Nogales, Arizona

The boundary between Nogales, Arizona, in the United States, on the left, and Nogales, Sonora, in Mexico, on the right, running down the center of a wide avenue, about 1899

Similar picture of the border, 2007

The name Nogales is derived from the Spanish word for 'walnut' or 'walnut tree'. It refers to the large stands of walnut trees that once stood in the mountain pass where Nogales is located.[8]

Nogales was at the beginning of the 1775–1776 Juan Bautista de Anza Expedition as it entered the present-day U.S. from New Spain, and the town is now on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. On the second floor of the 1904 Nogales Courthouse is a small room dedicated to the 1775–1776 Anza Expedition.[9]

In 1841, a land grant from the Mexican government to the Elías family established Los Nogales de Elías. Following the Gadsden purchase in 1853, Nogales became a part of the United States of America. In 1880, Russian-Jewish immigrants Isaac and Jacob Isaacson homesteaded the trading post of Isaacson, Arizona, at present-day Nogales.[10] The U.S. Postal Service opened the Isaacson post office but renamed it as Nogales in 1883.[11][10]

In 1915, according to historian David Leighton, Sonora Gov. Jose M. Maytorena ordered the construction of an 11-wire fence, separating Nogales, Sonora from Nogales, Arizona, but it was taken down four months later.[12]

On August 27, 1918, a battle between United States Army forces and Mexican militia – mostly civilian in composition – took place. Culminating as the result of a decade's worth of tensions originating from the Mexican Revolution and earlier battles in Nogales along the border in 1913 and 1915, the main consequence of the 1918 violence saw the building of the first permanent border wall between Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, along the previously unobstructed boundary line on International Street.

As of the 2010 census,[14] there were 20,878 people, 5,985 households, and 4,937 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,002.1 inhabitants per square mile (386.9/km²). There were 6,501 housing units at an average density of 312.0/sq mi (120.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.7% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 24.3% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. 95.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,362 households, out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 24.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.12 and the average family size was 3.62.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.6% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,044, and the median income for a family was $24,637. Males had a median income of $24,636 versus $18,403 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,440. About 30.8% of families and 32.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.2% of those under age 18 and 32.9% of those age 65 or over.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.8 sq mi (54 km²), all land.

The city is at an elevation of 3,829 ft (1,167 m).[1]

The economy of Nogales is heavily dependent on the cross-border trade through its Ports of Entry by produce distributors and American-based manufacturing plants in Nogales, Sonora and throughout the rest of the Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa. Most of Nogales' economy is based on agribusiness and produce distributors, which comes from large farms in the Mexican agri-belt. Despite its small population, Nogales actually receives much patronage from its bordering sister-city, Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Most observers guess the population of Nogales, Sonora, at roughly 300,000. International commerce is a big part of Nogales' economy.[19] More than 60 percent of Nogales' sales tax comes from the estimated 30,000 Mexican shoppers crossing the border daily.[20] Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, are home to one of the largest maquiladora clusters. This enables American manufacturing plants on both sides of the border to take advantage of favorable wage and operating costs and excellent transportation and distribution networks.

The Consulate-General of Mexico in Nogales is located on 135 W. Cardwell St.[21]

The United States Department of Homeland Security is a major economic driver in the Ambos Nogales region, with thousands of employees working for both the Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection. Due to the large federal, state, and local police presence, Nogales has one of the highest police per-capita levels in the United States.

The largest employers in Nogales are:[22]

• Seattle Sports
• City of Nogales
• County of Santa Cruz
• Dependable Home Health
• E.D.S. Manufacturing
• Holy Cross Hospital
• The Home Depot
• Mariposa Community Health Center
• Nogales Unified School District
• Safeway
• Prestolite Wire
• UPS Supply Chain Solutions
• Walmart

The county of Santa Cruz and the city of Nogales have 200 properties listed in the National Register of Historic Sites, including Tumacacori National Monument first visited by Father Eusebio Kino in 1691 and Tubac Presidio, established by the Spanish in 1752 on an Indian village site. Others include the Old Tubac Schoolhouse, Old Nogales City Hall, Santa Cruz County Courthouse, and Patagonia Railroad Depot. The Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Sanctuary, 19 miles east, attracts worldwide visitors to see its diverse bird life. It is also host to ghost towns and mining camps, curio shops, first-class restaurants and night clubs.

The Santa Cruz County Historical Courthouse on Morley Street/Court Street has the statue of Lady Justice on top of the building. The Nogales version of Lady Justice is not wearing a blindfold.

Interesting architecture and historical homes along Crawford and Court Streets provide a glimpse of border life at its peak during that time period.[23] A day trip to old Nogales, Sonora reveals many of the same architectural uniqueness.

Several state parks and recreation areas are located close to Nogales, including Patagonia State Park, Peña Blanca Lake, Parker Canyon Lake, and Coronado National Forest. The Wine Country of Sonoita-Elgin is also located 20 miles east of Nogales.

The City of Nogales operates under a council-manager form of government in which the mayor is elected to a 4-year term and has a single vote on the city council. The council then hires a city manager to run the day-to-day operations of the city. The 6 city council members are elected at-large to 4-year terms.[24]

Nogales is located at the south end of Interstate 19. Arizona State Route 189 connects Interstate 19 with the Nogales-Mariposa Port of Entry and Mexican Federal Highway 15. Arizona State Route 82 connects Nogales with Patagonia and Sonoita. Interstate 11 is proposed to replace I-19, terminating in Nogales.

Santa Cruz County operates the Nogales International Airport, a general use airport.

Local bus transportation in Nogales is currently provided by local companies.[25] Private bus companies Greyhound and TUFESA, as well as several shuttle companies, connect Nogales with Tucson and points north.[26][27][28]

Many dozens of motion pictures have been filmed around the Nogales area.[29] The Hangover Part III (2013) was partially filmed in Nogales during late 2012. Parts of town were decorated to appear to be Tijuana, Mexico.[30] Dog (2022) was partially set in Nogales, as the location for the funeral scene at the end,[31] although these scenes were filmed in Los Angeles, California.[32]

Georges Simenon's novel The Bottom of the Bottle is set in Nogales. A small part of William Gibson's short story, "The Gernsback Continuum" refers to the city of Nogales. It is also mentioned as a border crossing point in Carlos Castaneda's Don Juan series, and a gateway into the Mexican Yaqui communities of Sonora.

Nogales is discussed at length in the popular political economics book Why Nations Fail, comparing the relative success of Nogales, Arizona, to the poverty of Nogales, Sonora.[33]

Oscar winner Benicio del Toro dedicated his award to Ambos Nogales during his acceptance speech at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards in 2001.[34]

• Bob Baffert – 2015 & 2018 Triple Crown winner, champion horse breeder and trainer
• Andrew Leo Bettwy – Arizona State Land Commissioner 1970–78
• Movita Castaneda – Actress best known for being the second wife of actor Marlon Brando
• Travis Edmonson – Member of 1960's influential folk duo "Bud & Travis"
• Adrian Fontes – 22nd and current Secretary of State of Arizona since 2023
• John Frederick "Jack" Hannah – Academy Award-winning Disney Studios artist and director
• Gil Heredia – 10-year Major League Baseball pitcher and University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame member, born 1965.
• Christine McIntyre – Actress, starred in 22 feature films, most notably as supporting character in Three Stooges films
• Charles Mingus – Jazz bass player, composer, and bandleader
• Jack O'Connor – Longtime firearms editor for Outdoor Life magazine, hunted and collected trophies throughout the world, introduced readers to hunting and firearms
• Alberto Alvaro Ríos – Author, poet, won the 1981 Walt Whitman award for "Whispering to Fool the Wind", current State of Arizona Poet Laureate.
• John Scearce – Professional soccer player
• Roger Smith – Actor, star of 77 Sunset Strip, husband to movie star Ann-Margret.
• Verita Bouvaire-Thompson – Actress turned hairdresser best known for her 14-year reputed affair with actor Humphrey Bogart
• Oscar Humberto Stevens Sr - Radio, Television and Businessman, best known for as investor and executive producer of his television show “FROM THE BORDER” on KZAZ-TV Channel 11, first TV Station licensed from Nogales, Arizona and later “TELEFIESTA MEXICANA” with studio in Tucson, Arizona. Owned and operated “EL GIGANTE Home Furnishings” located across the street from the original Nogales fire and police department.

• Battle of Nogales (1913)
• Battle of Nogales (1915)
• Battle of Ambos Nogales

• Official government website
• Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce
• Nogales Unified School District