Marana History

The legacy of the West.

As a unique crossroads of culture, industry and innovation, Marana claims a rich and diverse history. Documented inhabitation of the region extends back over 13,000 years, when Native American tribes lived in the area. The Santa Cruz valley was a haven for diverse peoples for millennia, with its abundant resources. Most important, the Santa Cruz river supplied the area with that most vital of southwestern resources: water. Indeed, the elixir of life would come to define much of Marana’s history as agriculture took root as the foundational local industry.

With the advent of the Southern Pacific Railroad, more and more families began to move to the region, but it wasn’t until the latter half of the 20th century that Marana began to modernize, again, in response to water. In 1977, with water resources becoming more sought after, Marana’s founders decided to incorporate their 10-square-mile town to protect their right to water. Since then, a veritable boom has taken place.

Now with more than 45,000 residents and 126 square miles of incorporated area, Marana is one of the most economically progressive communities in the region, and the future continues to look bright.