Proud to Live, Work & Serve in Cochise County

At Southeastern Arizona Federal Credit Union, local means something. It means knowing the communities we serve because they're our communities, too. It's where we live, where we work, where we raise our families, where we shop, and where we see familiar faces.

From Douglas to Benson and all communities throughout Cochise County, Southeastern Arizona isn't simply where SEAFCU does business.

It's our home.

Our Cochise County - More Than a Place on the Map

There is something special about Cochise County. It's found in the mountains and valleys that surround us, in our small towns and local businesses, and most importantly, in the people who call this corner of Arizona home. Our county also has a remarkable history.

Cochise County was established on February 1, 1881, from the eastern portion of Pima County. It was named for Cochise, the Chiricahua Apache leader. Tombstone was the county's first county seat, with the seat moving to Bisbee in 1929.

Long before today's communities developed, this region was home to Indigenous peoples. Its history also encompasses Spanish exploration, Mexican settlement, the Chiricahua Apache people, pioneers and subsequent generations who shaped the county we know today.

But the history of Cochise County isn't just something that happened in the past.

It's the story of the place we still call home.

Two Communities. One Shared Home.

SEAFCU's connection to Southeastern Arizona comes to life in communities like Douglas and Benson.

Their histories are different, but both are part of the larger Cochise County story and part of the community we are proud to serve.

Douglas - A Community Shaped by History, Industry & the Border

Douglas has a story that reaches back centuries. The City of Douglas traces the area's early history to Spanish exploration in the 1500s and notes the historic presence of the San Bernardino Presidio east of present-day Douglas.

A very different chapter began in the early 1900s.

As copper mining expanded in nearby Bisbee, Phelps Dodge selected the Douglas area for its copper-smelting operations. Development followed as the growing community gained infrastructure such as electricity and telephone lines. The copper industry remained a major influence for decades, until smelting operations ended in 1987. Douglas has an important military history as well. The city's historical account includes the U.S. Cavalry, Buffalo Soldiers and Camp Harry J. Jones. The camp was established in 1911 amid border troubles during the Mexican Revolution and remained part of the area for more than 20 years.

A Community Built by People

Behind those milestones were people building lives.

The city describes a thriving Douglas where people working in the copper smelters joined those farming and ranching in the valley. At one time, Douglas was home to more than 13 movie theaters, including the Grand Theater, whose building remains today.

Generations later, that community story continues.

Douglas isn't just part of Cochise County history. It's home to neighbors, families, businesses and SEAFCU members today.

We're Local, too. When we say we're committed to Douglas, we're talking about a community we're part of.

We understand that supporting local people strengthens the place all of us call home.

Visit our main office in Douglas

1600 N. PanAmerican Avenue

Douglas, Arizona 85608

Benson - A Community at the Crossroads

The Beginning - Gateway to the southwest

Long before the railroad arrived, the San Pedro Valley was home to the Sobaipuri people, and the area later became an important route for explorers, missionaries, stagecoaches, and settlers traveling through the Southwest

Founded in 1880, Benson began as a railroad town when the Southern Pacific Railroad extended across southern Arizona. The community was named after Judge William S. Benson, a California friend of railroad executive Charles Crocker. Benson quickly became an important transportation hub for southeastern Arizona. During the booming mining years of nearby Tombstone and Bisbee, Benson served as the gateway to southeastern Arizona. Passengers, supplies, silver, copper, and cattle all moved through the town, helping it grow into one of Arizona Territory's most important transportation centers. By 1897, historical reporting described Benson as a transfer station served by the Southern Pacific, New Mexico and Arizona, and Arizona and Southeastern rail lines, making it the only community in Arizona served by three independent railroad lines. The community included hotels, restaurants, merchants, a school, churches and other local businesses alongside its extensive railway activity. That glimpse of early Benson feels surprisingly familiar. Then, as now, a community wasn't simply buildings or transportation routes. It was the people who lived and worked there. Unlike many frontier towns that faded when the mines played out, Benson endured. During the Mexican revolution in the early 1900s Poncho Villa rode all the way to Benson visiting local stores and saloons including the building where the Benson SEAFCU branch is today. Through floods, fires, economic downturns, changing transportation routes, and the occasional outlaw, the community adapted and continues to grow to this day.

Our Community Today

Benson remains a welcoming hometown known as the Gateway to the San Pedro Valley and home to the world-famous Kartchner Caverns. Its rich history, strong sense of community, and enduring spirit make it one of the most special places in southeastern Arizona.

For SEAFCU, Benson is more than a location. It's home.

It's where families put down roots, businesses grow, children learn, neighbors lend a helping hand, and dreams become reality. We're proud to be part of those stories every day.

Because when you're truly local, serving a community isn't something you do from a distance. - You're part of it.

Visit our Benson Location

182 E. 4th Street

Benson, Arizona 85602

The Communities Between - One County. Many Stories.

Cochise County's history stretches far beyond any single city. Historic records trace stories involving ranching, mining, agriculture, railroads, military history, schools, the Mexican Revolution, the San Pedro River corridor, historic trails and the people and places of the county. The Cochise County Archives preserves records and historical collections documenting many of these subjects today.

Together, communities across the county give Southeastern Arizona its character.

Bisbee. Sierra Vista. Tombstone. Willcox. Huachuca City. St. David. Bowie. San Simon. Portal.

And all the rural communities, ranches and neighborhoods in between.

Different places. - Different histories - One Community

Cochise County - We are proud to call it home.

Our History Is Still Being Written

The places around us tell stories. Some are more than a century old. Others are being created right now by families buying their first homes, young people beginning their careers, local businesses opening their doors, and longtime residents continuing traditions that have been passed down through generations.

Local Isn't Just Where We Are. - It's Who We Are.

We drive the same roads.

We shop at local businesses.

Our kids attend local schools.

We recognize places, names and faces.

We experience the challenges our communities face, and we get to celebrate their successes. Because we live and work here, too.

That gives "local" a different meaning at SEAFCU. You're not simply doing business with an institution located in Southeastern Arizona.

Southeastern Arizona Federal Credit Union has been a part of those everyday stories for over 70 years. And that is what being a local credit union means to us. It isn't about drawing a boundary around a service area. It's about belonging to the community inside it.

You're working with people who call Southeastern Arizona home.

Investing in the Place We Call Home Every generation leaves its mark on Cochise County. The ranchers, miners, railroad workers, military members, business owners, families and communities of earlier generations helped shape the county we inherited. Today's residents are writing the next chapter. At SEAFCU, we're proud to be alongside them, helping our members pursue their goals and build their futures right here at home. Because when our neighbors move forward, our community moves forward with them.

This Is Our Home, too. Cochise County is more than the place where SEAFCU operates.

We live here.

We work here.

We know our communities.

And we're invested in their future.

From Benson to Douglas and throughout Cochise County, we're proud of where we've come from, excited about where our communities are, and where they will be going well into the future.

Southeastern Arizona Federal Credit Union is grateful for the opportunity to have served the people who make Southeastern Arizona home for over 70 years. Just as we've been here for generations of members, we are committed to being here for you, your children, and your grandchildren for the next 70 years and beyond.

Local people - Local decisions - Local commitment