Although the Spanish Franciscan Friar Marcos de Niza came in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold in 1539, most of the early settlements in Arizona were for missionary purposes.

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

Arizona history is rich in legends of America's Old West. It was here that the great American Indian chiefs Geronimo and Cochise led their people against the frontiersmen. Tombstone, Arizona was the site of the West's most famous Shoot out at the O.K. Corral. Today, Arizona has one of the largest American Indian populations with more than 14 tribes represented on 20 reservations.

Arizona became a state on February 14, 1912. Today, Arizona covers an area of over 113,000 square miles and is home to more than 6 Million people. The "Grand Canyon State" is filled with environmental wonders, from the Colorado River with an elevation of 70' to the Peak of Mount Humphrey's, topping out at 12,633'.
Tourism is the leading industry in Arizona , where tourists and residents can explore the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Canyon de Chelley, Lakes Mead and Powell; Fort Apache and the London Bridge - just to name a few. Manufacturing follows close behind - producing electrical, communications, and aeronautical items. The state produces over half of the country's copper, and agriculture is also important to the state's economy.

Arizona residents are formally referred to as Arizonan or Arizonian, unless you find yourself in California - where you might hear the term Zonie.