Oracle

HISTORY

Oracle is a small town of artisans and families, and is home to several popular guest ranches and bed and breakfasts. Javelina, deer and other wildlife frequently wander around the neighborhoods. The town is named after a ship that Weldon Albert, the town's founder, had sailed on around Cape Horn in 1879. Oracle's climate is perfect for people recovering from lung ailments. Doctors in the 19th century advised their tuberculosis patients to take advantage of the town's dry, cool air. The first building in the area is Arizona's oldest standing territorial post office.

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

Oracle's economy, once based in mining and smelting has shifted to rely on growing tourism dollars and thriving cottage industries in electronics and arts and crafts.

STATISTICS

• Population: 3,996
• Incorporated: No
• County: Pinal
• Elevation: 4,514 feet
• Total Area: 11.4 square miles
• Average July High: 92
• Average January Low: 34
• Average Yearly Precipitation: 22.41
• Median Household Income: $38,267
• Median Age: 39
• City Sales Tax: 0%
• Cable Internet Service: No
• Fiber Optics: No
• (information current as of 6/2004)

ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS

In the process of becoming an artists' colony, Oracle hosts an annual Spring Arts Festival featuring dozens of local artists who open their studios to the public. The Acadia Ranch Museum, housed in one of Oracle's oldest buildings, is on the National Register of historic places. Short distances from town are Biosphere 2, Peppersauce Canyon, and Oracle State Park. Popular activities in the surrounding scenic area include biking, hiking and horseback riding on numerous trails. Picturesque drives include the road to Redrock and the Pinal Pioneer Parkway, both meandering through a natural setting in the Sonoran Desert.