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Nogales, Arizona

19 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1905 and the latest in 2004. It stands in the Nogales census division. It lies in ZIP code area 85621. It lies near Crawford Hill. The Survey maps it on the Nogales quadrangle. 19,770 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,832 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Nogales within Santa Cruz County

On record in Nogales

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 12 of 36 shown

Every listing in Santa Cruz County

Surveyed buildings and structures 3 records

Population over time

2 figures

Nogales fell from 20,837 to 19,770 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
201020,837
202019,770-1,067 (-5%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

9 surveys from 19 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

7 photographs, 2018

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

The Santa Cruz County courthouse in Nogales, Arizona, which borders the much larger city of the same name in Mexico
The Santa Cruz County courthouse in Nogales, Arizona, which borders the much larger city of the same name in Mexico
Highsmith, Carol M, 2018. Library of Congress
Mural depicting the Santa Cruz County Courthouse in Nogales, a city on the Mexican border in the southeast corner of Arizona
Mural depicting the Santa Cruz County Courthouse in Nogales, a city on the Mexican border in the southeast corner of Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2018. Library of Congress
A freight engine passes the Santa Cruz County Courthouse in Nogales, Arizona, a small city on the border across from the much larger city of Nogales, Mexico
A freight engine passes the Santa Cruz County Courthouse in Nogales, Arizona, a small city on the border across from the much larger city of Nogales, Mexico
Highsmith, Carol M, 2018. Library of Congress
The Santa Cruz County Courthouse in Nogales, a city on the Mexican border in the southeast corner of Arizona
The Santa Cruz County Courthouse in Nogales, a city on the Mexican border in the southeast corner of Arizona
Highsmith, Carol M, 2018. Library of Congress
Pete Kitchen Ranch House, Portrero Creek Vicinity, Nogales, Santa Cruz County, AZ
Pete Kitchen Ranch House, Portrero Creek Vicinity, Nogales, Santa Cruz County, AZ
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
San Cayetano de Calabasas (Mission, Ruins), Santa Cruz River Vicinity, Nogales, Santa Cruz County, AZ
San Cayetano de Calabasas (Mission, Ruins), Santa Cruz River Vicinity, Nogales, Santa Cruz County, AZ
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress
San Gabriel de Guevavi, Santa Cruz River, Nogales, Santa Cruz County, AZ
San Gabriel de Guevavi, Santa Cruz River, Nogales, Santa Cruz County, AZ
Photographer not recorded. Library of Congress

Fires near this place

179 since 1993

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 179 fires within 5 miles of Nogales between 1993 and 2020, burning about 6,010 acres in total. 8 started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined157
Natural8
Recreation and ceremony7
Equipment and vehicle use5
Arson/incendiarism1
Power generation/transmission/distribution1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
7 September 2019Power generation/transmission/distributionunder an acreNogales Fire DepartmentNOT NAMED
30 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Officenot named
28 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Officenot named
27 September 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreNogales Fire Department2186
24 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Officenot named
24 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Officenot named
23 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Officenot named
11 September 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresNogales Fire DepartmentNOT NAMED

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Santa Cruz County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 22 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 22 workings within 5 miles of Nogales: 16 past producers, 4 producers, 1 occurrence, 1 prospect. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Copper, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Silver, Gold, Gold, Lead. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Cash Viejo GroupLead, Silver, Copper, GoldPast Producer
Columbia Mine GroupSilver, Gold, Lead, CopperProducer1928, 1941
Columbia Mine GroupSilver, Lead, Gold, CopperPast Producer
Don Luis QuarrySilicaPast ProducerSandstone
Dura MineSilver, Lead, Gold, Antimony, MolybdenumProducerChalcopyrite, Galena, Malachite, Pyrite, Stibnite, Wulfenite
Dura Mine GroupGold, Lead, Antimony, Molybdenum, SilverPast Producer
Farmer MineGold, Lead, CopperPast Producer
Gold Hill MineLead, Gold, Silver, CopperPast Producer1855, 1945
Lion MineGold, Silver, Copper, LeadPast ProducerMalachite
Little JackGold, Silver, LeadProspect

Every working recorded in Santa Cruz County

Storms near this place

60 of 62 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Nogales in 62 storm reports between 1997 and 2024: 42 flash flood, 11 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 1 flood. The reports record 3 deaths and 9 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 2008Flash FloodNogales2 killed, 3 hurt, $600,000Heavy rainfall on the Mexican side of the border caused flash flooding in the city of Nogales, Arizona. This was caused by a damaged portion of the underground Nogales Wash. Local emergency management reported that water burst through the underground wash onto the surface just across the International Border. The border wall acted as a dam, keeping most of the flooding on the Mexican side. However, some water did flow through the port of entry into downtown Nogales, Arizona. Several businesses in the downtown business district experienced flooding and two illegal immigrants found two days later in the underground wash are also believed to have drowned due to this flooding. In addition, three illegal immigrants in an underground flood channel beneath the international border were rescued.
July 2004Flash FloodNogales1 killed, 2 hurtA wall of water swept a woman and two teenage girls off their feet and washed them downstream. The two girls where rescued by local officials, however the woman could not be saved.
July 1997Flash FloodNogales3 hurtNogales wash overflowed its banks. Several vehicles had to be pulled out of the wash. Several minor injuries were reported
August 2007Flash FloodNogales1 hurtSeven illegal immigrants were saved by the U.S. border patrol in the Nogales wash in the City of Nogales from flash flooding.
August 2007Flash FloodNogales$10,000,000Portions of downtown Nogales experienced flash flooding. Extensive damage occurred to the Nogales Wash, which is a concrete wash that flows through the city of Nogales. City officials estimated damage at $10 million on the U.S. side of the border.
July 2017Flash FloodNogales$250,000Heavy rain caused two homes were flooded on West and Oak Street, but no injuries were reported. Heavy rain in Nogales, Sonora caused Nogales wash to overflow its banks whch caused road closures at Doe Street, Calle Sonora, Hohokam Street and at the Baffert Drive Bridge. Damage to the Nogales Wash caused by the strong flows, and subsequently the International Outfall Interceptor, were discovered days later. Raw sewage from this line flowed into the wash. This ultimately led to a month long effort by local, state and federal officials to repair the wash and interceptor pipe. The flow was diverted to avoid contaminating water farther downstream, but some contamination of local groundwater likely occurred. The total repair project including labor, fuel, equipment and other resources totaled nearly $5 million.
August 2018Flash FloodNogales$100,000Heavy rain of one to two inches on both sides of the International Border caused strong flows in Nogales Wash which severely damaged concrete slabs in the part of wash, and exposed the International Outfall Interceptor sewage line. Several streets in Nogales were also flooded with 1 to 2 feet of water.
September 2014Flash FloodNogales$100,000Flash flooding in Nogales occurred late in the evening as Ephraim Wash flooded over Washington Ave, with 2 homes flooded and several families evacuated off of Western Ave around 2200 LST. Nogales Wash also overtopped its banks from Doe St. downstream to Chula Vista Lane. In addition, concrete slabs within the wash were damaged, leaving the International Outfall Interceptor (IOI) that carries 9-12 million gallons of raw sewage from Sonora, Mexico to Rio Rico, exposed. In Rio Rico, Sonoita Creek flooded Pendleton Drive.
July 2010Flash FloodNogales$100,000Flash flooding from rainfall south of the International Border resulting in the Nogales Wash rising 7 feet in 15 minutes. This caused some damage to the bank protection including three concrete panels in the wash. Part of Old Tucson Road, which parallels the wash, was partially eroded.
July 2014Flash FloodNogales$50,000Heavy rain on both sides of the International Border caused strong flows in Ephraim Wash. An unopened gate along the International Border fence collapsed sending an additional surge of water through Ephraim Wash which topped the Leyva Bridge and spilled onto Western Avenue in Nogales. Five people were rescued from a vehicle as they tried to flee the area. A total of 10 people from two homes were evacuated. The homes were flooded to a depth of three feet while 8 vehicles were damaged by flood waters.
July 2017Flash FloodNogales$40,000A border patrol SUV parked near the international border and the Santa Cruz River became stuck in the mud and became overrun by the floodwaters of the Santa Cruz River.
July 2014Flash FloodNogales$30,000Heavy rain in both Nogales, Sonora and Nogales, AZ caused flash flooding in several locations. Up to 0.75 inches of rain in 20 minutes along with pea-size hail were reported. Many businesses sustained water damage along Hohokam Drive when the Nogales Wash over-topped its banks. One car was swept down Nogales Wash near the Grand Ave/Hohokam Drive bridge with nobody inside.
August 2012Flash FloodNogales$30,000Between two and four inches of rain fell across parts of Santa Cruz County. Several motorists were rescued from their vehicles in Nogales and Rio Rico as water ran across roads to depths over three feet in some spots. Another swift water rescue occurred at the Potero Wash along South River Road. In addition, Nogales Wash came out of its banks and flooded nearby businesses in Nogales.
July 1998Flash FloodNogales$30,0002-3 feet of water flooded the Monta Carlo neighborhood damaging many houses. The Nogales sheriff also reported flooding of South River Road and along highway 82 in Nogales.
October 1997Flash FloodNogales$30,000Thunderstorms dumped between 2-3 inches of rain over the western portion of Nogales causing flash flooding that damaged about 100 homes and 30 businesses. The flooding forced the evacuation of 150 residents from their homes. The floodwaters carried 5 vehicles down Western Avenue, the most heavily damaged street.
July 2002Flash FloodNogales$30,000no account filed
August 2024Flash FloodNogales$25,000Heavy rain due to a thunderstorm caused a car to get stuck in a neighborhood wash drainage across intersection of E Calle Sonora and N Calle Guadalupe.
October 2018Flash FloodNogales$25,000Nogales wash over-topped its banks. Flood waters dislodged and cracked three concrete panels that line the wash.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindNogales$25,000Thunderstorm winds blew a roof off a home and damaged trees and power lines in the Royal Road area of Nogales.
July 2014Flash FloodNogales$20,000Heavy rain of over 2 inches in less than one hour fell in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, causing catastrophic flooding there. Runoff crossing the border combined with brief heavy rain in Nogales, Arizona caused flooding and the closure of the DeConcini Port of Entry until 10 pm MST for the first time in history. Runoff into Nogales Wash burst from manholes into Nogales, Arizona. As the the Nogales Wash emerged above ground, it over-topped its banks and caused street flooding.
July 2021Flash FloodNogales$15,000One to two inches of rain fell in less than 1 hour in Nogales and caused flash flooding of several roads and minor damage to a couple of homes near Western Ave.
August 2016Flash FloodNogales$15,000Nearly two inches of rain in parts of Nogales, Sonora caused Nogales Wash to overtop the Doe St. bridge in Nogales, Arizona. As a result, businesses were flooded along Hohokam Drive with surface runoff 8 inches deep. Morley Avenue was also flooded.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindNogales$5,000Thunderstorm winds downed a tree and blew part of the roof off a mobile home on W. Manor Dr. in Nogales.
July 2004Flash FloodNogales$5,000Law enforcement reported that a vehicle was stuck in the Nogales wash. The vehicle became stuck when the driver tried to cross a roadway that was flooded by the wash.
October 2000FloodNogales$5,000Road closures at Tumacacori Santa Gertrudis Lane and Tubar Chavez Sidind Road due to flooding. Also, 100 yards of South River Road was washed out.
August 1997Flash FloodNogales$5,000The Mia Casa mobile home park in the west portion of Nogales was flooded with water 3-4 feet deep. Damage to a few cars and several homes.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindNogales$3,000Multiple trees down near intersection of Western Ave and N Bautista St. The window in a house was also blown out just north of the intersection.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindNogales$3,000Thunderstorm wind gusts downed two utility poles in Nogales.
August 2008Thunderstorm WindNogales$3,000A trained spotter reported roof damage to their residence due to wind from a thunderstorm.
July 2007Thunderstorm WindNogales$3,000Several trees were knocked down in the downtown area of Nogales due to strong winds from a strong thunderstorm.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindNogales$2,000Thunderstorm winds uprooted 2 large trees near Nogales City Hall.
August 2010Flash FloodNogales$2,000Very heavy rain in Nogales, Sonora caused the Nogales Wash to rise 7 feet in less than one hour. The wash rose above flood stage, causing erosion to one roadway in Nogales, Arizona.
August 2024Flash FloodNogales$1,000Flooding of Nogales Wash in adjacent roadway.
August 2024Flash FloodNogales$1,000Roads in Nogales including Industrial Park Drive closed due to flash flooding.
June 2024Flash FloodNogales$1,000The Nogales Wash at Nogales exceeded bankfull at about 8 feet causing flooding in the Morley Road region of Nogales.
November 2019Thunderstorm WindNogales$1,000A large tree was uprooted by thunderstorm winds near City Hall in Nogales. A soaking rain of nearly 1.5 inches in the 24 hours preceding the thunderstorms had softened the ground around this shallow-rooted tree.
August 2017Flash FloodNogales$1,000An excavator became buried in about four feet of mud after the Nogales Wash flooded. Was buried up to the operator's cabin and had to be pulled out via tow truck. Additionally, a stream gauge in the Nogales Wash recorded a level of 10.4 feet at 3pm, which is almost 2.5 feet above flood level.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindNogales$500Severe thunderstorm outflow winds estimated at 60 mph blew down a large tree near downtown Nogales.
August 2024HailNogales-Three quarter of an inch hail was estimated in Nogales.
December 2024Funnel CloudNogales-A trained spotter reported a weak funnel cloud that passed overhead Nogales, Arizona.
August 2022Flash FloodNogales-Heavy rain in Nogales, Sonora caused a rapid rise in Nogales Wash, causing it to overtop its banks and flood the Doe St. Bridge.
July 2022Flash FloodNogales-Heavy rain of 1 in less than 1 hour caused streets to become flooded and impassable in eastern portions of Nogales. Morley Ave. was closed at Madison St.
August 2022Flash FloodNogales-Heavy rain of 1-2' in 1 hour in Nogales, Sonora caused a rapid rise in Nogales Wash. The Doe St. bridge was overtopped and nearby roadways were flooded.
August 2021Flash FloodNogales-One to two inches of rain in less than an hour in Nogales, Sonora caused a rapid rise on Nogales Wash in Arizona, causing it to overtop its banks. Two drowning victims were washed across the border from Mexico and retrieved in Arizona.
July 2019Flash FloodNogales-Runoff from heavy rain in Sonora caused flash flooding in the Nogales Port of Entry. Water was flowing 8-10 inches deep through the checkpoint area. Flash flooding was also reported at Potrero Creek near near Meadow Hills Drive.
July 2017Flash FloodNogales-Ephriam Wash overflowed its banks at Western Avenue bridge. Nearby rain gauge recorded 2.17 inches of rain in about an hour.
July 2015Flash FloodNogales-Heavy rain in Nogales, Sonora caused strong flows in Nogales Wash. The Doe Street Bridge in Nogales was closed for a time as the Nogales Wash over topped its banks.
August 2015Flash FloodNogales-Thunderstorms over Nogales produced 1 to 2 inches of rain, which resulted in heavy flows in Nogales wash. The Doe Street Bridge was closed for a time after flood waters breached the wash banks and over-topped the roadway.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindNogales-A trained spotter reported wind gusts up to 61 mph, which broke several small tree branches.
May 2012Tornado (EF0)Nogales-A dust devil briefly spun up into a landspout tornado just south of Rio Rico.
August 2011Flash FloodNogales-Heavy rainfall lead to a quick five foot rise in the Nogales Wash and subsequent flooding along its banks.
July 2010Flash FloodNogales-There was a 6 foot rise on Nogales Wash in 30 minutes with flooding downstream from the gauge.
August 2008Flash FloodNogales-A 7 foot rise occurred on the Nogales Wash in Nogales.
July 2007HailNogales-A severe thunderstorm over the city of Nogales caused hail one inch in diameter.
July 2006HailNogales-A strong thunderstorm produced one inch hail 13 miles west of the City of Nogales.
September 2006HailNogales-A county official in the City of Nogales reported one inch (1.00) hail falling at the city courthouse complex.
August 2006Flash FloodNogales-AL Harris Wash and Via Verde Wash overflowed their banks in the City of Nogales near Interstate 19. Mi Casa Trailer Park and Via Verde Subdivision were flooded. Mi Casa Trailer Park was evacuated. Al Harris Wash retention basin was reported to have breached. Widespread street flooding was also reported throughout the City of Nogales.
May 2005LightningNogales-21,400 customers in Cities of Nogales, Tubac, and Rio Rico lost power after lightning struck a power substation. The power was lost at about 6:45 pm MST and was restored again by 11:00 pm MST.
July 2004Flash FloodNogales-County official reported that a 4 foot section of Dusquesne Road was washed out by flood waters.
July 1998Flash FloodNogales-Thunderstorms dumping heavy rain caused flooding of roadways.

Every storm recorded in Santa Cruz County

Newspapers printed here

38,826 digitised pages

5 papers published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 6,261 issues, 38,826 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.

NewspaperPublished
The Daily Morning Oasis1917 to 1920
International1925 to 1926
Nogales International1926 to 1979
The Border Vidette1894 to 1934
Nogales Daily Herald1914 to 1918

What the paper printed

47,950 words

Front pages of the local paper, read from the Library of Congress scans: 23 issues spread across its run from 1897 to 1926, 47,950 words in total. Each is reproduced on its own page, exactly as the recogniser returned it.

These pages read less well than anything else here, and the number is worth stating: about three words in four come through cleanly, against nine in ten for the building records. An 1896 broadsheet sets eight-point type in seven columns on microfilm, which is the hardest thing in this archive to read by machine. We tested our own recognisers against the Library's and they were not better, so the Library's text is what appears, with the wholly unreadable columns removed. Read it as a guide to what the paper covered, and follow the link to the scan before quoting anything.

IssuePaper Length
1917-12-05The Daily Morning Oasis2,143 words
1917-12-12The Daily Morning Oasis1,541 words
1917-12-23The Daily Morning Oasis2,023 words
1920-12-30The Daily Morning Oasis1,960 words
1915-08-13Nogales Daily Herald2,355 words
1915-09-10Nogales Daily Herald1,937 words
1915-10-12Nogales Daily Herald1,714 words
1915-11-15Nogales Daily Herald1,505 words
1915-12-10Nogales Daily Herald1,734 words
1925-06-29International1,334 words
1925-08-17International2,413 words
1925-09-28International2,472 words
1925-11-15International2,608 words
1926-07-04International1,941 words
1926-08-01Nogales International2,776 words
1926-09-05Nogales International1,205 words
1926-10-17Nogales International2,398 words
1926-11-21Nogales International2,208 words
1897-05-15The Border Vidette2,072 words
1897-06-19The Border Vidette2,408 words
1897-07-24The Border Vidette1,580 words
1897-08-21The Border Vidette2,818 words
1897-09-25The Border Vidette2,805 words

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Beyerville4.5 miles20
Kino Springs6.8 miles19
Calabasas9.0 miles20
Rio Rico9.3 miles20
Washington Camp13.2 miles22
Duquesne13.4 miles23
Otero13.8 miles20
Trench Camp13.8 miles22

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on NogalesAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q79783The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 32336. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.