It's Arizona's Statehood Day!

One-hundred and eleven years ago, President Taft signed the Arizona Statehood Act, making Arizona an official State - the 48TH in the union.

Arizona was originally part of Mexico, but a portion of the land was ceded to the US after the Mexican-American War in 1848. Six years later, the Gadsden Purchase added additional land.

In 1862, President Lincoln separated Arizona from New Mexico with the Arizona Organic Act.

In 1906, Arizona had a chance to join the Union, but it didn’t happen. joining then would have been in combination with New Mexico, but citizens of the Arizona Territory wanted to become their own state.

Congress authorized Arizona's statehood in 1910. President Taft vetoed Arizona's statehood in 1911, because there was a clause in the new Constitution that would allow for the recall of judges. Congress responded by passing a resolution admitting Arizona to the Union if the clause authorizing the judiciary recall was removed. President Taft approved the new resolution, and in January, 1912, Arizona's residents voted in favor of removing the recall provision.

Just a few weeks later, Arizona became the 48th State, the last of the 48 contiguous states to be admitted to the Union.

Arizona's economy was built on the 5 C's - Cattle, Cotton, Citrus, Copper and Climate. Over the years, Prescott has contributed to three of those areas: Cattle, Copper and Climate.

You might not have known this, but President Nixon's brother lived here when he became ill with tuberculosis in 1927. Doctors from all over the country used to recommend Prescott to patients with lung problems.