| Historians slightly disagree about the origin | | | | "Valley of the Sun"), Tempe, Prescott, among |
| of the name "Arizona" and its attachment to | | | | other areas. The Mormons settled what became |
| the region. Three possible derivations are: | | | | known as Northern Arizona and northern New |
| | | | Mexico, but these areas were located in a |
| O'odham words "alion" ("small spring"), | | | | part of the former New Mexico Territory. The |
| actually the name of a town, which is called | | | | largest ancestry of these settlers is German |
| "Arizonac" in English, about eight miles (13 | | | | American. |
| km) south of the United States-Mexican | | | | |
| border. Historically, it may have been "ali | | | | Arizona became a U.S. state on February 14, |
| ?on" or even "ali sona". The O'odham "l" is a | | | | 1912. Arizona was the 48th state admitted |
| voiced alveolar lateral fricative, which | | | | into the U.S. and the last of the contiguous |
| might sound to a Spanish or English speaker | | | | states admitted. |
| like an "r" sound. Later in the mid 18th | | | | |
| century Spanish missionaries changed Father | | | | The climate and imagery are two factors |
| Eusebio Francisco Kino's maps of the area; | | | | behind Arizona's tourism industry.Cotton |
| they renamed the town Arizonac as Arizona. As | | | | farming and copper mining, two of Arizona's |
| the maps were republished and circulated in | | | | most important statewide industries, suffered |
| Europe, the name Arizona became attached to | | | | heavily during the Great Depression, but it |
| the whole northern part of New Spain. | | | | was during the 1920s and 1930s that tourism |
| | | | began to be the important Arizona industry it |
| Spanish words "árida zona" ("arid zone"). | | | | is today. Dude ranches such as the K L Bar |
| This is largely dismissed as being a folk | | | | and Remuda in Wickenburg, along with the |
| etymology, as the grammatically correct | | | | Flying V and Tanque Verde in Tucson, gave |
| phrase in Spanish for "arid zone" is "zona | | | | tourists the chance to experience the flavor |
| Arida". | | | | and life of the "old West." Several upscale |
| | | | hotels and resorts opened during this period, |
| A Nahuatl or Aztec word "arizuma" meaning | | | | some of which are still top tourist draws to |
| "silver-bearing". | | | | this day; they include the Arizona Biltmore |
| | | | in central Phoenix (opened 1929) and the |
| Meeting its original native inhabitants, | | | | Wigwam Resort on the west side of the Phoenix |
| Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan, explored the | | | | area (opened 1936). |
| area in 1539. Coronado's expedition entered | | | | |
| the area in 1540-42 during its search for | | | | Arizona was the site of German and Italian |
| CÃbola. Father Kino developed a chain of | | | | prisoner of war camps during World War II. |
| missions and taught the Indians Christianity | | | | The Phoenix area site was purchased after the |
| in PimerÃa Alta (now southern Arizona and | | | | war by the Maytag family (of major home |
| northern Sonora) in the 1690s and early | | | | appliance fame), and is currently utilized as |
| 1700s. Spain founded fortified towns | | | | the Phoenix Zoo. A Japanese American |
| (presidios) at Tubac in 1752 and Tucson in | | | | internment camp was located on Mount Lemmon, |
| 1775. All of what is now Arizona became part | | | | just outside of the state's southeastern city |
| of Mexico's northwest frontier upon the | | | | of Tucson. Another POW camp was located near |
| Mexican assertion of independence from Spain | | | | the Gila River in eastern Yuma County. |
| in 1810. The United States took possession of | | | | |
| most of Arizona at the end of the | | | | Arizona's population grew tremendously after |
| Mexican-American War in 1848, after paying | | | | World War II, in part because of the |
| the Mexican government. In 1853 the land | | | | development of air conditioning, which made |
| below the Gila River was acquired from Mexico | | | | the intense summers more comfortable. |
| in the Gadsden Purchase. Arizona was | | | | According to the Arizona Blue Book (published |
| administered as part of the Territory of New | | | | by the Secretary of State's office each |
| Mexico until southern New Mexico seceded from | | | | year), the state population in 1910 was |
| the Union as the Confederate Territory of | | | | 294,353. By 1970, it was 1,752,122. The |
| Arizona on March 16, 1861. This is the first | | | | percentage growth each decade averaged about |
| official use of the name. A new Arizona | | | | 20% in the earlier decades and about 60% each |
| Territory, consisting of the western half of | | | | decade thereafter. |
| New Mexico Territory was declared in | | | | |
| Washington, D.C. on February 24, 1863. The | | | | The 1960s saw the establishment of retirement |
| new boundaries would later form the basis of | | | | communities, special age-restricted |
| the state. | | | | subdivisions catering exclusively to the |
| | | | needs of senior citizens who wanted to escape |
| Other names including "Gadsonia", "Pimeria", | | | | the harsh winters of the Midwest and the |
| "Montezuma", "Arizuma", and "Arizonia" had | | | | Northeast. Sun City, established by developer |
| been considered for the territory, however | | | | Del Webb and opened in 1960 was one of the |
| when President Lincoln signed the final bill, | | | | first such communities. Green Valley, south |
| it read "Arizona", and the name became | | | | of Tucson, was another such community |
| permanent. (Montezuma was not the Mexican | | | | designed to be a retirement subdivision for |
| Emperor, but the sacred name of a divine hero | | | | Arizona's teachers. (Many of these senior |
| to the Pueblo people of the Gila valley, and | | | | citizens arrive in Arizona each winter and |
| was probably considered -- and rejected -- | | | | stay only during the winter months; they are |
| for its sentimental value, before the name | | | | referred to as snowbirds.) |
| "Arizona" was settled upon.) | | | | |
| | | | Three ships named USS Arizona have been named |
| Brigham Young sent Mormons to Arizona in the | | | | in honor of the state, although only USS |
| mid-to-late 19th century. They founded Mesa, | | | | Arizona (BB-39) was so named after statehood |
| Snowflake, Heber, Safford and other towns. | | | | was achieved. |
| They also settled in the Phoenix Valley (or | | | | |