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the Grand Canyon State!

Grand Canyon State - This popular nickname for Arizona references the incomparable Grand Canyon in the northern part of the state, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. To learn more about the Grand Canyon check out the link to the National Park Service.

State Seal - A shield with the motto Ditat Deus, which means God Enriches, lies in the center of the seal and contains symbols of Arizona's key enterprises. A quartz mill sits on the side of a hill on the left of the seal, behind a miner with a pick and shovel. They symbolize Arizona's mining industry. The sun rising behind mountain peaks in the background symbolizes Arizona's climate. The reservoir and dam which sit in front of the mountains remind us of water reclamation farming. Irrigated fields with rows of cotton and citrus trees lie below the dam. These elements symbolize Arizona's rich agriculture. Cattle, which graze in front of the fields, on the lower right side, is another symbol of historic importance to Arizona. Written in a band around the edge of the seal are the words Great Seal of the State of Arizona with the year of Arizona's admission to the Union, 1912.

Arizona Trivia

• The Arizona trout is found only in the Arizona.

• The saguaro cactus blossom is the official state flower. The white flower blooms on the tips of the saguaro cactus during May and June. The saguaro is the largest American cactus.

• Arizona leads the nation in copper production.

• Petrified wood is the official state fossil. Most petrified wood comes from the Petrified Forest in northeastern Arizona.

• The bola tie is the official state neckwear.

• The Palo Verde is the official state tree. Its name means green stick and it blooms a brilliant yellow-gold in April or May.

• The cactus wren is the official state bird. It grows seven to eight inches long and likes to build nests in the protection of thorny desert plants like the arms of the giant saguaro cactus.

• Turquoise is the official state gemstone. The blue-green stone has a somewhat waxy surface and can be found throughout the state.

• The ringtail is the official state mammal. The ringtail is a small fox-like animal about two and one-half feet long and is a shy, nocturnal creature.

• The amount of copper on the roof of the Capitol building is equivalent to 4,800,000 pennies.

• Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time on a year-round basis. The one exception is the Navajo Nation, located in the northeast corner of the state, which observes the daylight savings time change.

• The battleship USS Arizona was named in honor of the state. It was commissioned in 1913 and launched in 1915 from the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

• World War II brought many military personnel to train at Luke and Thunderbird fields in Glendale.

• The Castilian and Burgundian flags of Spain, the Mexican flag, the Confederate flag, and the flag of the United States have all flown over the land area that has become Arizona.

• In 1926, the Southern Pacific Railroad connected Arizona with the eastern states.

• Bisbee, located in Tombstone Canyon, is known as the Queen of the Copper Mines. During its mining history the town was the largest city between Saint Louis and San Francisco.

• The state's most popular natural wonders include the Grand Canyon, Havasu Canyon, Grand Canyon Caves, Lake Powell/Rainbow Bridge, Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, Monument Valley, Sunset Crater, Meteor Crater, Sedona Oak Creek Canyon, Salt River Canyon, Superstition Mountains, Picacho Peak State Park, Saguaro National Park, Chiricahua National Monument, and the Colorado River.

• The Arizona tree frog is the official state amphibian. The frog is actually between three-quarter and two inches long.

• The original London Bridge was shipped stone-by-stone and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City.

• The state's precipitation varies. At Flagstaff the annual average is 18.31 inches; Phoenix averages 7.64 inches; and Yuma's annual average is 3.27 inches.

• The colors blue and gold are the official state colors.

• Located in Fountain Hills is a fountain believed to be the tallest in the world.

• Four Corners is noted as the spot in the United States where a person can stand in four states at the same time.

• The age of a saguaro cactus is determined by its height.

• Oraibi is the oldest Indian settlement in the United States. The Hopi Indians founded it.

• The world's largest solar telescope is located at Kitts Peak National Observatory in the city of Sells.

• Between the years 1692 and 1711 Father Eusebio Kino focused on area missionary work. During the time many grain and stock farms began.

• Phoenix originated in 1866 as a hay camp to supply Camp McDowell