PHOENIX — Valentine's Day is a day dedicated to celebrating love -- love for our family, friends and the great state of Arizona.
That's right, Arizona is turning 109 years old on Sunday!
Arizona was admitted to the United States back on Feb. 14, 1912, as the 48th state in the union.
Whether you plan on celebrating with a cactus-themed cake or by hitting one of Arizona's many beautiful trails (before temperatures reach triple digits), there are plenty of ways to honor our great state on its statehood day.
Here are five fun facts about Arizona that you can share to celebrate our great State 48.
- President William Howard Taft signed the Arizona Statehood Act, making the state the 48th to enter the continental U.S. after spending 49 years as a U.S. territory.
- Arizona's first governor, Gov. George W.P. Hunt, was in attendance when the Grand Canyon State was welcomed into the United States. Hunt would go on to serve a total of seven terms as governor.
- Arizona only had 200,000 residents at the time of statehood, according to the governor's office.
- Arizona has the greatest percentage of its acreage designated as Indian tribal land in the United States, according to The History Channel.
- Arizona was originally part of New Mexico, but the land was ceded to the United States in 1848 and became a separate territory in 1863.
WATCH: Top 10 hiking trails in the Valley
Arizona has some of the top hikes in the country and some of the best are right here in the Valley. We're breaking down the top 10 trails in the state.
