Northrop F-5B

Historical marker location:

6000 East Valencia Road, Tucson, Arizona

( Marker can be reached from East Valencia Road, 0.3 miles west of South Wilmot Road.)

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."