Arenal, "sandy place" in Spanish, also known as Aranca No.1 in the 1857 census, was one of the 19th century Pima Villages, located along the

Gila River The Gila River (; O'odham ima Keli Akimel or simply Akimel, Quechan: Haa Siʼil, Maricopa language: Xiil) is a tributary of the Colorado River flowing through New Mexico and Arizona in the United States. The river drains an arid watershed of n ...

, in what is now the Gila River Indian Community in Pinal County, Arizona.

Demographics

Arenal appeared once on the 1860 U.S. Census in what was then Arizona County, New Mexico Territory. It reported a population of 577, all Pima Indians. It was the largest native community recorded in Arizona County, behind only Tucson. Because census takers in 1860 and the specials prior to that failed to denote the precise location of the specific Pima villages on maps, it is unclear their exact locations today. It was, however, noted that it was apparently between the villages of Cerrito & Cachanillo.Wilson, ''People of the Middle Gila'', p. 166 Arenal was never returned again on the census after 1860.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arenal, Arizona Geography of Arizona Gila River Geography of Pinal County, Arizona Native American history of Arizona History of Arizona Former populated places in Pinal County, Arizona Gila River Indian Community