Headed to Puerto Peñasco? You may pass through Why, Arizona. How the town got its name

Arizona has its fair share of weirdly named towns that leave us asking, why? Valentine, Nothing, Tortilla Flat and Top-of-the-World always make the list. But perhaps a town that takes the inquisitive cake is Why, Arizona.

Hundreds of thousands of summer travelers each year on their way to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico make their way through the curiously named Arizona town and find themselves asking the silly question, why Why?

Where is Why, Arizona?

Why is located in southwestern Arizona at the junction of state Routes 85 and 86, just north of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and the Tohono O’odham Nation.

It hosts a population of 122 people, according to a 2020 census.

Weird Arizona place names: Nowhere, Nothing, Why, Three Way

Why is it called Why, Arizona?

The unincorporated town sits at the junction of state routes 85 and 86, which formed a "Y" shaped intersection at the time they were built. Because of this, people in the area would refer to their home as being located at the "Y."

As the community grew and accrued a post office, state authorities needed to record an official town name. However, state law requires all Arizona city names to be at least three letters long, so the unofficial "Y" couldn't be used.

Residents put on their thinking caps, came up with Why and it's been that way ever since.

Although the Arizona Department of Transportation eventually moved the highway intersection south and changed it to a traditional "T" intersection structure for safety, visitors on their way to Rocky Point can still experience the town's amusing history.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why, AZ: The history of the oddly named Arizona town