SEDONA, ARIZONA

''For the Kia Motors Sedona automobile, see Kia Carnival''

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'Sedona' (pronounced ) is a city and community that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 11,220. Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Arizona
Sedona's main attraction is its stunning array of red sandstone formations, the Red Rocks of Sedona. The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. The Red Rocks form a breathtaking backdrop for everything from spiritual pursuits to the hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails. Among the rock formations is one that closely resembles the character "Snoopy" (from the popular ''Peanuts'' comic strip) lying on top of his doghouse. Another nearby rock is said to resemble "Lucy", also from ''Peanuts''. Other landmark rock formations include Coffeepot Rock, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, the Mittens, the Cow Pies, and the Rabbit Ears.
There are several events that are hosted annually in the Sedona area, including:

★ Sedona Miracle [1] annual non-profit fundraiser September 15-16^th

★ Sedona International Film Festival on February 28 to March 4, 2007.

★ Sedona Marathon will take place on Saturday February 10, 2007.

★ Sedona's renowned Jazz on the Rocks Festival[2] at Radisson Poco Diablo on September 26 to September 30, 2007.
Politically, Uptown Sedona (the part in Coconino County) and West Sedona (the Yavapai County portion) form the City of Sedona. Originally founded in 1902, the town was incorporated into a city in January 1988. The Village of Oak Creek, despite its location seven miles to the south and outside Sedona city limits, is a significant part of the community.
Sedona is named after Sedona Miller Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of the city's first postmaster, who was celebrated for her hospitality and industriousness.^[1]

Contents

Geography

Demographics

History

Arts

Education

Vortices

Notable residents

Photos

See also

References

External links

Geography

Sedona is located at (34.859897, -111.789199), which is in the Upper Sonoran Desert of northern Arizona. At an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,372 m), Sedona has mild winters and summers that are often described as being, "not as hot as Phoenix."
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 48.2 km² (18.6 mi²), all land.
The famous red rocks of Sedona are formed by a layer of rock known as the Schnebly Hill Formation. The Schnebly Hill Formation is a thick layer of red to orange-colored sandstone found only in the Sedona vicinity. The sandstone is thought to have been deposited during the Permian period.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,192 people, 4,928 households, and 2,863 families residing in the city. The population density was 211.6/km² (548.0/mi²). There were 5,684 housing units at an average density of 118.0/km² (305.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.17% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 4.29% from other races, and 1.57% from two or more races. 8.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,928 households out of which 15.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.52.
In the city the population was spread out with 13.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 35.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,042, and the median income for a family was $52,659. Males had a median income of $32,067 versus $24,453 for females. The per capita income for the city was $31,350. About 4.7% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

History

Many of Hollywood's classic westerns were filmed in or near Sedona. The red rock buttes and
desert landscape provided a striking setting for these films. Most notably is 1950’s ''Broken Arrow'', starring James Stewart. A number of its shooting locations can still be visited via off-road trails.

★ On June 18, 2006, a wildfire reportedly started by campers began about one mile north of Sedona.^[2] The so-called "Brins Fire" covered 4,317 acres on Brins Mesa, Wilson Mountain and in Oak Creek Canyon before the USDA Forest Service declared it 100% contained as of 6 p.m. on June 28. Containment cost was estimated at $6,400,000.^[3]

Arts

Sedona is home to several large arts organizations in northern Arizona.

★ The Sedona Arts Center, founded in 1958, is the oldest arts center in northern Arizona.

★ The Sedona Jazz on the Rocks festival, founded in 1982, takes place annually at Radisson Poco Diablo Resort and other locations over four days in September.

★ Sedona International Film Festival & Workshop was established in 1995. The weeklong annual festival takes place in late February and early March at Harkins Theatres while supplemental events take place at area resorts. The festival also hosts monthly events.

★ GumptionFest, established in 2006 by GumptionFest Artistic Support Foundation Executive Director Dylan Jung, is a grassroots, local art street festival takes place the first weekend of June.

★ NORAZ Poets, founded in 2003, a nonprofit poetry network based in Sedona.
Sedona has also inspired the following songs and albums:

★ Sedona is mentioned in the Pixies song, "Havalina," the last song on their album, "Bossanova." The lyrics are: "Walking in the breeze / On the plains of old Sedona / Arizona / Among the trees."

★ The Electro group Dynamix II released a single by the name of Sedona.

★ Aerosmith recorded a song called "Sedona Sunrise" released on their 2006 compilation ''Devil's Got a New Disguise''. The lyrics and laidback tone of the song were apparently inspired by the songwriters' visit to Sedona.

★ Sedona is the home of German-born renowned guitarist Ralf Illenberger; one of his albums is named "Sedona".

★ Inspired by the gorgeous rock formations surrounding the town, music composer Steven Reineke wrote a piece which he named "Sedona."

★ In Jamie O'Neal's love ballad, "There Is No Arizona", Jamie belts out the name Sedona in the chorus, "There is no Arizona. No painted desert, no Sedona."

Education

Sedona is served by the Sedona-Oak Creek Unified School District.
Sedona Red Rock High School (SRRHS), is located near the edge of town in West Sedona. The school's mascot is the Scorpion. The high school's new campus, a series of single story buildings, is located opposite the Sedona campus of Yavapai College, in West Sedona.
Yavapai College's Sedona Center for Arts & Technology includes the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking, the Business Partnership Program, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and the University of Arizona Mini Med School.
Verde Valley School, a boarding/preparatory high school with many international students, is located between the Village of Oak Creek and Red Rock Crossing.

Vortices

There is a specialized New Age tourist industry in Sedona, where the "Harmonic Convergence" was organized by Jose Arguelles in 1987. Some purported "spiritual vortices" are said to be concentrated in the Sedona area at Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, and Schnebly Hill.^[4]
[5]

Notable residents

★ The city is known regionally for its unique subculture of artists, musicians, transients and locally-known minor celebrities, some of whom display odd behavior, such as "the Samurai,", Benito, who was often seen standing along the highway posing with a katana; "the Waver," who formerly waved at traffic from early morning until sunset; and last but not least, Mary, "the Flipper", who walked the streets and gave the one fingered salute - or flipped the bird to passers-by;

★ Max Ernst (1881-1976), the German Dadaist and surrealist artist, lived in Sedona from 1948 to 1953 with his fourth wife, the artist Dorothea Tanning.

★ Israel Regardie, former secretary and friend of Aleister Crowley and member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn died in Sedona in 1985.

★ Tool frontman, Maynard James Keenan, lives in Jerome, 20 miles outside Sedona. He is a partner in a Merkin Vineyards winery in Page Springs, near Sedona.

Photos

Statue of Sedona Schnebly outside the Sedona Public Library

Sunset over the red rocks

Sinkhole called The Devil's Kitchen in Soldier's Pass. The giant rock in the center is called The Grand Piano.

See also

★ Chapel of the Holy Cross

★ Village of Oak Creek

★ Oak Creek Canyon

★ Mogollon Rim

References

1. Territorial Women's Memorial Rose Garden: Sedona Miller Schnebly. (n.d.) Sharlot Hall Museum. Retrieved December 16 2006.
2. USDA Forest Service. (2006, June 19). ''Brins Fire Update.'' Retrieved December 16 2006.
3. USDA Forest Service. (2006, June 29). Retrieved December 16 2006.
4. NY Times travel Guide
5. NY Times: Sedona

External links

★ City website

★ Sedona Chamber of Commerce

★ How Sedona got its Name

★ Sedona Public Library

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