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To support the miners, farmers and ranchers followed and cashed in on the burgeoning mining camps and army posts scattered throughout the state.
But conflicts between the whiteman and the original inhabitants followed over economic, religious and political rights as well as land and water usage. When the indian lost the battles, they also lost their rights to the land, water and their autonomy as well. There were of course atrocities commited by both sides as each tried to drive out the other. But the federal government saw fit to establish Army forts that planned to subdue the indians and create a refuge for the war weary travelers and settlers.
Arizona was breifly involved in the civil war at this time and the only battle that took place in the state was at picacho peak between tucson and present day phoenix. After a few volleys and casualties on each side, the Confederates decided to head back east.
Despite the wars and an uncertain economy as a state, then President Lincoln signed the bill into law to make Arizona a territory and seperate entity on Februrary 24th, 1863. Prior to the signing, Arizona had been a part of the New Mexican Territory and lacked its own representation and law and order. In 1864, John Goodwin the acting Governor along with fellow appointed officials established the first territorial capital in Prescott.
The control over hostile indians however was becoming a problem for the new settlers and was considered a barrier for economic growth in the new territory. The apache and Navajo indians proved to be the most dangerous. After much hard work and several attemps by General George Crook to deal with the indian "problem," it wasn't until the great Apache chief - Geronimo surrendered for the last time in 1866 did the White Pioneers feel safe enough to really settle. In fact most mining camps and towns were devoid of women largely to indian safety issues.
The frontier days came to an end when in the 1870's Arizona established its first railroad lines and the discoveries of rich copper deposits brought increasing prosperity. Ranching, farming and logging became important economic staples for the growing mining communities and after the indian uprisings were quelled, most of the Army forts became less important by 1890. Only Fort Whipple in Prescott survived to become an important Army hospital and Fort Hauchuca in the southeast part of the state stays operational as an active military base.
After years of political wrangling, President Taft signed the proclimation on Februrary 14th, 1912 admitting Arizona as the 48th state in the union. All of the state's citizens partied and paraded and in Phoenix the then governor-elect who came to Arizona in 1881 as an un-employed miner who worked his way through the ranks of merchant, banker and territorial representative - Governor George P. Hunt - led a triumphal procession to the capitol. Promoting labor, good roads and other necessary causes for the growth of Arizona won him seven terms as governor of Arizona.
But conflicts between the whiteman and the original inhabitants followed over economic, religious and political rights as well as land and water usage. When the indian lost the battles, they also lost their rights to the land, water and their autonomy as well. There were of course atrocities commited by both sides as each tried to drive out the other. But the federal government saw fit to establish Army forts that planned to subdue the indians and create a refuge for the war weary travelers and settlers.
Arizona was breifly involved in the civil war at this time and the only battle that took place in the state was at picacho peak between tucson and present day phoenix. After a few volleys and casualties on each side, the Confederates decided to head back east.
Despite the wars and an uncertain economy as a state, then President Lincoln signed the bill into law to make Arizona a territory and seperate entity on Februrary 24th, 1863. Prior to the signing, Arizona had been a part of the New Mexican Territory and lacked its own representation and law and order. In 1864, John Goodwin the acting Governor along with fellow appointed officials established the first territorial capital in Prescott.
The control over hostile indians however was becoming a problem for the new settlers and was considered a barrier for economic growth in the new territory. The apache and Navajo indians proved to be the most dangerous. After much hard work and several attemps by General George Crook to deal with the indian "problem," it wasn't until the great Apache chief - Geronimo surrendered for the last time in 1866 did the White Pioneers feel safe enough to really settle. In fact most mining camps and towns were devoid of women largely to indian safety issues.
The frontier days came to an end when in the 1870's Arizona established its first railroad lines and the discoveries of rich copper deposits brought increasing prosperity. Ranching, farming and logging became important economic staples for the growing mining communities and after the indian uprisings were quelled, most of the Army forts became less important by 1890. Only Fort Whipple in Prescott survived to become an important Army hospital and Fort Hauchuca in the southeast part of the state stays operational as an active military base.
After years of political wrangling, President Taft signed the proclimation on Februrary 14th, 1912 admitting Arizona as the 48th state in the union. All of the state's citizens partied and paraded and in Phoenix the then governor-elect who came to Arizona in 1881 as an un-employed miner who worked his way through the ranks of merchant, banker and territorial representative - Governor George P. Hunt - led a triumphal procession to the capitol. Promoting labor, good roads and other necessary causes for the growth of Arizona won him seven terms as governor of Arizona.
Upon the decline of the great gold rush in California by the mid 1850s, prospectors turned their attention to Arizona and their first bonanza was a placer gold deposit in 1857 where the Colorado river and Sacramento washes meet. Then of course more discoveries followed and for the first time, sizable numbers of people came to Arizona to seek their fortunes from digging the earth.
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