Community News · Willcox, AZ
Chiricahua National Monument Elevated to Arizona's Fourth National Park
President Trump signed the Chiricahua National Park Act into law Tuesday, elevating the 12,000-acre Chiricahua National Monument near Willcox in Cochise County to national park status. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum attended the designation ceremony at the site, which was originally designated a national monument in 1924 by President Calvin Coolidge. The change makes Chiricahua Arizona's fourth national park and the nation's 64th. Willcox Mayor Greg Hancock said he expects national park status to bring increased tourism and potential new business investment to the area. The National Parks Conservation Association expressed hope the upgrade could bring additional funding, noting the NPS workforce dropped by nearly 3,000 jobs last year.