Blue (originally, Whittum) is an unincorporated community in Greenlee County, Arizona, United States. It lies 33°36′36″N 109°6′24″W (33.6100552, -109.1067396), at an elevation of 5,758 feet (1,755 m).

Blue has a ZIP Code of 85922; in 2000, the population of the 85922 ZCTA was 36.[1] In addition to its post office, Blue also contains a public library, and a public school serving all grade levels.^{[citation needed]}

History

The community was originally named for Nat Whittum, an original settler who was killed at the site in 1891. A post office was established at Whittum in 1894; however, its name was changed to Blue in 1898, because everyone knew where the Blue River was but Whittum was not known.[2]

Blue's population was 80 in 1940.[3]

Education

Blue School District 22 is the area school district, serving K-12. In 1984 Randy Collier of The Arizona Republic stated due to difficulties in transportation and from being far from other places, "the social life at Blue primarily is at the school."[4]

Previously Blue had a K-8 school, so Round Valley High School in Eagar, of the Round Valley Unified School District, served Blue for high school; some students lived with relatives in Eagar and some traveled to and from Eagar via school bus.[5]

Greenlee County Library System maintains the Blue Public Library in a log cabin adjacent to the Blue School.[6]

References