The Southwest Blend Magazine guide to the attractions, events, activities, shops, dining, lodging, services and visitor information for Tucson, Arizona.

Tucson, Arizona Located in the Southern Region of Arizona

Hot Links About Tucson Weather Nearby Cities & Towns Guide to Attractions, Dining, Lodging, Shops & Services Tucson Events Articles about Tucson

About Tucson, Az    
  Tucson is the second largest city in Arizona and is set in a desert valley at an elevation of 2,400 feet. It is a lively city, with a large university and a diverse selection of restaurants, shops and nightlife venues. It is also steeped in history and still known as "Old Pueblo" to the locals.
  Climate-wise, Tucson is cooler than Yuma and Phoenix, and is situated in a high desert valley that was once an ancient inland sea. It is surrounded by four mountain ranges; the Catalinas to the north; the Rincons to the east; the Santa Ritas to the south; and the Tucsons to the west. With mountains as protection and the Santa Cruz River as a water source, this area attracted inhabitants over 12,000 years ago. The Native American name given by the Pima to their village at the base of Sentinel Peak, stjukshon (pronounced Too-sawn), means spring at the foot of the black hill.
  In 1775 when the Spanish arrived, they adopted the name and called their presidio San Agustin del Tucson. Because of vicious Apache attacks, the settlement was surrounded by 12 foot high adobe walls. When Mexico shook off Spanish rule in the Revolution of 1821, Tucson became a part of Mexico. The American flag was raised in Tucson in 1846 by the commander of the Mormon Battalion during the Mexican war. The Mormons built a wagon road to California that became a major east-west corridor used by thousands of miners and homesteaders during the California Gold Rush. Right-of-way disputes led to the Gadsen Purchase of 1854 which made Tucson a part of the Arizona Territory and the United States.
This was followed by the extension of the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach, bringing adventurers, settlers, and some notorious outlaws. Shootouts took place regularly, and most men that ventured into Tucson were armed.
  During the American Civil war, Tucson had Confederate sympathies. As a result, the Arizona Territory Capital was set up in Prescott. The Confederate Calvary captured Tucson in 1862. Union troops marched in from California and a battle took place on Picacho Pass, northwest of Tucson. The Union soldiers were victorious in what was the most westerly battle in the Civil War. Travel along the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach was often interrupted, but Tucson became a supply and distribution point. As the town grew, it became the Territorial Capital from 1867-1877.
  In 1880, the railroad made it's way to Tucson, and the city has prospered ever since. In late 1880s the Arizona Territory University opened using funds donated by a saloon owner and a couple of gambling buddies. Davis-Monthan Field brought Tucson into the air age and became an important training facility for WW11.
  Although the Native American, Mexican, Mexican American and Western atmosphere has been preserved, Tucson has become a cosmopolitan city.

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Nearby towns/cities
Amado, Arivaca, Tubac, Nogales, Patagonia, Rio Rico

Articles about Tucson
The World’s Largest Southwest Indian Pottery Collection Highlighted in New Exhibition ‘The Pottery Project’ - Modern computer technology allows Arizona State Museum to share ancient pottery technology on a global scale, serving both researchers and general public. At some 20,000 whole vessels, the museum’s collection of Southwest Indian pottery is the world’s largest and most comprehensively documented. Read more.

International Wildlife Museum – Tucson, AZ: The International Wildlife Museum is dedicated to increasing knowledge and appreciation of the diverse wildlife of the world as well as explaining the role of wildlife management in conservation. To find out more and listen to our interview with Kristine Massey, Museum Education Curator – Click Here.

DeGrazia Gallery of the Sun in Tucson - An Arizona Treasure featuring Ettore ‘Ted’ DeGrazia’s Art & Architecture, this legendary destination was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and features six permanent collections of art that trace historical events and native cultures of the Southwest. Read about our visit and listen to our interview with Lance Laber, the Executive Director of the DeGrazia Foundation and Gallery in the Sun. Click Here.

 

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