FORT INDIAN RESERVATION Community Profile Prepared by the DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Fort Apache Indian Reservation, home of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, is in east central Arizona. It is 75 miles long, 45 miles wide and encompasses more than 1.6 million acres in portions of Navajo, Apache and Gila counties. The reservation has a wide range of topography and climate. The southwestern desert foothills, at an elevation of 2,700 feet in the Salt River Canyon, contrast sharply with the mountainous, forested northeastern portions of the reservation where elevations exceed 11,000 feet in the Mt. Baldy area. Whiteriver, the largest population center of the reservation and the seat of tribal government, is 35 miles south of Show Low and 95 miles northeast of Globe.

Basic Information Founded: 1871 Distance to Major Cities: Incorporated: No Phoenix: 190 miles Located in Navajo County Tucson: 193 miles Nearby Highways: SR 73

POPULATION 1990 2000 2007 Fort Apache 10,394 12,429 N/A Navajo County 77,658 97,470 113,470 LABOR FORCE DATA Arizona 3,665,228 5,130,632 6,305,210 1990 2000 2007

Sources: AZ. Dept. of Economic Security and U.S. Census Bureau Civilian Labor Force 3,173 4,333 3,788 N/A: Population estimates for this community are not available Unemployment 722 895 477

Unemployment Rate 22.8% 20.7% 12.6% PRINCIPAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES Source: Arizona Department of Economic Security Using the plentiful natural resources and scenic beauty of its land, the White Mountain Apache Tribe has gained a national reputation for its network of enterprises, SCENIC ATTRACTIONS including Fort Apache Timber Company, a finger- jointing/edge-gluing plant to use the sawmill's low-grade Tribal lands contain some of Arizona's most beautiful lumber, and a lumber and hardware retail center in Hon country, with 25 excellent fishing lakes, 420 miles of Dah. The tribe boasts one of the best ski resorts in the trout streams, and more than 7,000 campsites. The Southwest, Sunrise Park Resort. The Hon-Dah Casino is mighty Salt River, whose waters originate almost located just around the corner from the . exclusively on the reservation, offers white-water rafting and breathtaking scenery for kayakers and canoers. County Employment 2007 Permits are required. Guided white-water rafting tours Government 10,600 are offered between February and June. The world- Trade, Transportation, and Utilities 5,900 famous Fort Apache is being developed into a historic Education and Health Services 3,475 park. The tribal Culture Center, a re-creation of an Leisure and Hospitality 3,150 Apache Village, and a walking tour of the Fort are the Mining and Construction 2,825 main attractions. Also on the reservation are the ancient Professional and Business Services 1,300 Kinishba Ruins, Geronimo's Cave and the Alchesay Fish Information 800 Hatchery. The White Mountain Apache Tribal Fair and Manufacturing 875 Rodeo is held the first weekend in September. Financial Activities 600 Other Services 725

Sources: Arizona Department of Economic Security Figures are organized under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS).

FORT APACHE INDIAN RESERVATION Community Profile

TAXES Utilities The State of Arizona does not tax Indian lands and Electricity: Indian owned property on reservations. Incomes of Navopache Electric Coop. (Ft. Apache 928.368.5118 Indians residing on reservations are not taxed by the Propane: Doxol 928.338.4802 State if wholly derived from reservation sources. The Telephone: GTE West (Statewide) 800.772.6250 Federal Government does not exempt individual Indians Water & Sewer: Whitewater Regional System 928.338.4825 from income or other federal taxes. Indian people of Cable Providers: No Cable Internet Service: No Digital Switching Station: No Fiber Optics: No Arizona are also exempt from state and local sales taxes Internet Service Provider: No on consumer goods purchased on the reservation, unless such taxes are imposed by the tribal government. However, the State of Arizona collects taxes from Weather reservation residents on sales of gasoline, electricity, Avg. Avg. Prec. natural gas, and telephone service. Low (ºF) High (ºF) (in.) Jan. 21.4 53.3 1.47 Feb. 25.0 56.6 1.37 COMMUNITY FACILITIES Mar. 29.3 61.6 1.63 Fort Apache Indian Reservation offers a wide range of Apr. 34.9 69.4 .89 community facilities including three community May 41.9 78.2 .49 centers/rodeo grounds, a fairgrounds, an indoor June 50.0 88.2 .45 swimming pool, Apache Culture Center, a library, three July 57.5 90.2 2.71 Aug. 56.3 87.5 3.26 gymnasiums and a four-acre public park in Whiteriver. Sept. 50.3 83.7 1.77 Oct. 39.1 74.5 1.38 Educational Institutions Public Private Nov. 28.6 63.1 1.26 Elementary Y N Dec. 22.3 54.2 1.45 High School Y N Annual 38.1 71.7 18.13 Middle School Y N Source: Western Regional Climate Center, www.wrcc.dri.edu. Community College Y N Period of record 1893 – 2005. Average Total Snowfall 17.2” Nearest data available from Whiteriver, AZ. Financial Number of Banks: 1. For further information, contact:

Government White Mountain Apache Planning & Fire Department: White Mountain Apache Tribe Development Services Law Enforcement: White Mountain Apache Tribal Police P.O. Box 1000 Whiteriver, AZ 85941 Airport Phone: 928.338.4346x213 Fax: 928.338.1595 Whiteriver Airport has a 6,270-ft. paved/lighted runway and Email: [email protected] UNICOM radio. This profile was prepared by the Arizona Department of Medical Commerce in cooperation with local sources. Indian Health Service, Whiteriver Service Unit, operates a 50- bed hospital.

Hotel and Lodging Facilities Number of Rooms: 127 1700 W. Washington St., Ste. 600 Capacity of Largest Facility: 200 Phoenix, AZ 85007 602.771.1100/FAX: 602.771.1200 Industrial Properties http://www.azcommerce.com There are two parks with utilities available. Contact the EDA Planning Office, White Mountain Apache Tribe. Reproduction of this publication for commercial use is prohibited by A.R.S. 39-121. Permission to reprint may be granted upon written request to the Arizona Department of Commerce. 10/08