Arizona is known nationally for its cactuses, heat and deserts, but the state is also home to a town named Snowflake.Founded in 1878, the small town with a population of about 7,000 residents fittingly rests in Arizona’s White Mountains. It is located between Holbrook and Show Low on Arizona State Route 77.However, Snowflake is not very snowy, despite its name sounding like a winter wonderland. It receives only about 13 inches of snow per year, according to U.S. Climate Data.Why is the small town named after a winter staple? Here’s the history of how this small town got its unique — and somewhat misleading — name.How did Snowflake, Arizona, get its name?Believe it or not, the town is named after its founders, Erastus Snow and William Flake, according to the Snowflake/Taylor Chamber of Commerce.In the late 1870s, a land agent, William Flake, was sent by Brigham Young of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help the Mormon colonies settle in Arizona, which was at the time just a U.S. territory rather than a state.After selling his land in Beaver, Utah, Flake moved his family to Arizona. However, much of what was considered good land was already occupied.They had a strong desire to settle on the Silver Creek, a 45-mile-long stream located in the White Mountains.James Stinson owned the land and sold his ranch to the Flake family for $11,000 in cash. The property was paid for with Utah-grade cattle. The Flake family took possession of Stinson Valley on July 21, 1878.After the Flakes purchased the ranch, Mormon settlers began to move to the new settlement.Erastus Snow was an apostle from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in charge of Arizona colonization. Some settlers wanted to name the town after him, while others wanted to name it Flake. Snow visited the settlement and, two days after, sent back a message naming the new Silver Creek settlement Snow Flake.An inscription on the old monument at the Main Street LDS Church in Snowflake reads:”On July 21, 1878, six Latter-Day Saints and their families settled in this valley. They were William J. Flake (Leader of the group), James M. Flake, James Gale, Jesse Brady, Alexander Stewart and Thomas West. They purchased their property of James Stinson a Non-Mormon colonist, who settled here in 1873, and named the settlement Snowflake in honor of Erastus Snow and William J. Flake.”How did Arizona cities get their names?Here’s the story behind 12 of themReach the reporter at zbradshaw@gannett.com or on X at @ZachBradshaw14. …
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