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History
The history of life in the Tucson Valley begins ca. 10,000 B.C. with the migrations of Paleoindian and Archaic hunters and gatherers. Whether or not there was continuous habitation is unclear, though evidence of agricultural settlements along the Santa Cruz River have been found dating from ca. 1000 B.C.
Between A.D. 200 and 1450, the Hohokam culture thrives. The Pima and Tohono O'odham are the descendents of that advanced civilization, and have inhabited the region since the Hohokam decline.
Around 1540 the Coronado Expedition crosses Arizona in search of the "Seven Cities of Gold."
Father Francisco Kino establishes the Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1699. It won't be until 1797 that it will be completed.
The Mission San Agustin, a "visita" of San Xavier, is established on the west bank of the Santa Cruz River in 1757. The construction of the mission and the convento is completed in 1790's.
In 1775, Hugo O'Conor establishes the Tucson Presido. This year marks the official birthdate of the City of Tucson. Tucson becomes part of Mexico when it fights for independence in 1821. After the Gadsden Purchase in 1854, Tucson falls under the jurisdiction of the United States.
Arizona becomes an official territory in 1863. Between 1867 and 1877, Tucson holds the title of territorial capitol.
In 1880, the Southern Pacific Railroad reaches Tucson. The population reaches 8,000.
Arizona becomes the 48th state in the Union in 1912.
By 1950 Tucson's population has reached 120,000 and by 1960 it nearly doubled to 220,000. The City and Pima County officially recognizes the city's history by adopting historic district ordinances in 1972.
Tucson becomes the 33rd largest U.S. city in 1990 as its population tops 400,000.
Nowadays
Tucson has been continuously settled for over 12,000 years. It celebrates a diversity of cultures, architecture, and peoples. Yet, it is one of the "Mega-Trend" cities of the 21st Century: the Optics Valley, premier health services center for the Southwest, the astronomy center of the world, home of a premier research institution - University of Arizona, and a tourism destination.
Tucson, too SAHN or TOO sahn, is one of the oldest towns in the United States. Tucson was orginally an Indian village called Stook-zone, meaning water at the foot of black mountain. Hugo O'Conor established the Tucson Presidio in 1775. August 20th, 1775 is considered Tucson's birthday. Spanish settlers arrived in the area in 1776. Tucson officially became part of the United States with the Gadsden Purchase of 1854. Tucson served as capital of the Arizona Territory from 1867 to 1877.
Tucson boasts the best of both worlds...the progress and innovation of a metropolitan community and the friendly, caring atmosphere of a small town. Tucson's rich cultural heritage centers around a unique blend of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo-American influences. Blessed with the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert and an unsurpassed climate of 360 sunny days a year, Tucsonans embrace a rare lifestyle and are committed to preserving that quality of life.
Tucson's climate varies from the 2400 foot desert basin to the 9100 foot forests of the Santa Catalina mountains. The City's dry desert air and winter sunshine make it a popular health and winter resort. The City is home to the University of Arizona Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The City's industries include electronics and missile production. Tucson is the seat of Pima County and has a Council-Manager form of government.
The Tucson metropolitan area supports over 750,000 residents. As metropolitan Tucson continues to grow by nearly 2,000 new residents each month, the challenge of meeting citizen expectations also increases.
The City of Tucson is committed to providing quality municipal services which promote a healthy community, offer opportunities for participation and leisure and enable citizens to prosper at work and at home.
Learn more about this city
City of TUCSON, AZ official site
City of TUCSON, AZ general information
City of TUCSON, AZ yellow pages
County of PIMA, AZ official site