1521History
While Coronado passed just east of Sahuarita in 1521, it was not until Eusebio Kino's 1691 journey along the Santa Cruz River that he met the leaders of the Sobaipuri people.
1699History
Kino would later go on to found the Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1699, just north of Sahuarita.
1775History
In 1775, Francisco Garcés would follow the same path, laying the groundwork for the founding of Tucson.
1821Military
After the Mexican War of Independence in 1821, the region came under Mexican control until they sold the land to the United States as part of the Gadsden Purchase.
1854Culture
(1854–1874) ===
In 1854, following the Gadsden Purchase, Sahuarita would become a part of the Territory of New Mexico, in the United States of America.
1857Disaster
In 1857, the Sobaipuri, who had acted as a buffer between the hostile Mexicans to the south and Apache to the north, finally collapsed under the pressure and vacated the area, g...
1861Military
Sahuarita was part of the Confederate Arizona Territory between 1861 and 1862 before being captured by the Union and incorporated into Arizona Territory in 1863.
1867Military
In 1867, Fort Crittenden was created between Sonoita and Patagonia in order to support the establishment of American settlements in the Santa Cruz Valley.
1870History
=== Sahuarita on the map (1870–1925) ===
An 1870 map of Arizona shows an "Indian Village" just north of Sahuarita.
1874History
In 1874, the San Xavier reservation was created, now called the Tohono O'odham Reservation, and Native Americans were forcibly relocated to the reservation.
1875History
The earliest known reference to the town can be found on a German map from 1875, which labels the town "Sahuarito".
1879Culture
The first known US map to list the town came in 1879, by the US Department of Interior, calling the town "Saurita".
1880History
The Saurita town name would continue to be found on successive maps of 1880 and 1890.
1886History
Brown sold his ranch in 1886 which caused the region to stagnate for three decades.
1900Infrastructure
=== Sobaipuri (1400–1900) ===
The Sobaipuri were possibly related to the Hohokam, and occupied the Southern portion of the Santa Cruz, with the Pima to their North and South.
1911Government
== History ==
Sahuarita was founded in 1911 and incorporated in 1994.
1915History
=== Continental Farm (1915–present) ===
The Continental Farm of Sahuarita plays a central role in town history.
1922Military
The project was abandoned after the end of World War I, and in 1922, was sold to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.
1925History
Finally, a 1925 map of "Auto Trails" (e.g.
1941Military
=== World War II (1941–1945) ===
During World War II, Sahuarita was home to the Sahuarita Airstrip which was used to train bomber pilots for service in the war.
1942Military
=== Sahuarita Bombing and Gunnery Range (1942–1978) ===
The United States Army Air Corps, from Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, first used this 27,046-acre (109.45 km2) range in A...
1943Architecture
The Sahuarita Flight Strip was completed in 1943, with a 5,540-foot (1,690 m) paved runway, and the bombing runs ceased shortly thereafter.
1944Government
It was established around November 1944, as one of 21 "branch" POW camps established throughout the state.
1950Culture
In 1950, bomber crews operating out of Carswell AFB, Texas, restarted bombing runs on the range, which would last until 1962, with the airway strip remaining in use as an emerge...
1963Military
Walden Grove High School was built in their place.)
=== Cold War ===
Sahuarita contains the Titan Missile Museum, built in 1963 during the height of the Cold War, which is th...
1965History
In 1965, over fears of a fall in demand for cotton resulting from the advent of synthetic fibers, Walden switched his crop to pecans.
1978History
The Federal government soon released the land to the State of Arizona in 1978, who in turn leased the land to a cattle rancher.
2000Government
Since the most recent census was taken in 2000, the town has annexed more land; its area is now approximately 30 mi2 (78 km2).
2001Architecture
=== Sahuarita Lake ===
Sahuarita Lake is an artificial lake that was completed on June 22, 2001, by Rancho Sahuarita.
2002History
== Town zoning ==
Since 2002, 30% of the land in the town is zoned for residential use, the majority of which (22%) is classed as medium density residential, defined as a single...
2006History
This reflects a water amount equivalent to less than one tenth of one percent (<0.1%) of the 76,000 acre-feet (94,000,000 m3) of water used by all of Sahuarita and Green Valley ...
2010History
By 2010, the population rose to 25,259.
2013Architecture
These 130-year-old buildings which remained intact were demolished for a road expansion in 2013.
2024Infrastructure
=== Principal employers ===
According to Sahuarita's 2024 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the principal employers in the city are;
== Law and government ==
The Town of ...