February 14th is Valentine’s Day, of course—but this year it’s also the 104th birthday of the state of Arizona. Just as powerful tectonic and erosive forces gave shape to the Grand Canyon over many millions of years, our state has been sustained over the past century by a flurry of forces both commercial and natural. Five forces in particular have exerted an enormous influence; we know them as the five Cs of Arizona history.
Copper
One of Arizona’s many nicknames is the Copper State, and for good reason; we produce more copper than every other state put together. If you’ve ever handled a penny, the metal between your fingers almost certainly came from beneath the red rocks of Arizona. Plenty of our quaint small towns, from Bisbee to Jerome, were once active mining communities.
Cattle
Grazing cattle are one of the most famous visual symbols of the West, and they are central to Arizona’s history. The cattle boom in Arizona lasted from the end of the Civil War until the early 1900s, when a severe drought killed off much of the cattle population. Today, Arizona is home to about 3,800 cattle ranches.
Cotton
Cotton production was one of the prime factors that pushed Arizona into the 20th century, with nearly 230,000 cotton acres in the state by the year 1920. The industry’s peak year was 1981, when it produced an astonishing 1.6 million bales of cotton. Even today, Arizona remains one of the top cotton-producing states in the country.
Citrus
Arizona’s warm weather made it an ideal environment for growing the tart fruits, and citrus production exploded in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, Arizona is still one of America’s only citrus-growing states, and it is home to hundreds of acres that produce the nation’s lemons, limes, grapefruit, tangerines, and oranges.
Climate
After the Grand Canyon, Arizona’s most famous attraction may be its weather. The sunny days and dry air have always been a draw for tourists, but the growing availability of air conditioning in homes made Arizona a more viable place to live for many people in postwar America. Arizona’s all-time hottest day in recorded history was June 29, 1994, when the temperature soared to a stunning 128 degrees Fahrenheit in Lake Havasu City.
Pennington Creative is proud to call Arizona home, and we like to think that we’re adding a sixth C to the list in the form of Creative! Our team of copywriters and graphic designers can add a host of creative offerings to your agency’s list of services. Do you want to offer SEO blogging subscriptions with your website builds, or infographicsto supercharge your social media marketing? Just ask us what we can do for you!
