Oak Creek Canyon: Before Sedona
Sedona is known for its grand views and mystical connections and has been for many years. Originally, it was an incredibly rural ranching community known mostly for its natural beauty. Once that beauty became known throughout the motion picture industry, Sedona’s popularity skyrocketed. The city of Sedona was officially incorporated in 1988 but its history began years before. Native Americans had been living in the area since the year 900, building pueblos and farming. Evidence of many different tribes has been found in the area, including the Sinagua, Yavapai, and Apache peoples. However, this idyllic canyon was not spared the tragic sweeping invasion of Europeans. The very first Europeans arrived in 1583 in search of gold. By 1875, the soldiers of Fort Verde, now Camp Verde, captured the last group of Tonto Apache Native Americans in the area, the others either fled or also captured. The story of Sedona as we known it actually begins in Oak Creek Canyon. The very first white se