Arizona: Fun Facts and Trivia

Think of Arizona, and you'll probably picture a cactus or two, ghost towns, retirees fleeing snow, and perhaps some spicy Southwestern cuisine. Aside from being in the news a lot lately regarding challenges to its immigration law, Arizona has a very colorful past filled with unusual facts.

History

Arizona was a latecomer. It became a part of the United States on Valentine's Day of 1912 as the 48^th state, according to 50states.com. Experts have never been able to agree on the meaning or derivation of the name Arizona.

The capital, Phoenix, was founded in 1866 as a hay camp to supply Camp McDowell. Camels once hauled goods across the state. Oraibi, founded by the Hopis, is the oldest Indian settlement in the U.S. Many grain and stock farms began between 1692 and 1711, during the period when Father Eusebio Kino worked in the area as a missionary.

What was once the Arizona Territory saw a lot of change. At one time or, the Castilian (Spain), Burgundian (Spain), Mexican, Confederate, and U.S. flags have flown over the area.

Commissioned in 1913, the battleship USS Arizona is perhaps the most famous ship associated with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The Southern Pacific Railroad connected Arizona with the eastern parts of the U.S. in 1926. In 1939, famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright built his Taliesin West studio near Phoenix. World War II saw the arrival of thousands of military personnel for training at Luke and Thunderbird fields in Glendale.

Government

Arizona has an "official" for just about anything imaginable. The official state fossil is petrified wood, primarily from the Petrified Forest in the northeastern part of the state. The bola tie is the official neckwear. The palo verde is the official state tree, while the cactus wren is the state bird, and the ringtail is the official state mammal.

Predictably, the blossom of the saguaro cactus is the state flower. The official state gemstone is turquoise. The state colors are blue and gold. There's even an official state amphibian, the Arizona tree frog.

Arizona is a right-to-work state. No individual shall be denied the opportunity to obtain or keep employment due to non-membership in a labor organization.

Geography

Because of Arizona's many natural wonders, tourism is an important part of the economy. The most popular attractions include the Grand Canyon, Havasu Canyon, Grand Canyon Caves, Lake Powell/Rainbow Bridge, and the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert.

Thousands of tourists also visit Monument Valley, Sunset and Meteor Crates, Saguaro National Park, the Chiricahua National Monument, and the Colorado River each year.

The most abundant mineral in the state is copper. Arizona leads the country in its production. Historic Bisbee, located near the border with Mexico, was once known as the Queen of the Copper Mines. The surrounding area also served as the site of filming for some episodes of the TV series Little House on the Prairie.

At Four Corners, an individual can stand in four states at the same time. Of all the states, Arizona has the biggest percentage of designated Indian lands. The capital of the Navajo Reservation is Window Rock.

Although non-Arizonans think of the state as primarily desert, it has a number of mountains. The tallest is Mouth Humphreys at 12,643 feet.

Overall, land usage includes 2 percent for crops, 57 percent for pasture, 24 percent as forests and 17 percent for other uses. Yuma averages only 3.27 inches of rain per year.

Other

Ghost towns such as Tombstone, Gillette, Ruby and Gunsight are scattered throughout the state.

Arizonans determine the age of a saguaro cactus by its height. After being disassembled, the original London Bridge was shipped to and reconstructed at Lake Havasu City.

Newcomers to Arizona are always surprised that the state observes Mountain Standard Time year round. However, the Navajo Nation in the northeastern part of the state observes the Daylight Savings Time change.

Famous People

Many famous people once called Arizona home. SHG Resources lists quite a few of them.

Sports personalities include tennis champ Helen Hull Jacobs, golfer Phil Mickelson, and boxers Michael Carbajal and Louie Espinoza. Representing the entertainment world are producer Joan Ganz Cooney, singer Linda Ronstadt, actor David Spade, director Steven Spielberg, actor Rex Allen, and actress Lynda Carter. Author Zane Grey lived near Payson.

Activist Cesar Chavez was born in Yuma. Clifton was the birthplace of Apache leader Geronimo. Gymnast Kerri Strug hails from Tucson.

Among politicians from Arizona are John McCain, Barry Goldwater, and Carl Trumbull Hayden. Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner was also an Arizona resident. Arizonan Stewart Udall served as Secretary of the Interior.

Sources:

http://www.50states.com/facts/arizona.htm

http://www.shgresources.com/az/people/