Flagstaff: The City of Seven Wonders

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Many sites such as the Grand Canyon, Sunset Crater, Oak Creek Canyon, Meteor Crater, Walnut Canyon, Wupatki National Monument and the San Francisco Peaks are why Flagstaff, Arizona, is known as the ‘City of Seven Wonders,’ since it provides easy access to these popular vacation destinations. An added bonus is that tourists find the town of Flagstaff as charming as the natural wonders surrounding it.

Nestled at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff sits at an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet, making it one of the highest elevated cities in the United States. It is also surrounded by one of the largest pine forests on earth.

Stories abound as to how Flagstaff got its name. A popular one is that long ago a tall pine tree was stripped of its branches for use as a flagpole for a Fourth of July celebration. Since the pole could be seen for miles away, weary settlers were told to ‘look for the flagstaff’ because it marked a wonderful place to make camp.

In 1876, Thomas F. McMillan became Flagstaff’s first permanent settler and in the decades since, thousands of others have come to share his love of this scenic region of Northern Arizona.

Four distinct seasons provide diverse year-round activities. When the average snowfall of 99 inches blankets the mountains, skiers, snowboarders and ice-skaters take advantage of the perfect snow conditions. In spring, hikers, bikers and naturalists enjoy the flower-laden hills and nature trails. Summer brings moderate temperatures, just right for tennis, golf and other outdoor activities, much to the delight of athletes and sports enthusiasts of every age. In autumn, the area is ablaze with the golds and reds of shimmering aspen leaves.

Historic downtown Flagstaff is filled with local artisans’ shops, galleries, restaurants and nightclubs. One of the city’s crown jewels is Northern Arizona University. In addition to being one of the area’s largest employers, it is a year-round host to many exciting professional athletic events and teams such as the Phoenix Cardinals and Phoenix Suns. It is also the site of the High Altitude Sports Training Center, a state-of-the-art facility used by international athletes and Olympians in training. Discover for yourself how wonderful Flagstaff really is!

City Resources

• All About Flagstaff
• Newspaper
• Recreation and Attractions
• Museums and Science Centers

The Official City of Tucson Web site
Provides information about the city with facts and figures about its history, economy, employment opportunities, housing, economy, schools, local government and more.

City of Flagstaff, Arizona
Provides information about the city with facts and figures about its history, economy, employment opportunities, housing, economy, schools, local government and more.

Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce
This site is filled with detailed information about the area’s public facilities, business resources, neighborhoods, school districts, yearly events, weather and other data useful for those considering relocation or planning a vacation.

Arizona Daily Sun
The Arizona Daily Sun provides coverage of city, state, national and international news as well as sports, entertainment and business.

Flagstaff Visitor Center
Find out about the area’s many popular recreational, educational and historic sites and where to stay, eat and shop.

Riordan Mansion State Park
An impressive reminder of gracious living in a small, territorial logging town, this historic building is an Arizona treasure and a remarkable example of arts and crafts style architecture.

Walnut Canyon National Monument
Hike down into Walnut Canyon and walk in the footsteps of the people that occupied its single story structures and cliff dwellings from about 1100 to 1250 A.D.

The Arboretum at Flagstaff
This beautiful nature reserve is home to one of the largest collections of high-country wildflowers in America.

The Museum of Northern Arizona
A regional center of learning showcasing collections, exhibits, educational programs, publications, and research projects, The Museum of Northern Arizona plays a vital role as interpreter of the Colorado Plateau.

Lowell Observatory
Lowell Observatory, a privately owned astronomical research institution located at an elevation of 7,250 feet, is best known for the discovery of the planet Pluto. It is also where astronomers gathered the first evidence that the universe is expanding.

Meteor Crater Visitor Center
This fascinating center provides both entertainment and education for the whole family with theatre programs, displays and presentations about the never-ending process of collisions and crashes in our solar system.

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