▁Territ ory ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁and ▁T uc son ▁was ▁named ▁capit ol ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 7 . ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁Arizona ▁became ▁the ▁ 4 8 th ▁state ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Native ▁Americans ▁ ▁T uc son ▁was ▁probably ▁first ▁visited ▁by ▁Pale o - Ind ians , ▁known ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁southern ▁Arizona ▁about ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁years ▁ago . ▁Rec ent ▁arch ae ological ▁exc av ations ▁near ▁the ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁River ▁have ▁located ▁a ▁village ▁site ▁d ating ▁from ▁ 2 1 0 0 ▁BC . ▁The ▁flo od plain ▁of ▁the ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁River ▁was ▁extens ively ▁far med ▁during ▁the ▁Early ▁Agricult ural ▁Period , ▁circa ▁ 1 2 0 0 ▁BC ▁to ▁AD ▁ 1 5 0 . ▁These ▁people ▁constructed ▁ir rig ation ▁can als ▁and ▁grew ▁corn , ▁be ans , ▁and ▁other ▁cro ps ▁while ▁gather ing ▁wild ▁plants ▁and ▁hunting . ▁The ▁Early ▁Cer am ic ▁period ▁occupation ▁of ▁T uc son ▁saw ▁the ▁first ▁extensive ▁use ▁of ▁pot tery ▁vessels ▁for ▁cook ing ▁and ▁storage . ▁The ▁groups ▁designated ▁as ▁the ▁H oh ok am ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁from ▁AD ▁ 6 0 0 ▁to ▁ 1 4 5 0 ▁and ▁are ▁known ▁for ▁their ▁vast ▁ir rig ation ▁canal ▁systems ▁and ▁their ▁red - on - b rown ▁pot tery