Stoval, Arizona | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 32°45′54″N 113°37′20″W / 32.76500°N 113.62222°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Arizona |
County | Yuma |
Elevation | 400 ft (122 m) |
Time zone | UTC-7 ( Mountain (MST)) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC-7 (MST) |
Area code | 928 |
FIPS code | 04-69970 |
GNIS feature ID | 24631 |
Stoval is a populated place situated in Yuma County, Arizona, United States, located approximately 70 miles east of Yuma. [2] Originally established as a stagecoach stop in 1869, named Grinnell Station after its first station master Henry Grinnell, it later served as a railroad station on the Southern Pacific Railroad's Sunset Route. Circa 1875 the name was changed to Texas Hill, after a group of emigrants from Texas who were supposedly killed in the area. [1] In 1882–83, Oscar F. Thornton emigrated from California and established a farming community near the station. Due to the fertility of the farmland, he named his community Christvale. [3] Thornton became the first postmaster of the Christvale post office when it was established on September 25, 1888. [1] Railroad personnel did not like the name, however, and shortened it to Chrystoval (or Crystoval). With the advent of the telegraph, the name was further shortened to its present-day Stoval in approximately 1911, in order to save on telegraphing. After closing down at some point, the post office was re-established on May 21, 1914, under the name of Stoval. [3] It has an estimated elevation of 400 feet (120 m) above sea level. [1]