Graham County

Graham is situated on the south side of Arizona state in the United States. The population was 38,533, according to the results of the last census exercise conducted in 2020. The results show Graham is the third when counting the least populated County in AZ state. The county seat is situated at Safford.  

The father of Graham County is Joseph Knight Rogers. The county’s history records reveal that he was among the early settlers in the region and also one of the members of the AZ Territorial Legislature. On March 10, 1881, Graham County was formed by merging southern Apache and eastern Pima Counties to form the current Graham county. The county’s seat was initially in Safford, but in 1883 it was relocated to Solomonville. In 1915, this change was reversed, and the county seat returned to Safford, and the decision still stands. 

Graham County became the first in the state to deviate from the traditional way of naming counties after the founding fathers. Instead, they called the county after a mountain. Lt. Col James Duncan Graham gave the mountain its name. 

Geography of the County 

The county covers an area totaling 4,641 sq. miles. The county map shows that part of the entire area, which totals 4,623 sq. miles, is dry land, and a water body covers the remaining 19 square miles. 

Graham County has several beautiful mountains like Mount Graham, the highest mountain peak in all Pinaleno ranges. The county has two National protected areas, including Part of the Coronado Forest and the Gila Box Riparian Conservatory. 

The county has two Major highways serving the residents, including U.S. 70. SVG U.S. Route 70 and route 191and the Arizona 266.SVG State Route 266 and Route 366. 

 County Politics 

Graham County has always been a Democratic stronghold since its inception. The members voted for the Democrat candidate in presidential elections held between 1912 and 1952. In 1920, it was among Western counties located outside New Mexico to vote in James M. Cox. They were also among the five who backed aspirant John W. Davis in the elections held in 1924. 

However, since the 1950s, the county established itself as a staunchly Republican stronghold, frequently rivaling both Mohave and Yavapai counties as Arizona’s most Republican, and on rare occasions, such as in 2004 and 2000, being the “reddest” of all Graham counties. 

Lyndon B. Johnson defeated a native from AZ Barry Goldwater in 1964, and no Democratic presidential nominee has won in this county. In 1996, Bill Clinton, a Democrat with strong support in rural areas during the 1990s, came close. 

Communities 

The county cities and towns are some of the best places in the states, with one city, Safford, where the county seat is located. Safford city has a population of 10,129 people, according to the findings of the 2020 Census.  

The County’s Micropolitan Statistical Area encompasses all of Graham County and sits in Safford. The county has two major towns, namely Pima and Thatcher, and five Ghost towns, namely Geronimo, Klondyke, Aravaipa, Camp Goodwin, and Spenazuma. 

County Offices 

Graham County has several offices that help govern and run the entire county’s administrative function. They include: 

Attorney 

The Graham County Attorney’s Office is prosecuting felony and misdemeanor cases outside of county cities and towns limits in Graham County. The County Attorney’s Office prosecutes all issues that involve juvenile offenders. Our office oversees a probation violation program reducing the incidence of bad checks written and enforcing bad check laws. For any inquiries, contact them by Phone: 928-428-3620 or Fax: 928-428-7200. 

The School Superintendent’s Office 

The Graham County School Office handles payroll processing and expenses, revenue distributions, and monthly reconciliations for nine county school districts. The office also oversees the budgets of all county school districts and prepares and coordinates voter materials for school override and bond elections.  

When a vacancy on a school district’s governing board arises, the County School Superintendent appoints a replacement, oversees secure care education, hosts the County Spelling Bee, and chairs the Dan Hinton Consortium. The office serves as an Education Service Agency for Graham County educators, providing hours of professional development. The office is also in charge of keeping track of homeschooling records. To learn more about what they do, reach out to them by Phone: 928-428-2880 or send a Fax on 928-428-8824 

Animal Control Department 

The department handles various animal-related issues, including stray dogs, barking dogs, and dog bites. The laws governing animals in each area in Graham county may slightly differ. The Animal Shelter also adopts dogs and cats and sends them to animal rescue organizations. They are uncharged animal traps that can be set to catch stray dogs. However, only Animal Control Officers from the control department in Thatcher can set traps for cats. Animal traps are available for rent at a small fee from the Animal Shelter. If you have any information about stray animals or want to rent a trap feel free to call them on Phone: 928-348-6676 or send a fax through 928-428-7842. 

Graham Public Records 

Citizens looking for important official documents can freely use the county public records system. There are tens of thousands of different types of updated data available for general retrieval and audit. The data is available to interested parties at the county offices under a few departments. 

Residents can, for example, go to the assessors’, recorders’, or county clerk’s offices for a quick, accurate report. The records listed below can be accessed at any point by the residents: 

• Birth and Death certificates 
• Building codes and permits 
•  Marriage and Divorce certificates 
• Voter registration and election results 
• Sex offender registry 
• Property documents 
• Business licenses 
• Marriage certificates 
• Criminal records 
• Arrest records 
• Inmate search 
• Jail roster and records 

Contact the office anytime during their working hours through Phone: 928-428-3560 or TDD: 928-428-3562, or send them a Fax: 928-428-8828. They also have a Toll Free Number: 888-428-3252. 

Famous Attractions 

The most famous attraction in the county that has been there for the longest is the Eastern Arizona Museum & Historical Society. It is housed in the Pima Bank building from 1915 and the adjacent building that once housed the local pharmacy. Portions of the pharmacy are still on display. 

At this museum, photographs and artifacts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries depict rural life in Southeastern Arizona. Regrettably, the museum is severely underfunded. As a result, this excellent collection is underutilized. It’s more akin to browsing a rummage sale. We mention this so that you will be aware of the need to make a proper donation to preserve and exhibit this small piece of our history and heritage when you visit. 

Graham County Offices by Type