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Town Snapshot: Town of Marana
Marana has a rich history with more than 4,200 years of continuous human occupation in the middle Santa Cruz Valley. Long before the arrival of the Spanish
Conquistadors and missionaries in the 17th Century, the area was inhabited by the Hohokam, who developed extensive canal systems and used water from the Santa
Cruz River to irrigate crops.
In 1775, Juan Bautista de Anza, Captain of the Presidio of Tubac, led an expedition north along the Santa Cruz River to found the city of San Francisco. A
15-mile segment of the route the expedition took through Marana is designated part of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.
Rail transportation signaled a major change in the area in 1881, giving Marana its first identification as a specific place on Southern Pacific Railroad maps in
1890. "Maraña" is a Spanish word meaning a tangle or thicket and was chosen as an appropriate name by the railroad workers as they hacked their way through the
dense brush.
With the early establishment of mining and ranching, it was not until after World War I that Marana became primarily an agricultural center, producing cotton,
wheat, barley, alfalfa and pecans.
During World War II, the rising importance of military power came quickly to Marana. The Marana Airfield (1942-'45), now known as Pinal Air Park and located
just outside the town limits, was the largest pilot-training center in the world, training some 10,000 flyers.
In March 1977, the Town incorporated about 10 square miles and in August of that year, the 1,500 residents elected their first town council. The town quickly
began growing through a targeted annexation policy and now measures a little more than 120 square miles with a population of 34,961, according to the 2010
Census.
The Town celebrates its incorporation every year during Founders' Day. This year's expanded event will take place October 27-30 in coordination with several
community partners, including the Marana Unified School District, Marana Heritage Conservancy and Western Heritage Committee, to name a few.
Visitors can also enjoy Marana's outstanding outdoor lifestyle, complete with nearby Saguaro National Park and the Tortolita Mountains' acclaimed hiking trails.
The town maintains outstanding community facilities, including the new Crossroads at Silverbell Park, as part of its commitment to recreation and healthy
lifestyles.
Marana also is home to the Accenture Match Play Championship, which annually brings the world's top 64 professional golfers to the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
for a week. The hotel is one of only two Ritz-Carlton properties in Arizona and is one of the company's largest projects in the world, combining resort, spa,
golf and residential facilities for unparalleled hospitality.
The Town works closely with its business community to attract and retain companies that provide well-paying jobs. In the past year, the town completed its first
strategic plan for economic development, the Marana Economic Roadmap, which helps determine what type of industry the town should attract and where the
resulting businesses should be located. Marana presently boasts a healthy and growing business community, including robust manufacturing, healthcare and retail
sectors.
Marana also will update its Strategic Plan later this year. Complementary to the town's General Plan, which provides direction on land-use decisions, the
Strategic Plan addresses goals and objectives for the future appearance and theme of the community, including setting a bold vision for the town's future. The
Strategic Plan's five themes - Commerce, Community Building, Heritage, Progress/Innovation and Recreation - play major roles in development of the town's budget
every year.
Current initiatives include further development of the Marana Regional Airport as a center of commerce with the addition of necessary infrastructure. The town
website is also undergoing a complete makeover and will be unveiled this spring.
Marana is committed to remaining a clean, safe and healthy community. It matches high-end development and innovation with outstanding cultural opportunities,
recreational amenities and preservation of its heritage to become known as a leading destination for employers, tourists and new residents in Southern Arizona.
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League of Arizona Cities and Towns
1820 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: 602-258-5786
Fax: 602-253-3874
http://www.azleague.org
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