Santa Fe Freight Depot

Historical marker location:

501 West Jackson Street, Phoenix, Arizona

( Marker is at the intersection of West Jackson Street and 5th Avenue when traveling south on West Jackson Street.)

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."