Place:La Paz, Arizona, United States

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source: Family History Library Catalog

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La Paz County is the 15th county in the U.S. state of Arizona, located in the western part of the state. As of the 2010 census, its population was 20,489, making it the second-least populous county in Arizona. The county seat is Parker. The name of the county is the Spanish word for "the peace", and is taken from the early settlement (now ghost town) of La Paz along the Colorado River.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

La Paz County was established in 1983 after voters approved separating the northern portion of Yuma County, making it the only county to be established after Arizona became a state in 1912, and currently the second youngest county in the United States (behind the consolidated city-county of Broomfield, Colorado, which was established in 2001). The county did not have a large enough tax base to begin supporting a separate county government immediately and had to rely on state money at first. As a result, Arizona laws were changed to make splitting other existing counties much more difficult.

Under the revised Arizona laws, a county shall not be formed or divided by county initiative unless each proposed county would have all of the following characteristics: (1) at least three-fourths of one percent of the total state assessed valuation and at least the statewide per capita assessed valuation; (2) a population of at least three-fourths of one percent of the total state population according to the most recent United States decennial census; (3) at least one hundred square miles of privately owned land; (4) common boundaries with either (a) at least three other existing or proposed counties; or (b) at least two other existing or proposed counties and the state boundary. A county formation commission is required to be formed to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed county. A proposal to divide a county must be approved by a majority of the votes cast in each proposed new county.

The Colorado River Indian Reservation is located in the western portion of the county. Part of the reservation extends westward into San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California.

Timeline

Population History

source: Source:Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790-1990

Note: La Paz County (1980 pop. 12,557) was formed from Yuma County in 1983.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of La Paz County, Arizona, United States

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