A Painted Park

Historical marker location:

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

( Marker is on Petrified Forest Road, 1 mile north of U.S. Route 66 (Interstate 40), on the right when traveling north.)

Petrified Forest National Park.

The first documented European exploration of Arizona was in 1539: Spanish explorer Marcos de Niza became the first European to explore what is now Arizona in 1539. He claimed the area for Spain and named it "Arizona" after a Native American word meaning "silver-bearing."