Arizona

Overview

Introduction

Though Arizona has become famous for its sunny skies and desert scenery, it is no one-dimensional state. Keep Arizona's diversity in mind when you plan your trip: There's more there than can be absorbed in one vacation. Focus on a few areas that interest you—be it the popular resort areas (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson or Sedona), natural wonders (the Grand Canyon or Saguaro National Park), Native American cultural sites (Canyon de Chelly or Navajo National Monument) or historic towns (Tombstone and Jerome). By sampling the state in small helpings, you'll enjoy it more and leave plenty to explore the next time around.

Geography

Arizona can be thought of as three regions. Much of the south and west is at a relatively low elevation creating the Sonoran region. In the extreme west, a dry, rocky, desert area that is remarkably rich in plant life makes up the Mojave. The area is renowned for its sky islands—isolated mountain ranges topped by pine forests that once provided a haven for Apache Indians. To the north are the vast, open sandstone vistas of the Colorado Plateau, where summers and winters can both veer into extreme temperatures.

The state's two most dramatic geographical formations are the Grand Canyon, where the Colorado River has cut into the Colorado Plateau, and the Mogollon Rim, where the high plateau abruptly falls to a lower elevation. Various mountain ranges are scattered throughout the state.

History

The first people to explore Arizona are thought to have entered the area 12,500 years ago. With the passage of time, three distinct groups evolved: The Hohokam occupied the low deserts of the south; the Mogollon lived in the central mountains; and the Puebloan groups (sometimes called the Anasazi) resided on the northern plateau. All became highly developed societies: The Hohokam built extensive irrigation systems, and the others built impressive dwellings on the tops of mesas and in breathtaking cliff settings. (Many of these structures, including those at Canyon de Chelly and Navajo National Monument, can still be visited.)

At some time between 1100 and 1500, these groups suffered a major crisis. The Pueblo peoples, in particular, suddenly abandoned their elaborate cities—they are often described as a civilization that mysteriously disappeared. Most historians, however, believe that the present-day Hopi and Pueblo peoples of Arizona and New Mexico are their descendants.

By the time of European settlement, Arizona had become home to the Navajo, the Western Apache and the Upland Yumans (the Hualapai, Havasupai and Yavapai). Spanish explorer Francisco Coronado and his expedition passed through Arizona in the 1540s as they searched for the mythical Seven Cities of Cibola. Their quest failed, but Spanish missionaries and settlers later followed in the footsteps of the expedition. The first mission was established in 1691 by the Jesuit priest Eusebio Francisco Kino at Tumacacori, just north of what is now the border town of Nogales. Resistance from the Apaches, however, kept settlement to a minimum. As late as the 1820s, all towns except Tucson and Tubac were abandoned for a time because of Native American attacks.

After Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821, Arizona became a part of Mexico. The U.S. gained control of most of Arizona, along with New Mexico and California, as a result of its victory in the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. The extreme southern portion of the state was acquired with the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. Realizing Arizona's strategic and economic value to the Union, President Abraham Lincoln created the Arizona Territory in 1863. But it wasn't until the arrival of the railroad and the end of the major native resistance (with the surrender of Geronimo in 1886) that large numbers of non-Native Americans moved into the area.

Statehood came in 1912. The economy was initially based on mining and agriculture. The state was the leading producer of copper when the metal took on new industrial importance at the turn of the 20th century. Gold and silver were also plentiful, and large cattle ranches were established. Today, tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and high-tech businesses drive the state's economy.

Snapshot

Arizona's main attractions include the Grand Canyon, desert scenery (including the Painted Desert), plant life (varying from magnificent ponderosas to the state's trademark saguaro cacti), ancient ruins, ghost towns, Petrified Forest National Park, springtime wildflowers, luxury resorts, Lake Powell, outdoor activities, southwestern cuisine, Native American and Hispanic culture, golf and historical sites.

Everyone will find something of interest in Arizona, and travelers should see the Grand Canyon at least once. Those who wilt in hot weather should stick to higher elevations during the summer.

Potpourri

Arizona was the last territory in the continental U.S. to become a state. It is sometimes called the Valentine State, because statehood was achieved on 14 February 1912.

Mount Lemmon is the only U.S. peak named for the first woman who climbed it.

When early Spanish missionaries introduced Catholicism to Arizona, some Native Americans adopted the religion, but many never entirely abandoned their traditional ceremonies. As a result, Easter and Christmas celebrations on or near reservations are different from those practiced by most other Catholics in North America.

The Hopi town of Oraibi vies with Acoma, New Mexico, as the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the U.S. Oraibi traces its roots back to about 1100.

Jaguars have joined Mexican wolves and California condors as an endangered species making a comeback in Arizona. Several jaguars have been spotted in the border country south of Tucson.

Arizona's newest state park (opened in 1999) spent years as a closely guarded secret. Kartchner Caverns, 9 mi/14 km from Benson, was discovered by two cavers in 1974. Not until 1988, when the state agreed to buy the property, did these amazing underground formations become known to the public.

Arizona is the sixth-largest state in the U.S., and fast-growing Phoenix is among the nation's largest cities.

Although most people picture Arizona as nothing but desert, there are six national forests within its boundaries.

About 30% of Arizona is made up of Native American reservations.

Jet-Skis were invented in Arizona by Clayton Jacobsen II on the Colorado River's Parker Strip.

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