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CHistory
History · Springerville

Springerville dates to 1876

More historic than 25% of U.S. towns. What drives it

Most of Springerville was built recently: 7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1974.

1876founded
0on the National Register
7%homes built before 1940
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Midnight Believer · CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answers

How Springerville began

When was Springerville founded?

1876

Springerville dates its founding to 1876 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1879.

2020 census: 1,717150 years

How historic is Springerville?

C

More historic than 25% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1879.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Springerville’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Springerville is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Springerville’s overall grade.
Founding era1876, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19407.1% of homes (±4.8) · typical AZ town 0.4% · U.S. 8.4%C+National RegisterNo listings counted · typical AZ town 0.1 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 25%
NewerOlder

Few Arizona towns list much on the Register (a typical Arizona town has 0.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Springerville’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (29% of Arizona towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.8 points). Two sources give 1876.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Springerville’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Springerville are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Springerville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Springerville’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Springerville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Springerville.

Read it all →

The town that grew around Henry Springer's trading post was officially given its name on May 10, 1876. Before that time it had gone by names such as Colorado Chiquito, Milligan Settlement, and Valle Redondo (Round Valley).

Outlaw Cowboy Ike Clanton, who was present at the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, was shot dead in Springerville on June 1, 1887, by detective Jonas V. Brighton when he resisted arrest on charges of cattle rustling.

Springerville is the home of Arizona's Madonna of the Trail statue, unveiled on September 29, 1928.

In 1951, Twentieth Century Fox filmed an adaptation of Fred Gipson's novel The Home Place titled Return of the Texan at several locations in and around Springerville.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Springerville, 1876 to 1963

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1876
    FoundingSpringerville is established
  3. 1879Post officeThe Springerville post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1921Born hereSamuel C. Phillips is born here
  6. 1942Born hereJerry D. Thompson is born here
  7. 1963Born hereAlex Madrid is born here
By decade

Springerville, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Main Street2009Main StreetHorny Toad Bench2009Horny Toad BenchDowntown2009DowntownVista of2008Vista ofTractor2008TractorRound Valley Ensphere2007Round Valley Ensphere
Famous people

3 famous people were born in Springerville

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Samuel C. PhillipsUnited States general · b. 1921
Alex MadridAmerican baseball player · b. 1963
Jerry D. ThompsonAmerican historian and professor · b. 1942
Places that used to be

Old corners

Springerville’s post office has been open since 1879.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Valle Redondo Trailer Park

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Eagar3 historic placesC+

Questions about Springerville’s history

What year was Springerville founded?

In 1876, according to Wikidata. Springerville’s post office opened in 1879.

How does Springerville rank for history?

Springerville is more historic than 25% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Springerville?

7% of Springerville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.8 points), against a typical 0.4% for an Arizona town; the median home was built in 1974.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.