Historical Marker
Pope John Paul II
Historical marker location:
231 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, Arizona
( Marker is on East Monroe Street east of 3rd Street, on the left when traveling east.)
On September 2, 1985.
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."