Our Rich History & Community Profile

The Story Behind Our Name

Sedona's name carries a unique story of creativity and chance. In 1877, Amanda Miller "just thought up" the name Sedona for her newborn daughter because she thought it sounded pretty. Twenty years later, when that daughter—Sedona Arabella Miller—married Theodore Carlton Schnebly and moved to Arizona's Oak Creek area, her name would become immortalized.

In 1902, T.C. Schnebly applied to establish a post office for the small settlement. After his first choices (Oak Creek Crossing and Schnebly Station) were rejected for being too long, his brother Ellsworth suggested simply naming it after his wife. The name was approved, and Sedona Schnebly became the namesake of what would grow into one of America's most beloved destinations.

From Settlement to City

Sedona's journey began in 1876 when John James Thompson became the first documented European-American settler in Oak Creek Canyon, discovering abandoned Native American gardens. The area's year-round flowing water from Oak Creek made agriculture possible in the high desert, and by 1902, approximately 55 residents called this remote area home.

Early Sedona thrived on fruit orchards—particularly apples and peaches—which found ready markets in Flagstaff and the mining boom town of Jerome. The community remained small and rural for decades, finally receiving paved streets and electricity in the 1950s. The town wasn't incorporated as a city until 1988, reflecting its evolution from an agricultural settlement to a world-class tourist destination.

Hollywood's Red Rock Stage

Sedona's dramatic landscapes caught Hollywood's eye early, with Zane Grey's silent film "Call of the Canyon" shot here in 1923. The golden age of Sedona filmmaking truly began in 1945 when John Wayne arrived to produce "Angel and the Badman," constructing a western town set, sound stage, and motel in what is now West Sedona.

Over the following decades, nearly every major studio and star worked in Sedona, including James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Joan Crawford, Glenn Ford, and countless others. More than 60 films were produced in our red rocks, cementing Sedona's place in cinematic history and bringing international attention to this remarkable landscape.

Ancient Heritage

Long before European settlement, Sedona was home to the Sinagua people, who lived here over 1,000 years ago. These skilled farmers and traders built cliff dwellings and left behind petroglyphs and pottery that tell stories of their sophisticated culture. Nearby sites like Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot preserve their legacy. The area remains sacred to several Native American tribes, including the Hopi, Apache, and Yavapai, who continue to honor these ancestral lands.