Information and history of the state of Arizona

In 1775 the Spanish established Fort Tucson. In 1848, after the Mexican War, most of the Arizona territory became part of the U.S., and the southern portion of the territory was added by the Gadsden Purchase in 1853.

Arizona became the 48th state and last of the contiguous states on February 14, 1912.

In 1912, President William Howard Taft was ready to make Arizona a state on February 12, but it was Lincoln’s birthday. The next day, the 13th, was considered bad luck so they waited until the following day. That’s how Arizona became known as the “Valentine State.”

Some Arizona Symbols

1. State Bird	2. State Mammal	3. State Flower	4. State Butterfly	5. State Neckwear
6. State Tree	7. State Gemstone	8. State Fossil	9. State Fish	10. State Reptile

1. Cactus Wren - The state bird of Arizona is the cactus wren, officially recognized in 1931. The largest North American wren (7-9 inches), cactus wrens are native to the arid south- western United States extending to central Mexico.
2. Ringtail - The ringtail was designated the state mammal of Arizona in 1986. Ringtails are cat-sized carnivores resembling a small fox with a long raccoon-like tail.
3. Saguaro Cactus Blossom - The pure white waxy blossom of the giant saguaro cactus was designated the state flower of Arizona in 1931. Saguaro cactus is indigenous to Arizona and grows to a height of forty to fifty feet and lives to an age of 150 to 200 years.
4. Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly - The two-tailed swallowtail butterfly was designated the official state butterfly of Arizona in 2001. A large butterfly (wingspan 3-5 inches), the two-tailed swallowtail is found only west of the Mississippi in North America.
5. Bola Tie - The bola tie was designated the official neckwear of Arizona in 1973. A bola (sometimes called bolo) tie is a type of necktie consisting of a piece of cord or braided leather with decorative metal tips secured with an ornamental clasp or slide. A silver bola tie adorned with turquoise (Arizona's state gemstone) is generally considered the official style, but bola ties come in a large variety of styles.
6. Palo Verde - Palo Verde was designated the official state tree of Arizona in 1954."Palo Verde" is Spanish for "green stick." Blooming in the spring (beginning in late March and continuing until May), Palo Verde are beautiful trees that add vibrant color to the Arizona desert.
7. Turquoise - Turquoise was designated the official gemstone of Arizona in 1974. Probably one of the oldest gemstones known, turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral. The majority of the world's finest-quality turquoise comes from western and southwestern United States, the largest producer of turquoise in the world.
8. Petrified Wood - Petrified wood was designated the state fossil of Arizona in 1988. Petrified Forest National Park in northern Arizona has one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood. Made up of almost solid quartz, each piece of petrified wood is like a giant crystal, often sparkling in the sunlight with a rainbow of colors.
9. Apache Trout - The critically endangered Apache trout was designated the state fish of Arizona in 1986. Found nowhere else in the world, Apache trout were nearing extinction caused by the introduction of non-native trout and early methods of livestock grazing, timber harvest and other land uses that impacted their habitat.
10. Arizona Ridge-Nosed Rattlesnake - The Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake was recognized as the official state reptile of Arizona in 1986. First known to science in 1905, this small brown snake is one of the most primitive rattlesnakes found in this country.

Did you know?

• Arizona has 3,928 mountain peaks and summits—more mountains than any one of the other Mountain States.
• When England’s famous London Bridge was replaced in the 1960s, the original was purchased, dismantled, shipped stone by stone and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where it still stands today.
• The 13 rays of red and gold on the top half of the flag represent both the 13 original colonies of the Union, and the rays of the Western setting sun. Red and gold were also the colors carried by Coronado's Spanish expedition in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola in 1540. The bottom half of the flag has the same Liberty blue as the United States flag. Since Arizona was the largest producer of copper in the nation, a copper star was placed in the flag's center. Flag adopted 1917.
• The world’s largest solar telescope is located at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Sells, Arizona.
• The Arizona Cardinals are the oldest continuous franchise in the National Football League, dating back to 1898
• More copper is mined in Arizona than all the other states combined, and the Morenci Mine is the largest copper producer in all of North America.