I first saw Yuma, Arizona while driving to California to visit relatives. I was deeply impressed with the area and the people.

There is evidence that people lived in that area as far back as 1510. A Spanish explorer, Hernando de Alarcon passed through the area on his way to California. In 1580 another Spanish explorer, Melchior Diaz, passed through and noted that the Colorado could be crossed in that area. He called the area “Yuma” after the tribe of Indians that lived there.

This tribe of Indians were not war-like people. They wore no clothing because the weather was pleasant year-round. They ate cactus blossoms and cactus leaves after scraping off the spines. They killed animals that came to drink water from the river, and they caught fish by setting fish traps. They also picked berries and ate other vegetables. They were farmers. They dug a network of canals from the Colorado River so they could raise crops of vegetables.

The Tribe people welcomed the Spanish explorers and traded their goods for goods that the Spaniards had to offer.

The Colorado River is only 1,000 feet wide at Yuma so Spanish soldiers crossed there including Juan Bautista de Anza in 1774. A Mormon group crossed the river here in 1848. A group of soldiers called the California Column crossed there in 1862. During and after the Gold Rush in California, many people cross the river by ferry. There were so many people crossing the river there that a town quickly came up. The town proved to be a haven for outlaws, prospectors, bars, saloons, prostitutes, gamblers, land speculators, migrant workers and others who wanted quick money. The Indians were ignored. Some of their land was sold to the whites for little money.

In the area near Yuma, the U.S. military built a fort called Fort Yuma. Two other towns formed south of the fort. One town on the California side of the river was called Jaeger City after the owner of Jaeger’s Ferry. The other town was called Colorado City. It was developed by a land spectator Charles Poston.

After the Gadsden Purchase, the United States bordered the territory of New Mexico. The other land was called the Territory of Arizona in 1863.

In 1854, Colorado City was a major steamboat stop up and down the Colorado River.

In 1877 the Southern Pacific Railroad bridged the river. When the bridge opened, people poured into California in great numbers.

Today, Interstate 8 crosses the river at Yuma, and only 60 miles north, Interstate 10 crosses the River into California.

Today, several Indian tribes are there on tribal lands including the Fort Yuma Reservation and several others. Yuma is close to the Marine military base, and several National Wildlife Refuges.

Yes, Yuma has a colorful past and is still a great place to visit. Put it on your bucket list.

(Narrative and photo provided by Jena native Gale Trussell)