Things to do / Travel Guide
No one knows for sure how Arizona got its name. Some historians believe that the name comes from the Native American language O'odham, whose words “ali son” means “small spring.” Or perhaps the name comes from the Spanish term “árida zona,” which means “arid zone.” A third theory traces the name to the Aztec word “arizuma,” meaning “silver-bearing.” All three theories are appropriate, since they describe different aspects of this diverse and fascinating region.
Historians believe that the first inhabitants of southern Arizona were Paleo-Indians who were part of the hunting culture that extended from the Great Plains to New Mexico and Arizona. When drastic changes in the climate transformed the grasslands into desert, causing the bison, horses, antelopes, and mammoths to disappear, those tribes that remained in the area developed a nomadic, desert culture. They survived by living on seeds, berries, nuts, and the small game that had also adapted to the harsh conditions.
The next big change in the region occurred sometime between 2000 and 500 B.C., when migrant Native American groups from nearby Mexico introduced farming techniques. Corn, squash, and beans became staples of the people's diets and villages began to appear. The period between 500 and 1100 A.D. saw the growth of village life and the pueblo dwellings that are a distinctive architectural feature of the region. At the height of this period, impressive towns, which were perhaps trading centers with Mexico, were built, as well as irrigation networks that took advantage of the flowing waters from the Salt and Gila Rivers.
During the next 350 years the region suffered a mysterious decline, which eventually led to a total abandonment of its once-flourishing towns. Archeologists are still debating the reason, but by the time the Spanish arrived in the middle of the 16th century, the previous inhabitants, such as the Hohokam Tribe, were gone. In their place were the Pima and Maricopa Indians, who generally got along with the European newcomers, as opposed to the Apaches who fiercely resisted them.
Franciscan missionaries, under the leadership of Jesuit priest Eusebio Francisco Kino arrived in the area in the late 1600s. The Franciscans built a series of missions, including the magnificent Mission San Xavier del Bac, located in the southern Tucson Valley. Later missionaries and Spanish settlers treated the Native American population harshly, resulting in a revolt by the Pima tribes in 1751. The Spanish responded by building fortified towns, called “presidios,” including the one that would later become the city of Tucson.
After Mexico declared its independence from Spain in 1810, the region came under Mexican rule. In 1847, Mexico clashed with the United States during the Mexican-American War. Although the main prizes were Texas and California, Arizona was included in the territory that was ceded to the victorious U.S. government in 1848. It was recognized as a separate territory in 1863 and gained statehood half a century later as the last of the 48 contiguous states.
Although silver had been discovered in Arizona as early as 1736, the region didn't attract much interest until the California Gold Rush came to an end in the mid-1850s. After gold was discovered in northern Arizona in 1857, fortune-seekers flocked to the territory. Farmers and ranchers followed, as did the lawlessness of the “Wild West” depicted in countless Hollywood films. Clashes between sheriffs, gunslingers, ranchers, and outlaw cowboys became common events. One of them - the gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, where Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and others shot down an outlaw group called the “Cowboys” - became a Western legend and continues to inspire movies and books even today.
There were also many clashes with the Native American population during this time. The arriving settlers and the Apache Tribe struggled for control over land and water. Apache leader, Geronimo, managed to evade the Mexican Army as well as 5,000 U.S. troops for over a year before his eventual surrender in September 1886. Prior to his surrender, Geronimo and his warriors had been the last significant force of Native Americans that had refused to recognize the U.S. government.
When copper deposits were discovered in the 1870s, the territory's prosperity was further increased. More people came to settle in the region, including some Mormons, a religious group who set up towns in Mesa, Tempe, the area known as the Phoenix Valley (also called the "Valley of the Sun"), and other places.
The early 20th century continued to be a prosperous time for the “Copper State.” When mining of the mineral slowed down during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the region discovered a new source of income: tourism. Tucson became known as a destination where visitors could experience the sights and sounds of the “Old West,” while Phoenix gained a reputation as a resort town with upscale lodging facilities.
During World War II, the region became a training site for the United States Army and Air Force. While General Patton was training his forces in the desert, several aeronautical and other defense-related industries began to build their factories nearby, spurring further growth to the region's economy. The region also became the site of prisoner of war camps, with German and Italian prisoners being held in the Phoenix area, and Japanese prisoners being held near Tucson.
After the war ended, the region experienced its biggest population growth, thanks in great part to the development of a new technology called air conditioning. Growth was also spurred by the pleasant winters that attracted a new type of arrival to the region: “snowbirds,” or retired people who flock to the region to enjoy the temperate winters and then fly back east to their permanent homes during the summer. Retirement communities geared to their specific needs were first built during the 1960s in places like Sun City and Green Valley, and the region remains a popular place for retirees to call home.
In the decades that have followed, Southern Arizona continues to be one of the fastest growing regions in the United States, thanks to its strong economy, casual lifestyle, gorgeous landscapes, and, of course, its access to air conditioning.
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