Randolph is a historically
black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
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 ...
in
Pinal County
Pinal County is in the central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, the population of the county was 425,264, making it Arizona's third-most populous county. The county seat is Florence. The county was founded in 187 ...
,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...
, United States, located approximately 15 miles north of
Picacho, and near
Casa Grande
, settlement_type = City
, image_skyline = Casa Grande-Casa Grande Union High School-1920-2.jpg
, imagesize = 250px
, image_caption = Historic Casa Grande Union High School which now serves as the ...
. The community was named after
Epes Randolph
Epes Randolph (August 16, 1856 – August 22, 1921) was an American civil engineer and businessman who constructed railroads in America's South, Ohio, Arizona, California, and Mexico. From 1905 to 1907 he led the successful effort to restor ...
, a vice-president and general manager of the
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Railroad classes#Class I, Class I Rail transport, railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was ...
, who founded the town in the early 1920s.
Randolph wanted to establish a successful city near Casa Grande.
On July 18, 1925, the Randolph Post Office opened, with Channing E. Babbitt as its postmaster.
With the increased need for agricultural workers which arose in the late 1920s, hundreds of farm workers migrated to the area in the 1930s. Many of those who settled in Randolph were black migrants from
Oklahoma. This influx created a community which was predominantly black.
The post office closed in 1983.
References
{{authority control
African-American history of Arizona
Populated places in Pinal County, Arizona