1. In 1989, the Arizona Diamondbacks were officially awarded a Major League Baseball franchise. They played their first game in 1998 and won the World Series in 2001.

2. On October 5, 1897, the first issue of the Arizona Republican newspaper was published in Phoenix. It eventually merged with another Arizona newspaper to become the well-known Arizona Republic.

3. In 1911, the Roosevelt Dam was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt. The dam created a reservoir for irrigation and water storage, and helped pave the way for the growth of agriculture and urbanization in the Phoenix area.

4. In 1983, Barry Goldwater, a former U.S. Senator from Arizona and Republican presidential candidate, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan.

5. In 1953, the Phoenix Zoo opened its doors to the public for the first time. Today, it is home to over 1,400 animals and is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike.