Flagstaff, city, seat of Coconino County, northern Arizona; settled 1871, incorporated as a city 1928. Flagstaff is a tourist resort situated at an elevation of about 2125 m (about 6970 ft) at the base of the San Francisco Peaks. Extensive pine forests are nearby. Manufactures of the city include forest products (especially lumber), paper goods, construction materials, pet food, and clothing. Northern Arizona University (1899) and Lowell Observatory (1894) are here. Prehistoric Native American ruins (including some at Walnut Canyon and Wupatki national monuments) and the scenic Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument are in the area. The city's name is derived from a flagstaff erected here for the 1876 Independence Day celebrations. Population 34,641 (1980); 45,857 (1990); 52,894 (2000).
