La Paz

Formed January 1, 1983 (15^th county)

La Paz County (16,555), Parker (3,414)

A southwestern adobe building bests describes the courthouse built in 1994.  It is located at Kofa and 14^th avenues.  Arizona State Highway 95 is two blocks east of the location.  Ganther Melby Lee is the designer of this Modern Spanish style courthouse.  A County Administration Building was also built in 1994.  The county was formed on January 1, 1983 after splitting from Yuma County as the 15^th and last county.  La Paz County is named for a ghost town along the Colorado River.  Parker was named for General Eli Parker.  Parker has been the only county seat. 

The Colorado River forms the western border with California.  The Bill Williams River is the northern border.  La Paz County government consists of a sheriff and as assessor (executive).  It has 3 supervisors (legislative.)  One Superior Court Judge and Three Justice Court Judges, a County Clerk and an Attorney serve La Paz County (judicial.)  The county is located in western Arizona.  Phoenix, Arizona is Southeast and Yuma, Arizona is South of the county.  The center of the county is 29.8 miles East-Southeast of Parker nearer Bouse.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Mohave, Yavapai, Maricopa, and Yuma counties and California.  The county shape looks like a fat apostrophe.  Parker is located in the extreme northwest part of the county.  Parker is the county seat and largest city.  Parker is 20.6% of the county population.

The area of the county is 4513 square miles.  It is 13 of 15 in size.  It ranks 14 out of 15 in population in the state.  It has a density of 3.7 persons per square mile making it 15 out of 15 in the state.  La Paz County has 35.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 10 crosses east to west in the southern part of the county, Maricopa County to California.  United States Highway 60 comes from Maricopa County to the east and terminates in the county.  United States Highway 95 enters from California, northwest, joined with Interstate Highway 10, separates at Quartzsite and exits south into Yuma County.