Arizona is getting a little old for surprise parties, so several local museums and parks have announced low-key events to mark the stateβs 114th birthday on Saturday.
The Arizona Historical Society will hold a Statehood Day open house with free admission from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its Arizona History Museum, 949 E. 2nd St., just west of the University of Arizona campus. Activities include guided tours, Arizona trivia, voting in the museumβs annual postcard contest and a special screening at noon of βArizona,β the first movie filmed at Old Tucson Studios.
The Arizona Daily Star from Statehood Day on Feb. 14, 1912.
"The event is free and open to the public, and all ages are welcome," said Alexandra Bushman, communications manager for the historical society.
The Tucson Presidio Museum at 196 N. Court Ave. downtown will celebrate statehood from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with demonstrations, special lectures and activities highlighting Arizonaβs famous five Cs of cattle, copper, cotton, citrus and climate. Visitors can also get a sneak peak at Brandylion, Zocalo Hospitalityβs new cocktail lounge at Court Street and Washington Avenue on the Presidio grounds, where a limited selection of drinks, tea and food will be available and a receipt will get you one free admission to the adjacent museum.
The Arizona History Museum in Tucson displays the pen used by President William Howard Taft to sign Arizonaβs statehood bill on Feb. 14, 1912.
Meanwhile, Arizona State Parks and Trails has a range of offerings for those looking to show their love for the Valentine state by getting outdoors.
Catalina State Park, off north Oracle Road, will have live reptiles on exhibit during its nature program from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the main trailhead picnic area.
Oracle State Park, 35 miles northeast, is hosting a Valentineβs evening under the stars, with live music on the ranch house patio from 6-7 p.m. and night-sky viewing from 7-9 p.m. using telescopes and guidance from the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association.
Patagonia Lake State Park, about 75 southeast of Tucson, is taking reservations for bird watching and lake discovery boat tours at 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
And visitors to Picacho Peak State Park, about 40 miles northwest of Tucson, can spread some love by taking a shelter dog for a walk on the Nature Loop from 9 a.m. to noon.
Hikers walk along the Canyon Loop Trail in Catalina State Park. Several local museums and parks have announced low-key events to mark the stateβs 114th birthday on Saturday.
Arizona was the last contiguous state admitted to the U.S. 114 years ago Saturday, 39 days after New Mexico was granted statehood.
A bill introduced in Congress in 1906 would have made Arizona and New Mexico a single state called Arizona with Santa Fe as its capital, but Arizonans soundly rejected the idea in a referendum.
A separate statehood bill for Arizona was initially vetoed by President William Howard Taft in 1911 over a disputed portion of the state constitution governing the recall of judges. Once the recall provision was stripped out by Arizona voters, Taft signed the statehood bill into law on Feb. 14, 1912.
