Sacaton

Sacaton (Pima: Geʼe Ki:) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. The population was 3,254 at the 2020 census. It is the capital of the Gila River Indian Community.

Sacaton is located at 33°4′48″N 111°44′45″W  /  33.08000°N 111.74583°W  / 33.08000; -111.74583 (33.079911, −111.745784).[2]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2), all land.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,584 people, 378 households, and 303 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 667.1 people per square mile (258.1/km2). There were 387 housing units at an average density of 163.0/sq mi (63.0/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 2.0% White, 95.0% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. 7.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 378 households, out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.2% were married couples living together, 41.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.80 and the average family size was 4.12.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 38.4% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $18,276, and the median income for a family was $20,766. Males had a median income of $25,882 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $6,425. About 36.4% of families and 39.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.4% of those under age 18 and 31.1% of those age 65 or over.

Sacaton is one and one-quarter miles west of the 1858–1861 location of the Socatoon Station of the Butterfield Overland Mail. The station was named for the nearby Maricopa village of Sacaton, four miles down the Gila from the station. It was an adobe building established in 1858 on the Little Gila river also known as Capron's Rancho and was also a trading post.[5]

The following is a short description of the historic structures, cemetery and monuments pictured:

The C. H. Cook Memorial Church.

The grave of Charles Cook's son, Franklin wife Annie M. Cook (Coates).

The grave of Mathew B. Juan.

The grave of Confederate Colonel James Patton Perkins.

The Matthew B. Juan-Ira H. Hayes Veterans Memorial Park.

The Pvt. Matthew B. Juan Monument.

The Ira H. Hayes Monument.

The First Pima Baptist Church a.k.a. "The first Southern Baptist Church".

Abandoned early 20th Century house.

The Gila River War Relocation Center.

Different view of the Gila River War Relocation Memorial.

The Gila River War Relocation Memorial.

The Gila River Japanese Relocation Internment Camp ruins.

More ruins of the Gila River Japanese Relocation Internment Camp.

Gila River War Relocation Center concrete slab foundation.