List of historic properties in Tucson, Arizona

Last updated
List of historic properties
in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson Inn, 1956.jpg
The Tucson Inn, 1956
(Miracle Mile Historic District)
AZMap-doton-Tucson Estates.png
Location in Pima County and the state of Arizona
CountryUnited States

This is a list of historic properties in Tucson, Arizona, which includes a photographic gallery of some of the remaining historic structures. Tucson is a city and the county seat of Pima County. It is the second-largest populated city in Arizona behind Phoenix. Included in this list are the photographs of some of the districts. buildings and individual properties identified as historic by the National Register of Historic Places. Also included are images related to the historic Fort Lowell which was an active United States Army post from 1873 to 1891 on the outskirts of Tucson.

Contents

Brief history

It is unknown exactly when and who were the first Native-American tribes to settle in the Tucson Valley. However, archaeologists have found evidence of agricultural settlements along the Santa Cruz River and have dated these settlements back to 1080 BC. [1]

There was an era when the Hohokams lived and farmed in the valley. This was between 200 and 1450. It is commonly believed that the Pima and Tohono O'odham are the descendants of the Hohokams and that they continued to inhabit the region. [1]

Adobe Brickwork of the Kilns arched openings, built by Spanish colonists in the 18th century. Adobe kilns from HABS.jpg
Adobe Brickwork of the Kilns arched openings, built by Spanish colonists in the 18th century.

In 1540, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado led an expedition through Arizona in search of transportable riches, rumored to be in the "Seven Cities of Cibola". Coronado and his men were the first Europeans to explore the area, however the "Seven Cities of Cibola", whose structures were supposed to be made of gold, was only a myth. In 1699, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino arrived in the valley and decided to establish a Catholic mission. The mission church, which he named Mission San Xavier del Bac, was not completed until 1797, almost a hundred years later. [1]

The City of Tucson was officially established in 1775, the year that Hugo Oconór established the Tucson Presidio. O'Connor was born in 1732 in Dublin, Ireland. He moved to Spain where he changed the spelling of his surname to the Spanish sounding "Oconór" and joined the regiment of Volunteers of Aragon. Oconór, a.k.a. "The Founding Father of Tuson" was a military governor of northern Mexico. Tucson, became part of Mexico in 1821, when Mexico fought for and gained its independence from Spain. [2] [3]

In 1854, Tucson ceased to be part of Mexico and became a United States Territory (New Mexico Territory) as a result of Gadsden Purchase. The Confederacy established the Arizona Territory in February 1862 using the east–west boundary after the American Civil War began. They named Tucson their Arizona Territory capital. The United States, on the other hand, created the Arizona Territory in 1863 using the current state boundary. On May 20, 1862, the California Volunteers led by Captain Emil Fritz secured Tucson without firing a single shot. [2] [3] Arizona became an official United States territory in 1863 and Tucson served as the territorial capitol between 1867 and 1877. [1]

The Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation

The Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation was established in March 1984. The foundations mission is to save Tucson's neon signs and list numerous properties on the National Register of Historic Places. However, the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation does not have the ability to deny a demolition permit. Owners of a property, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, may demolish the historical property if desired. According to Jim McPherson, Arizona Preservation Foundation Board President:

It is crucial that residents, private interests, and government officials act now to save these elements of our cultural heritage before it is too late. [4]

Such was the fate of the MacArthur Building which was built in 1907 as the "Hotel Heide". In 1944, the building was remodeled and renamed the "MacArthur Hotel". The building which is located at 345 Toole Ave. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13, 1983, and its NRHP reference number was #82002089. A partial collapse of one side led to a new facade being put on the building and therefore it was delisted from the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. [5] The city purchased the building for $2.9 million in 2005 and in 2008, sold it to the Madden Media for $1.7 million. [6]

Properties pictured

Districts/Barrios

According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation: "a local historic district is an entire area or group of historic structures deemed significant to the city's cultural fabric that are protected by public review. This can include downtown commercial areas, main streets, waterfront districts, and residential districts." [7] Barrios is the plural of barrio, a Spanish word for district or neighborhood. Tucson has thirty four historic Districts/Barrios and eight historic Archeological Districts. The National Register is the official Federal list of districts, sites, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. [8] The following Districts/Barrios are pictured and/or have images related to them: [9]

DeGrazia Mission DeGrazia Mission.jpg
DeGrazia Mission

The following historic districts are not pictured:

The Pago Pago Restaurant and Lounge in the Miracle Mile Historic District Pago Pago Restaurant and Lounge, Tucson, Arizona, 1945.jpg
The Pago Pago Restaurant and Lounge in the Miracle Mile Historic District

Archaeological Districts and sites

The following images are related to two of Archaeological Districts in Tucson. They are: [9]

The other historic Archaeological Districts which are not pictured are the following: [9]

Other historic areas

Buildings

The following is a brief description of some of the pictured buildings which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places: [9]

TucsonHotel Congress old lobby-1919.JPG
The old lobby of the Hotel Congress.
Tucson-Building-Hotel Congress old lobby-1919-2.jpg
Display of newspaper clippings related to the capture of John Dillinger and his gang.
Tucson-El Paso and South Western Railroad Depot-1912-2.JPG
Inside the El Paso and South Western Railroad Depot
Tucson-Arizona Daily Star Building-1875.JPG
Arizona Daily Star Building

The historic property which is not pictured is: [9]

Hotel Congress

John Dillinger Days

Hotel Congress has been hosting "John Dillinger Days" since 1994, with an reenactment of the capture of gangster John Dillinger in Tucson. On January 25, 1934, John Dillinger, one of America's most notorious and members of his gang which included Charley Makley, Russell Clark and Harry Pierpont, were apprehended by the Tucson Police Department and the Tucson Fire Department. This incident happened at the Hotel Congress. [35] The following are some of the images of the 2020 reenactment of the historical event which includes images of the historic vehicles which participated.

Underpasses

The underpasses considered historical by the National Register of Historic Places are: [9]

Historic houses

The John Dillinger House Tucson-John Dillinger House - 1925-2.jpg
The John Dillinger House

The houses in Tucson of historical significanse which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and which are pictured are the following: [9]

The houses which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places which are not pictured are the following: [9]

Houses of religious worship

Inside the Mission San Xavier del Bac. Tucson-Mission San Xavier del Bac-1783-4.JPG
Inside the Mission San Xavier del Bac.

Fort Lowell

The San Pedro Chapel National Register of Historic Places Marker. Tucson-San Pedro Chapel National Register of Historic Places Marker.JPG
The San Pedro Chapel National Register of Historic Places Marker.
Display of a sergeants uniform in the Fort Lowell Park Museum. The uniform once belonged to a member of the 5th Cavalry. Tucson-Fort Lowell Park Museum display of a Sgts. uniform.JPG
Display of a sergeants uniform in the Fort Lowell Park Museum. The uniform once belonged to a member of the 5th Cavalry.
Information board on officers' quarters. Officers-quarters.jpg
Information board on officers' quarters.

Fort Lowell Park is located at 2900 N Craycroft Road. It was the location of a United States Army post which was active from 1873 to 1891 on the outskirts of Tucson. It is the historical setting of the 1957–1958 syndicated Western television series, Boots and Saddles, starring John M. Pickard, Patrick McVey, and Gardner McKay. Owned by the Catalina Council of the Boy Scouts of America from 1945 to 1957. [53] [54] The historic park is now owned by the city of Tucson. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, ref.: #78003358. The following is a brief description of the images related to the fort. [9]

The following historic sites are not pictured in this list: [9]

  • The Quartermaster's Corrals – built in 1873 and located at N. Craycroft Rd. was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003370. [63]
  • Site No. HD 4-8A – built in 1873 and located at E. Fort Lowell Rd. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003374. [64]
  • Site No. HD 7-0A – built in 1875 and located at 5429 E. Fort Lowell Rd. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003361. [65]
  • Site No. HD 7-13 – built in 1873 and located at 5531 E. Fort Lowell Rd. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003365. [66]
  • Site Nos. HD 9-11/9-2 – built in 1875 and located at 5651 E. Fort Lowell Rd. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003362. [67]
  • Site No. HD 9-28 – built in 1875 and located at 5668 E. Fort Lowell Rd. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003363. [68]
  • Site Nos. HD 12-4/12-8 – built in 1873 and located at E. Fort Lowell Rd. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003375. [69]
  • Site No. HD 13-4 – built in 1873 and located at N. Craycroft Boulevard was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003376. [70]
  • Site No. HD 13-11 – built in 1973 and located at E. Fort Lowell Rd. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003373. [71]
  • Site No. HD 13-13 – built in 1873 and located at E. Fort Lowell Rd. was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 13. 1978, ref.: #78003372 . [72]

Miscellaneous

Among the miscellaneous items pictured that are of historical significance are the following: [9]

Not pictured is:

Further reading

See also

Related Research Articles

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Josias Thomas Joesler was a Swiss-American architect who later worked and eventually died in Tucson, Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Lowell (Tucson, Arizona)</span> United States Army post

Fort Lowell was a United States Army post active from 1873 to 1891 on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona. Fort Lowell was the successor to Camp Lowell, an earlier Army installation. The Army chose a location just south of the confluence of the Tanque Verde and Pantano creeks, at the point where they form the Rillito River, due to the year-round supply of water during that period. The Hohokam natives had chosen the site centuries earlier, presumably for the same reason. To this day, shards of Hohokam pottery can still be found in the area. The Army claimed a military reservation that encompassed approximately eighty square miles and extended east toward the Rincon Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Pedro Chapel</span> United States historic place

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Brief history of Tucson
  2. 1 2 The Confederate Arizona Campaign of 1862
  3. 1 2 The California Column and the March to Tucson, 1862
  4. "Arizona Preservation Foundation". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2018-04-19.
  5. Old hotel may be sold to a private developer By Rob O'Dell Arizona Daily Star
  6. Tucson sells historic downtown MacArthur building
  7. 10 Steps to Establish a Local Historic District
  8. National Register of Historic Places Program: Frequently Asked Questions
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 Arizona – Pima County
  10. Leighton, David. "Street Smarts: Contest named streets of El Encanto Estates". Arizona Daily Star. September 1, 2014.
  11. Leighton, David. "Street Smarts: Feldman brought family to Tucson after 1870s economic crash". Arizona Daily Star. July 9, 2013.
  12. Leighton, David. "Street Smarts: 'Well, I hardly knew what to think of the place' was Tucsonan's first impression". Arizona Daily Star. April 15, 2014.
  13. Leighton, David. "Street Smarts: Midtown neighborhood one of Tucson's most unusual". Arizona Daily Star. November 16, 2015.
  14. Joesler and Murphey, they started it all, in the Tucson Foothills
  15. Leighton, David. "Street Smarts: If it bears name of a tree, chances are she named it". Arizona Daily Star. March 5, 2013.
  16. Valencia Site
  17. Deep Well Ranch Pinal County, Arizona
  18. Rebeil Block
  19. Leighton, David. "Harold Bell Wright the inspiration for Tucson neighborhood". Arizona Daily Star. November 25, 2014.
  20. 1 2 Vitu, Teya (April 10, 2008). "101-year-old MacArthur Building for sale". Tucson Citizen.
  21. Nequette, Anne M.; Jeffery, R. Brooks (2002). A Guide to Tucson Architecture. University of Arizona Press. p. 87. ISBN   0816520836.
  22. Leighton, David. "Street Smarts: Railroad extension made Tucson a 'metropolis'. Arizona Daily Star. Mar 9, 2015.
  23. Listed in the National Register as 116 E. Congress St.: see illustrated article at "Historic Hittinger building in Downtown Tucson sells for $1.09M". Address apparently changed to 120 E. Congress: compare illustrations at Teya Vitu, "Vitu: Old facades could give downtown a new face", Tucson Citizen, May 27, 2008, and "Downtown move thrills firm workers", Tucson Citizen, November 11, 2009, both of which give the 120 address for the building illustrated.
  24. Historic hotel
  25. Copper Bell Bed and Breakfast
  26. Coronado Hotel is sold for $760,000
  27. The Desert Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington: History and Achievements
  28. Julian-Drew Building
  29. Bear Down Gym
  30. AZPMC
  31. Historic 10-story bank building Downtown sells for bargain price
  32. Carrillo Magnet School History
  33. History of Hotel Congress: John Dillinger
  34. Hotel Congress History
  35. 10 things you might not know about John Dillinger's capture in Tucson
  36. Ronstadt House
  37. Arizona Historic Preservation Foundation
  38. Arthur C. Hall Obituary
  39. A Tucson pioneer, Levi H. Manning
  40. Old Adobe Patio Tucson Arizona
  41. "Charles O. Brown House". Downtown Tucson.
  42. Papers of George E. P. Smith
  43. Carlos Ygnacio Velasco; Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Citizen
  44. Arizona Historical Society
  45. Obituary New York Times , April 13, 1987. He wrote about poverty, racism and social problems in his native Southern United States.
  46. Obituary Variety , April 15, 1987.
  47. Leighton, David. "Street Smarts: Foothills street name honors one of Tucson's most important builders". Arizona Daily Star. March 25, 2014.
  48. Tucson News
  49. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  50. El Tiradito
  51. Shrine
  52. Pascua Cultural Plaza
  53. Leighton, David. "Street Smarts: Boy Scouts had a long connection to Fort Lowell". Arizona Daily Star. Feb. 5, 2017.
  54. "Boots and Saddles". Classic TV Archives.
  55. Commanding Officer's quarters (photo, now restored) at old Fort Lowell]
  56. Officer's Quarters
  57. Fort Lowell Post Traders Store
  58. Quartermaster's Storehouse
  59. Cavalry Corrals
  60. Post Trader's Storehouse
  61. Site No. HD 5-26
  62. Site Nos. HD 5-28/5-25
  63. Quartermaster's Corrals
  64. Site No. HD 4-8A
  65. Site No. HD 7-0A
  66. Site No. HD 7-13
  67. Site Nos. HD 9-11/9-2
  68. Site No. HD 9-28
  69. Site Nos. HD 12-4/12-8
  70. Site No. HD 13-4
  71. Site No. HD 13-11
  72. Site No. HD 13-13
  73. "Visit the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum". Archived 2012-01-14 at the Wayback Machine Southern Arizona Transportation Museum website. Archived 2011-09-12 at the Wayback Machine
  74. Valley of the Moon