A black and white photo postcard of a marching band in front of the first Copper Queen Mercantile in the statehood day parade of 1912. The front caption in white on the left reads: “Bisbee Ariz. Celeb State Hood” The postcard is unused, and the publisher is unknown. Charles Pickerell Collection.

Statehood Day, also referred to as Admission Day, was celebrated in Arizona on February 14th, 1912 as it joined as the 48th state in the Union.The fight for the Arizonan territory to be granted statehood lasted twenty years and the area's abundant mineral wealth helped secure the title. In Bisbee, the celebration began at eight with setting off 48 sticks of dynamite . As the state's future citizens, children were given a special role on the occasion. They were brought in from schools all over the district, from Warren, Lowell, Tombstone Canyon and South Bisbee and were gathered in front of Central School, given small flags, and paraded down to the Copper Queen plaza. There they sang the national anthem near a podium followed by an address given by Joseph E. Morrison: “Dear Children, ladies and gentlemen: Arizona all. On this magnificent day , the birthday of our state, your hearts should beat with elation and with patriotic fervor. The light of patriotism and devotion to your mother country should ever burn brightly in your souls, and light your lives along the way of life. You should ever be ready to make every sacrifice even to yielding up your heats’ blood, for your country . Who of you is not thrilled on every occasion when he behold the glorious banner of the free waving tin the breezes of our kind: that flag whose crimson red is typical of the life flood of our ancestors, shed that liberty might live; whose snowy white typifies the purity of American citizenship; the blue, taken from heaven’s starry vault itself; a gift of divinity and whose galaxy of stars represents the wonderful assembly of the great states, op which today we have become one composing the most magnificent nation that the wondering eyes of the world has ever seen . Honor thy flag! Under its broad folds, the weak and oppressed find protection. It is the symbol of liberty and freedom.” Afterwards, the children were given free admission to Bisbee's three movie theaters: the Orpheum, the Royal and the Star. A massive parade was held on Main Street and led by Chairman Jim Henderson with Governor Hunt riding as the guest of honor. The Copper Queen and Calumet & Arizona bands provided music for the attendees. The event concluded in the evening by an address from George Neal, the main topic of interest his plans for curbing the power of monopolies.

1977.25.65