Located halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, Coolidge was originally built around the cotton growing industry. Today, the town still produces cotton — but many of the old cotton fields have become housing developments for a friendly, growing town where families enjoy a casual lifestyle. Central Arizona College is within the city limits and houses a branch of Northern Arizona University as well as its many programs. Coolidge is home of the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, the first historic site to receive protected status — back in 1892 — by the United States Government. The ancient city was built about 1200.