Detailed plan of the town of Douglas, Arizona, on the border with Mexico.

In 1878, the place where the town of Douglas now exists was known as Black Water, so called because of a dirty water hole. Water was so scarce that Black Water was much used. Park Whitney, Charles A. Overlocke and J.A. Brock in 1901 located a town which they named for Dr. Stewart Douglas. Others joined with the small group and in February 1902, the Douglas Improvement Company was incorporated to operate and maintain public utilities. Douglas moved to Bisbee in 1889 where he became assayer for the Copper Queen Mining Company. He married the daughter of Lewis Williams on November 11, 1891. In 1900 he became the superintendent of a mine in Sonora for Phelps Dodge."

The Post Office was created in March 5, 1901 and the town incorporated May 15, 1905.