Some Arizona History
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Two Journal of Arizona History articles
published in spring 1999 and summer 2005 agree on the
Basque definition of the word Arizona. The articles state that
it first appeared in May, 1736, not the 1750s. We hope to
have an updated version of the article that follows.
Carl |
There are disagreements over the origin of the word
“Arizona.” There are four Indian versions of
the word. “Arizuma” is an Aztec word meaning “silver bearing.” “Ali
shonak” or “Ari-son” came from the Pima Indians and means “small
spring.” “Aleh-zone” also means “small spring” from the Tohono O’odham
Indians. However, it is known that a Spanish missionary first used the
word in print during the 1750’s.
Organized as a territory in 1863, admitted to the
Union in 1912, Arizona is one of the
nation’s youngest states. It is one alive with the spirit of youth, yet
it is a place that has been inhabited for nearly 20,000 years. The
region began with cliff dwellings and has continued on to the present
with high-rise condominiums. From this early beginning,
Arizona has grown.
All the towns throughout
Arizona have a history. These pasts have
woven together to create a colorful tapestry that makes this great state
what it is today. Take a journey back in time and learn what life was
like long ago.
To find out more about
Arizona’s history, continue to look
through Arizonan.com. You will discover more about the rich
history of the Grand Canyon State.
Central Arizona History
Central Arizona’s
history began long ago with the Hohokam
people. The Hohokam Indians date back to 300 B.C. They built canal
systems in this region to sustain their crops. The reason for their
disappearance is still unknown.
Today, you can see the remains of the Hohokam culture at the Casa Grande
Ruins National Monument. The monument is located just northeast of Casa
Grande, near Coolidge. These ruins are some of the best-preserved pieces
left behind by this Indian community.
Not only, did the Indian culture leave their mark on this area, but also
so did the early pioneers. Tempe, Queen Creek, Litchfield Park and
Chandler all had their beginnings in farming. The Salt River Valley
offered rich soil and ideal climate for the new settlers. These towns
may have started out as fields, but they have grown to become popular
residential spots.
It is time to find out more about the towns of Central
Arizona and their
history. You will learn who was responsible creating each town and
how every contribution has led to the establishment of a major
metropolitan area.
Northern Arizona History
Millions of
years ago, the Colorado River began carving at the earth’s crust.
The constant erosion created Northern
Arizona’s jewel – The Grand Canyon. The canyon walls reveal layers
of the earth’s history. This wonder of the
world is one place you must make time to see.
In
comparison to the creation of the Grand Canyon, the Sinagua Indians are
a recent development. The Sinagua Indians settled in this region
hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Scientists are continuing to search
to find the reason for their mysterious disappearance. Today, you can
see what remains of their culture by visiting several national monuments
established in the area. Tuzigoot National Monument, Waptuki National
Monument and Montezuma Castle National Monument all offer visitors a
glimpse into these Indian communities.
During the
mid 1800’s, Prescott became a popular spot to settle. For a
time, the town became the seat of government for the state. In 1864,
the first legislature met at the Governor’s mansion while construction
was still work on the government building. Prescott still holds onto
the pioneer history with its the
architecture of the downtown district and historical museums.
If you are
interested in learning more about other Northern
Arizona towns and their history, then it
is time to sit back and explore Arizonan.com.
Southern Arizona
History
The history of Southern
Arizona goes way back in time with the
arrival of Marcos de Niza in 1539. His visit made him the first European
to step into Arizona. Niza was a Franciscan
priest traveling through the area, in search of gold. He would not be
the last one to venture this way. In the years to follow, many people
traveled to Southern Arizona in search of
mineral wealth.
In 1692, Father Eusebio Kino arrived in Southern
Arizona. This marked the time that Europeans
came to stay. The first European settlement was founded in
Arizona in 1750. The Spanish fort was named
Tubac Presidio. It is located in the town of Tubac. You can visit the
town and fort today to discover more about the early
history of Arizona.
The Apache Wars began in 1860, when the Apache war chief, Cochise was
falsely accused of kidnapping. Cochise began a rampage that eventually
caused the government to create fort in the area. Fort Bowie, near the
town of Bowie, was established to protect the early settlers and to help
gain control of the region.
Not far from the wars, the town of Tombstone began
to boom. Silver was found in 1877 and the town grew to become a big
city. Then in 1898, Bisbee started attracting copper miners. Southern
Arizona was the place to get rich.
At the same time, the land surrounding Willcox was
cattle rich county. It was said that, “the grass was growing stirrup
high.” Willcox was the ideal place for grazing and cowboys flocked to
the area. With the arrival of the railroad, in 1880, the town was able
to transport the cattle across the country.
Southern Arizona is a
portion of the state filled with mining, cowboy, Spanish mission and
Indian history. Each town had its own
influence. It is time to learn more about these colorful towns and
Arizonan.com will help you explore.
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Eastern Arizona History
Long ago,
the Anasazi Indians lived in Eastern Arizona.
One of their communities was situated in Canyon de Chelly, near
the town of Chinle. No one knows why the settlement was abandoned
around 1300, but their cliff dwellings can still be seen today at Canyon
de Chelly National Monument.
After the
disappearance of the Anasazi, the Navajo tribe came to live in this
region. Later, pioneers and miners arrived to create towns and
build railroads. This invasion of the land caused problems with the
tribes living in the area. Soon, a war broke out. A campaign led by
Kit Carson in 1864 sent the Navajo to retreat into Canyon de Chelly.
Eventually, all of the members of the tribe were sent to a fort in New
Mexico. Later, they were returned to their homeland.
Not only
were the Navajos involved war, but so were the Apaches. In 1873,
the San Carlos Apache Indian Lands were created. Almost immediately
afterward, a decision was made to send the Mohave, Yavapai and
Chiricahua Apaches to this same Indian Land to live. This decision
proved to be disastrous. Not all of these tribes were on friendly
terms. It was only a matter of time before battles erupted. In 1876,
Geronimo began his raids in the region.
It was
during this same time that mining exploded in Eastern
Arizona. Clifton built a copper
smelter in 1872 and the combination of Clifton and Morenci made this
area one of the oldest copper mining districts in the state.
Then a
sliver strike in Globe caused more mining frenzy in 1876. As a
matter of fact, the discovery of minerals around Globe caused an
uproar. The mineral wealth was located on the San Carlos Indian Lands.
The government made the decision to take the 12-mile strip of land back
from the Indians. This reduced the size of the Indian Land and made way
for mining operations.
Finally, in
1873, the other Indian tribes were relocated and the San Carlos Apache
had the land to themselves. The Indian raids continued until the
last of the Indian chiefs died or were captured.
To learn
more about the towns in Eastern Arizona use
Arizonan.com. There are many more stories to be told, especially
in the town of Young, where one of the worst feuds in
Arizona’s history
began.
Western Arizona
History
The Yuma Quechan Indians were one of the first to inhabit lower
Western Arizona. They began the region’s
history. Their culture dates back to 1540,
with Hernando de Alarcon. Alarcon was a Spanish navigator traveling by
land near the Colorado River.
This portion of Arizona really owes its
early pioneer beginnings to the Colorado River. In 1850, Fort Yuma was
established. It was created to protect the ferry service across the
river and the settlers in the area.
This new growth was beginning to cause problems with the boundaries of
countries. Then, in 1854 the problems were resolved with the Gadsden
Purchase. The purchase extended the land for the United States and
guaranteed the stretch along the Colorado River. The marking of the new
border began near Yuma and continued across the southern half of
Arizona.
Not long afterward, the town of Ehrenburg was developed. It too was
situated along the Colorado River. By 1871, Ehrenburg had a population
of nearly 500. These river port towns were vital to the growth of
Arizona. Supplies arrived by boat and were
transferred inland to major towns like Prescott.
There were other towns in Western Arizona
that experienced a growth surge, due to transportation. Kingman and
Oatman were towns that Historic Route 66 passed through on its trek
across the country. In the early 1950’s, the “Mother Road” was
constructed connecting Chicago and California. This road brought many
travelers through the area, which boosted the economy and encouraged new
residents to these towns.
Western Arizona has many unique towns and
all of them have a special history. Take a
moment and learn more through Arizonan.com. |