YEAR | Arizona Event |
1539
| Father Marcos de Niza, looking for cities of gold, explores Arizona and claims it for Spain. |
1540
| Francisco Vasquez de Coronado of Spain came to Arizona in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola. He claims Arizona for New Spain.
|
1692
| Father Kino founds Guevavi Mission near present-day Tumacacori.
|
1700
| San Savier del Bac Mission is founded near present-day Tucson.
|
1752
| Tubac Presidio becomes the first European community in Arizona. |
1776
| A Spanish presidio (fort) is built in Tucson. |
1821
| At the conclusion of the Mexican Revolution, Mexico gains independence from Spain and assumes military control of Arizona.
|
1848
| The US wins the Mexican war and gains Arizona Territory north of the Gila River as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
|
1853
| The rest of Arizona becomes part of the United States as part of the Gadsden purchase.
|
1854
| Copper is discovered in Arizona.
|
1858
| Butterfield Overland Stage Line crosses Arizona.
|
1863
| Territory of Arizona is officially created by US Congress, with Prescott as its capital.
|
1867
| Arizona Territory capital moves from Prescott to Tucson.
|
1869
| John Wesley Powell explores the Grand Canyon.
|
1877
| Arizona Territory capital moves from Tucson back to Prescott.
|
| 1881 | The Earps and Doc Holliday become infamous in the OK Corral gunfight. The City of Phoenix incorporates. Southern Pacific Railroad crosses southern Arizona. |
1883
| Atlantic & Pacific (Santa Fe) Railroad crosses northern Arizona.
|
1885
| University of Arizona is founded, first university in Arizona Territory. It was a bold move to start a university in the middle of the desert. UA faculty and students have been on the cutting edge ever since. |
1886
| Apache Chief Geronimo surrenders, ending the Indian wars.
|
1889
| Phoenix becomes the capital of Arizona Territory.
|
1910
| Arizona Constitutional Convention meets.
|
1911
| President Roosevelt dedicates the Theodore Roosevelt dam. |
1912
| On Valentine's Day, Arizona becomes the 48th state of the United States of America.
|
1917
| WWI brings about development of cotton farming.
|
1919
| Grand Canyon National Park is founded.
|
1930
| The planet Pluto is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff.
|
1942
| Navajo Code Talkers use a word code based on the complex Navajo language. The Japanese are unable to break this secret code throughout the duration of WWII. |
1948
| Motorola builds first plant in Phoenix, marking beginning of high tech industry in Arizona. |
| 1951 | Howard Hughes builds missile manufacturing plant in Tucson. One of the building's requirements is it had to support 30' of snow. |
1961
| Stewart Udall becomes Secretary of the Interior during the JFK administration.
|
1964
| US Senator Barry M Goldwater (K7UGA) from Arizona runs for President, but loses.
|
1968
| The London Bridge (which was falling down) was moved to Lake Havasu City.
|
| 2006 | Pluto is declared not to be a planet, but to be a "dwarf planet".
|
2008
| US Senator John McCain from Arizona runs for President, but loses.
|
| 2012 | Arizona's Centennial Year of Statehood.
|
