Trivia

[Grasshopper]

I really like your new addition of "Arizona Trivia". interesting and informative!

[joebartels]

I wondered why it didn't look right

[BobP]

Danny looked up and saw a "girl" in the window with a blue light over her head. The rest is history.

[te_wa]

and we sent him packin' back to LA where the rest of the fruits and nuts live. good for us!

[cathymocha]

Arizona Trivia: The Phoenix Zoo caged German and Italian POWs during WWII.

Maybe just joking?

[joebartels]

There is no faith...

[fairweather8588]

http://www.sierraestrella.com/powcamp.html

True stuff, including the prison escape where they went to the Gila River, only to learn the hard way that there isn't always water in our rivers which led them to give themselves up

[te_wa]

and Peoria High School was used to imprison American Citizens temporarily who would find themselves at the "Colorado River Relocation Center" (aka Poston) for more permanent "visitation"... Japanese who were mostly American Born or Naturalized citizens (67%) though by a paranoid White House to be possilbe military loyalists and were snatched from their homes and held in a concentration camp(s), right here in Arizona.
It wasnt until Ronald Reagan's signing of Congress' act that a formal apology was given, some 46 years later. (wow!)

[cathymocha]

Thanks for the info, I do know about the POW camp at Papago Park, but it's just that the Phoenix Zoo isn't that old. It's my understanding that there were several large POW camps in Arizona, one near Prescott and another near Casa Grande.

The one I know especially little about was the one east of Tucson just outside of Wilcox near Cochise's Stronghold. It was for elite Japanese prisoners is my understanding.


Oh! look! gentracer.org/powcampsAZ.html

[SuperstitionGuy]

The Indian Guadalupe Cemetery contains a few graves of German POW's but unfortunately they are unmarked. The caretaker knows the location but there is no posted information as to their names or internment dates.

[azbackpackr]

John Wayne owned a ranch, the 26 Bar, here in Eagar, about 2 miles west of my house. It's now owned by the Hopi tribe. The Duke used to visit local bars and restaurants, befriended locals, and also was grand marshall in the 4th of July Parade. I can't seem to find out what year he did that, though.

[big_load]

can't seem to find out what year he did that, though.

Before 1979, I hope.

[Grasshopper]

Arizona Trivia: Coconino County is the second largest in the US.

Interesting.. Anyone know which state has the first largest---> Maybe Texas?

[joebartels]

Wiki

The largest county equivalent by (total) area is Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, at 147,843 square miles (382,912 km²), while the largest actual county is San Bernardino County, California, in southern California, which includes the Mojave Desert, at 20,105 square miles (52,071 km²) in area. The second-largest county is Coconino County, Arizona, in the north-central part of the state, which includes the Grand Canyon National Park. The smallest county equivalent is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia, at 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) in area, while the smallest actual county is Kalawao County, Hawaii, at 13 square miles (34 km²) in land area.

[big_load]

Anyone know which state has the first largest---> Maybe Texas?

I would guess Alaska.

[azbackpackr]

I was going to say San Berdoo, too, Joe. Do they not have counties in Alaska? And I lived in Hawaii for 8 years and never heard of Kalawao County. Each major island is a county, I knew that. So I looked up Kalawao County. It's on the island of Molokai, and if you know anything at all about Hawaii, you will immediately think: leper colony. Yup. Here's what Wikipedia says:

"The county is coextensive with the Kalaupapa National Historical Park, and encompasses the Kalaupapa Settlement where the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, the territory, and the state once exiled persons suffering from leprosy (Hansen's disease) beginning in the 1860s. The quarantine policy was lifted in 1969, after the disease became treatable on an outpatient basis and could be rendered non-contagious. However, many of the resident patients chose to remain, and the state has promised they can stay there for the rest of their lives. No new patients, or other permanent residents, are admitted. Visitors are only permitted as part of officially-sanctioned tours. State law prohibits anyone under the age of 16 from visiting or living there. With a population of 147 at the 2000 census, Kalawao County's population is the second smallest of any county in the United States, ahead of only Loving County, Texas. Ranked by median household income, it is the poorest county in the United States."

ARIZONA TRIVIA: Last time I checked the stats, Apache County, where I live, was the 10th poorest county in the US.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Anyone know which state has the first largest---> Maybe Texas?

I would guess Alaska.

I don't know anything about the size of counties but the state of Alaska is much larger than Texas and twice as large when the tide is out!

[Grasshopper]

Arizona Trivia: One report by Granger claims upwards of 8,000 people search for the Lost Dutchman's gold annually.

..amAZing..

[hippiepunkpirate]

Arizona Trivia: Arizona wildflowers experience a super bloom every 11 years. The next expected super bloom is 2019.


I imagine this must have something to do with the 11 year sun spot cycle?

[joebartels]

It's not in the database but according to Wiki

It is rare for tornadoes and hurricanes to occur in Arizona, but there are records of both occurring.

I guess by "occur" they mean sliding into AZ (Hell which state doesn't?) unless we're getting mini-canes off of Roosevelt lake?

[azbackpackr]

Hurricanes by definition occur over water. I think they mean that the residual effects of hurricanes cause a lot of rain and flooding in AZ, but they are not still hurricanes when they get to the state, because the winds have to be over about 75 mph, sustained, or they are downgraded. By the time they get to AZ, they are generally "tropical depressions," I think.

As for tornadoes, yeah, of course we have those! Tucson has had some real damage from them occasionally. Taking roofs off houses in Marana, etc. Who needs Marana, anyway? ;)