Sasabe (O'odham: Ṣaṣawk) is a small hamlet in the Altar Valley of southern Pima County, Arizona, United States, immediately north of the international border with Mexico. It hosts a minor border crossing, an adobe sales outlet, a public school, a guest ranch, a general store with fuel pumps, a weekend bar, and a post office serving the ZIP Code of 85633. In 2010, the population of the 85633 ZCTA, including Sasabe, was 54.[2]

Sasabe, Arizona
Populated place
Sasabe Location within the state of Arizona Show map of Arizona Sasabe Sasabe (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 31°29′19″N 111°32′31″W
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Pima
Elevation [1]	3,537 ft (1,078 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST (no DST))
Area code	520
FIPS code	04-64520
GNIS feature ID	10961

History

The name Sasabe is derived from the Native American language of the Tohono O'odham (formerly Papago) meaning "head valley".[3] The post office was established at Sasabe in 1905.[4]

Sasabe is best known for its historic Rancho de la Osa guest ranch, formerly the headquarters of a three million acre (12,000 km²) Spanish land grant. Some ranch buildings reportedly date to the late 17th century. The guest ranch opened in 1921. Guests have included Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson.[5]

On average, 165 cars, trucks, or pedestrians per day passed through the Sasabe Port of Entry in 2011.[6] Sasabe, Arizona is smaller than its sister community, El Sásabe, Sonora, which is known for its burnt-adobe brickyards.

In the 2018–2019 school year, the local school served 28 children in grades K-8.[7]

Geography

Sasabe is seated on an arid, gently rolling sand-plain relieved only by scatter shrub trees and grass hummocks. Much of the area north and east of Sasabe is within the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.[8] In 2006, 3,500 acres (14 km²) of the refuge that border Mexico east of Sasabe were closed to public entry due to problems with smugglers and unauthorized border crossings.[9]

See also

• Baboquivari Peak
• Altar Valley
• 2010 Saric shootout
• 2015 Amado checkpoint protest

References

External links

• Magahern, Jimmy (December 2013). "Arizona's Smallest Town". The Valley Times. Scottsdale, Arizona: Times Publications.
• Sasabe at Google maps
• Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
• LIFE Magazine article (Mar. 28, 1960) about town for sale