Welcome to Dragoon, Arizona

Despite Arizona being the last of the 48 lower states to become a state, Dragoon history is rich in multicultural history. 200 years ago, while the eastern US was busy growing cities and establishing things like universities, inhabitants of the area of Dragoon were speaking Apache or Spanish. English didn’t start to take hold until the advent of the Overland Mail Stagecoach service followed by the southern railroad in the early 1860’s. Dragoon Pass, sometimes called Dragoon Summit, which is the valley between the Dragoon Mountains and the Lesser Dragoon Mountains to the north, played a critical role for those that lived here because of the Dragoon Spring as it was the only water to be found between Benson (the San Pedro River) and the Chiricahua Mountains.  Sulphur Valley springs was also used briefly but in general, reliable water was found in the Chiricahuas when traveling east from Dragoon. Additionally, the weather being moderate allowed for snow free travel from east to west and back through Dragoon Pass. The Dragoon Mountains and surrounding area, besides being home to Famous Apache Chief Cochise and his people, provided not only water but an abundance of food resources for yesterday’s traveler. The Apache, Mexicans, Spanish, as well as the Union and Confederates and lastly, migrating Americans, all relied on the water from Dragoon Springs. Learn more about Dragoons history here.