Welcome To The Santa Cruz Valley
National Heritage Area

The Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area (SCVNHA) honors and celebrates the natural environment, cultural traditions, historical places, and working landscapes of the watershed of the Santa Cruz River in Pima and Santa Cruz counties in southern Arizona.

As a non-regulatory designation made by Congress, SCVNHA takes a grassroots, community-focused approach to support historic preservation, natural resource conservation, recreation, heritage tourism, and educational projects. We leverage funds and long-term partnerships for projects that foster pride in our contribution to America’s history and an enduring stewardship ethic for this 3,300-square-mile landscape.

The Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area recognizes the original inhabitants of this landscape, the O’odham and the Yaqui (Yoeme), and their descendants who remain thriving on both sides of what is today the United States-Mexico border. You can learn more about our commitment to our Indigenous communities here.

The non-profit Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, Inc. is the local coordinating entity that manages programs and projects of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area.