Eloy, Arizona’s Origins
The town of Eloy, Arizona is a small town just east of Casa Grande. Both towns are located just about midway between Tucson and Phoenix. The history of Eloy is an interesting one in that there was nothing there but desert prior to the Mexican-American war in 1848. The area had been populated by various Native American tribes before that time, primarily by the Navajo people. The Gadsden Purchase in 1848 made that territory a part of the United States and that included Pinal County as well.
How a Railroad Yard became Section Housing
Soon a railroad came and that is what really kicked off the growth of the Eloy and his creation, as well as several other towns between Yuma and Tucson which became stops on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Tracks for the railroad began to be laid towards the east from Yuma starting in 1877.
In 1879, work stopped along the way that summer and that particular location became a town of Casa Grande. In January of 1880 the work continued and some 20 miles to the east of siding was built so that trains that we’re running out to directions we have a way for one to pull off while the other train passed. This location became a camp for railroad workers as another short rail siding was used to house boxcars in which the workers lived. These boxcars were called section houses.
Early Agriculture
It was not long before it was discovered that cotton of could be grown in the hot dry climate as long as proper irrigation all of that could be supplied. The residents of the town wanted to rename the little city Cotton City. However, the railroad would have none of it, and would not even leave off the mail to anything drastic Cotton City because to them it was Eloy.
Cotton continued to be a staple and exportable crop which helped the area grow. It was not too long however, that Eloy won out as far as the name went, and cotton was still grown in abundance, particularly when it was discovered that the cotton fields could be irrigated. But town continue to grow slightly, but remained a way stop on the way to and from Yuma, and Tucson.
Today the city is growing fairly rapidly as over 175,000 homes are being built in master plan humanities. The sprawl of Phoenix has reached the Casa Grande and Eloy areas. The largest employer in the city is the Eloy detention center and the Red Rock detention center, both privately owned but under the supervision of the Arizona department of corrections and second largest employer is their school system.
Eloy, Arizona, Then and Now
The city has come a long way over the years of hands the towns of Eloy and Casa Grande now touch of at the junction of Interstate 10. The Eloy-casa Grande connection is actually a great place to live as as the area is conveniently located halfway between Phoenix and Tucson. For people who work in those cities is the perfect location.
And now, we’re proud to introduce ourselves as a part of the community of Eloy, bringing our services to assist its residents. As the city continues to expand, many more businesses are going to introduce themselves but we’re happy to be one of the recent pioneers offering auto title loan services to any and all those needing it. Our location is in Casa Grande, but is proudly serving Eloy as well.
