With so much attention on our lovely state of Arizona during the #Elections2020 here are twelve facts about our home...
1. Arizona means "little spring" in the Tohono O'odham language. The Tohono O'odham is one of the 21 federally recognized native peoples of Arizona.
2. Arizona is the youngest of the contiguous states. It joined the Union in 1912. President Taft signed the statehood bill on February 14 of that year.
3. Arizona nearly joined the Union as part of New Mexico. In a referendum, New Mexicans were enthusiastic about the plans. But Arizonans did not agree and voted to join as a separate state. No offense New Mexico!
4. Arizona was the first state to get a McDonalds drive-thru, in Sierra Vista in 1974. It wasn’t a corporate invention: the franchise owner put a window in the side of his restaurant to serve troops from nearby Fort Huachuca who weren’t allowed to enter public places in uniform.
5. On the subject of McDonalds, the branch in Sedona, AZ is one of the few to have blue ‘golden’ arches. Local planners thought yellow ones would clash with the town’s red rocks. So blue was chosen as a more appropriate, complementary color.
6. Apart from its ‘blue’ McDonalds, Sedona is also known for its unique energy vortexes which are said to heal and empower. These, along with the stunning scenery - the red in the rocks is iron oxide - make it a very spiritual place.
7. Arizona is home to the Sonoran Desert, which we share with Mexico and California. This is the only place in the world where the iconic saguaro cactus grows - the one you see in all the Western movies and which is featured as an emoji. 🌵
8. The saguaro cactus is very slow growing. They don’t get their first arms until they are around 75 years old. Some of them grow to over 40 feet and can live for over 150 years.
9. Arizona is home to the original London Bridge. The over 10,000 blocks of granite were disassembled in London and shipped over to Lake Havasu City. The lampposts were a part of the deal. Today, the bridge is a big tourist attraction.
10. Phoenix is the hottest city in the United States with the most days above 90°F. Occasionally it can get up to 122°F. Luckily it’s a dry heat, so very different to other hot cities like Miami!
11. Arizona’s economy is based on the 5 C’s: Copper, Cattle, Cotton, Citrus and Climate. Each of the C’s is represented on our state shield.
12. Arizona is home to around 13 species of rattlesnakes, more than any other state. This is not a rattlesnake, it’s a harmless gopher snake which was slithering in the Whole Foods’ parking lot. Probably wanted to get some organic kale 🥬 🤣
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