cost
- $551,000
- Original name
- Tonto Wagon Road
- Official designation
- State Route 88
Facts from the source article.
History
After the Civil War, the U.S. federal government sought to settle western territories. Surveying in the Salt River Valley of the Arizona Territory revealed potential for irrigation-based settlements. Phoenix grew slowly, but as the irrigation system expanded, new settlements like Tempe and Mesa developed. The Salt River's erratic flow, with droughts and floods, challenged agricultural growth, creating a need for reliable water delivery through reclamation projects such as a storage dam.
The National Reclamation Act of 1902
In the late 1890s, the valley experienced its worst drought since the Civil War, highlighting the need for government involvement in water management. Pressure from publications, irrigation organizations, and lobby campaigns led both major parties to prioritize reclamation in the 1900 presidential election. On June 17, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the National Reclamation Act, authorizing large-scale water projects to manage water in the West.
Building the Apache Trail
Construction of the Apache Trail, then called the Tonto Wagon Road, began on August 29, 1903. Apache Indians provided most of the labor, living separately with their families and maintaining traditional ways. The road, running from the Mesa railhead to the dam site, was completed on September 3, 1905, at a cost of $551,000.
Evolution of the Apache Trail
After completion in 1905, the Apache Trail continued as a supply route for the Theodore Roosevelt Dam but soon opened for public use. Entrepreneurs offered stagecoach and automobile excursions, marketing the unspoiled landscape as a tourist destination. The Southern Pacific Railway Company coined the name 'Apache Trail' in advertising campaigns to promote these tours, and the name has been used ever since.
More in Trails and Roads in the American Old West
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Apache Trail (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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