Spectacular Sedona
Sedona, AZ - If you've never been to
the Red Rock Country of Sedona, AZ
we urge you to
make a trip. A two hour drive north of Phoenix (117 miles) and one hour to
Flagstaff beyond (30 miles), Sedona was named the most beautiful place in the
United States by USA Today in 2003.
The 19 square mile city straddles Coconino and Yavapai counties and is
surrounded by the 1.8 million acre Coconino National Forest. The town sits
at the base of the Oak Creek Canyon with spectacular
red rocks rising into the sky. The red sandstone rock formations are so
unique and breathtaking, you'll think you're on another planet.
Sedona Schnebly |
Brief History
Sedona was founded by Theodore Carlton ("T.C.") Schnebly.
T.C. came to the area in 1901 with his wife from Missouri, after his
brother Dorsey Ellsworth Schnebly discovered the Red Rock Country
while seeking a better climate for his health. T.C. purchased
an 80 acre parcel of land and developed a fruit orchard. Later
he opened a produce store. He
noticed that the biggest complaint among the residents was the long time it took
for the mail to be delivered from Flagstaff. Being enterprising he decided to
apply for a postal permit. He suggested "Oak Creek Crossing" and "Schnebly
Station" to the Postmaster General in Washington, D.C., but the
names were rejected because they were too long to fit a cancellation
stamp. T.C. then submitted his wife's
name, Sedona, and on June 26, 1902 the city of Sedona was officially established.
Present
Sedona receives more than four million tourists a year and
is the second most visited site after the Grand Canyon.
Although the red rocks of Sedona have always been a attraction
for geologists, hikers, and tourists, the town first became well known from the
Western movies that were shot there such as John Wayne’s “The Angel and the
Badman” (1947), and Robert Mitchum’s “Blood on the Moon” (1948). But it wasn't until 1981 when Page Bryant,
author and psychic, called Sedona "the heart chakra of the planet" that
Sedona became a destination for New Age artists.
More recently it has become a retirement place for the baby
boomer generation. The median age is 50.
With a population of only 10,000, only 51% of the city is privately owned, the
remainder being the Coconino National Forest.
For hikers, there are more than 150 trails for the both the novice and experienced. The most popular are Bell Rock
and Boynton Canyon which are believed to be spiritual vortex centers.
Related Articles:
Sedona's Abandoned Garden
Eight Interesting Facts About Sedona
House of Apache Fires
Sedona Geology
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