Madera Canyon is a formerly

populated place Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

situated in the

Santa Rita Mountains The Santa Rita Mountains (O'odham language, O'odham: To:wa Kuswo Doʼag), located about 65 km (40 mi) southeast of Tucson, Arizona, extend 42 km (26 mi) from north to south, then trending southeast. They merge again southeastw ...

of Santa Cruz County,

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, United States. It has an estimated elevation of above sea level. It is located within a canyon of the same name, Madera Canyon, in the

Coronado National Forest The Coronado National Forest is a United States National Forest that includes an area of about 1.78 million acres (7,200 km2) spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. It is located in parts of C ...

. All homes built on U.S. National Forest property were evicted and demolished between 1984 and 1991 for the development of an improved campground.

History

In 1911, a Tucson businessman formed a group of backers who built several cabins in the canyon on land leased from the

United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

(USFS). Over the next few years, the roads were improved, automobiles came into use and Madera Canyon became a popular summer destination. Moreover, under the 1915

Occupancy Permits Act The Occupancy Permits Act was passed on March 4, 1915, by the 63rd United States Congress. It allowed the U.S. Forest Service to issue to cabin permits at "reasonable rates" to individuals who had had their property taken through eminent domain ...

, the USFS had encouraged construction of recreational residences (summer cabins). In 1922, the Santa Rita Trails Resort was built. The original lodge later burned down, but in 1929 it was rebuilt as a year-round resort with cottages, cabins, a restaurant, a general store, a gas station and a post office. In the 1930s, Madera Canyon was home to a

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was a major part of ...

camp. Many of the rock walls they built still exist. The USFS continued to develop utilities and improve roads, but in the 1960s, ceased issuing new building permits. Some of the privately built summer cabins had become year-round homes, increasingly for retirees. There was concern that the impact of homes in the canyon led to erosion, sewage, and water supply problems. However, the unimproved picnic areas were also considered a source of pollution. Entering the 1970s, USFS policy shifted further to public use, repurposing and "re-wildernessing" the canyon for camping and hiking. Over fifty private cabins on public land were evacuated and demolished between 1984 and 1991. The few remaining homes in Madera Canyon are on private land.

References

{{authority control Populated places in Santa Cruz County, Arizona