Nestled
in the valley of four mountain ranges, Tucson is
a city of many cultures and great diversity. An
expanding business center, a growing hub for culture
and art and a picture of modern lifestyle are just
a few ways to describe Tucson.
It maintains a "casual" atmosphere
while continuing to grow into a vibrant city.
At approximately 500 square miles, Tucson is
hugged by four majestic mountain ranges, The
Santa Catalinas to the north, The Santa Ritas
to the south, The Rincons to the east and The
Tucson Mountains to the west. The days of roaming
cowboys and lively tumbleweeds bustling over
dusty city streets are gone, but the feeling
of the Old West remains.
A Brief History Of Tucson
Some
historians believe Tucson to be the oldest continually
inhabited city in the United States. Evidence
has been found dating back to at least 900 A.D.
of Native American civilizations. Recorded history
of our lovely desert city dates back to 1539
when Mendoza, the Spanish Viceroy of Mexico dispatched
Fray Marcos de Niza in search of the Seven Cities
of Coloba. His journey led to Don Francisco Basquez
Coronado's famous expedition and discovery of
the area in 1540.
The early 1600's gave way to a
religious movement of Spanish Jesuits from Mexico
establishing Christian missions. In 1692 a Spanish
missionary, Father Kino, visited a Papago Indian
community and named it St. Jukson. Variously
translated to mean "Dark Spring" or "At the Foot
of Black Hill". Father Kino also founded Mission
San Xavier del Bac in 1692. The Papago called
it "La Paloma del Desierto", which means "The
White Dove of the Desert".
Mines
and ranches started being established and in
1776 the Presidio of Tucson became a walled city. "The
Old Pueblo", Tucson's present nickname, originated
from the one time existence of a wall completely
surrounding the community.
Considered part of a newly created
Mexico in 1782, Tucson served as a military outpost.
This ended with the Gadsden Purchase in December
of 1853, which finally made it part of the United
States. In 1861, a territorial delegate was elected
to the Confederate Congress by a total of sixty
American voters. By 1862, confederates from Texas
marched unopposed into Tucson, but were routed
three months later by the California volunteers
who raised the US flag over Tucson. Arizona was
organized as a territory in 1863. John Goodwin,
the first Governor, declared Tucson a municipality
in 1864.
When
the Transcontinental Railroad arrived in 1881,
Tucson seemed to be a sleepy Mexican village,
with a population of just a few hundred. Shortly
after, The University of Arizona was established
in 1885. At the turn of the century, Tucson had
become a booming business and supply center of
a large territory. It was even considered a renown
health resort, where Easterners came to relax
and soak up the desert sunshine.
By 1909, Tucson was the largest
city in Arizona with a population of over 7,000.
Throughout the balance of the 20th Century, Tucson
grew steadily as more and more people took advantage
of the opportunities and attractive climate found
in our picturesque city. With a population of
almost 900,000, all signs point to continued
growth. In spite of Tucson's rapid growth, it
has been able to retain its southwestern ambiance
and lifestyle.
Interesting Facts About Tucson
-
Tucson gets 350 days of
sunshine annually - more than any other
US city.
-
Tucson is surrounded by
the world's largest concentration of Saguaro
cactus.
-
The Wall Street Journal
dubbed Tucson "a mini mecca for the arts".
-
The Arizona-Sonora Museum
was rated one of America's top zoos in
the country by Parade Magazine.
-
Pima Air & Space Museum
is the largest privately funded air museum
in the world.
-
Original Ansel Adams prints
hang in the museum he founded, the UA's
Center for Creative Photography.
-
Quarter horse racing began
at Tucson's historic Rillito Downs.
-
Tucson is consistently
rated one of the best golfing destinations
in the west.
-
Colossal Cave is one of
the largest dry caverns in the world. Explorers
have yet to find its end.
-
Tucson is the only city
in the U.S. that hosts three Major League
Baseball Spring Training teams - The Arizona
Diamondbacks, The Colorado Rockies and
The Chicago White Sox.
-
Saguaro National Park is
one of the Unites States' newest national
parks. It is second only to the Grand Canyon
in the number of visitors it receives annually.
