Jon Quist

Areas of Emphasis

Tucson Arizona History: Then and Now

Tucson Arizona coined as "Old Pueblo" has been inhabited by people for more than 14,000 years. Originally, the present city was an Indian village named Stook-zone meaning, "water at the foot of the black mountain." Indians hunted bison and mammoth from 12,500 to 6,000 B.C. The next wave of settlers was Cochise culture. They used tools made from stone and began cultivating the lands in 300 C.E. The Hohokam tribe dominated the Tucson lands from 200 C.E up to the mid-15th century. After the Hohokam, Pima and Tohono O’ odham inhabited the area until Europeans started exploring westward.

By mid-16th century, the Conorado Expedition passed through Arizona to explore the "Seven Cities of Gold." At the height to Spanish colonization in 17th century, Tucson’s original inhabitants were gradually infiltrated by other nationalities. By 1692, Spanish missionaries started to arrive at the region in search for people to convert. By 1775, Spanish have built the Presidio of San Augustin, as an outpost- major landmark for Spanish during that time. August 20 of the same year Tucson marked its official birthday. The Mexican revolution of 1821 made Tucson part of Mexico.

Gold mine discovery in California brought the influx of people seeking their future in mines in Tucson. The area officially became part of the United States under the Gadston Purchase of 1854 when the United States decided to provide a southern rail route. From then on, Tucson grew as a small Indian village to a fast growing town in the country. Tucson became the capital of Arizona from 1867 to 1877. In 1880, the Southern Pacific Railroad entered Tucson for the firat timewhich was considered a monumental event that connected Tucson to the rest of the world. From 1,000 inhabitants in 1804, the population grew to 8,000.

By 1912, Arizona became the 48th State to join the Union.

In 1950, the population hit the 120,000 mark that was almost doubled 10 years after. In 1990, Tucson became the 33rd largest city in the United States as the population reached 400,000. By 2000, the population reached 800,000 with continuous influx of immigrants with the rate of 1000 people a month.

Over the years, Tucson has developed from a small Native American village, to a strategic Spanish territory, to a Mexican community, to a lively railroad route, to a modern Southwestern Metropolis of today. The city has witnessed three country flag shifts and thee culture changes.

Today, the diversity of people is very dominant in the City of Tucson. It has also become the cultural center of the country for its mixture of culture influences.

This Southwestern metropolis is home to several attractions. The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base was once a major training camp during the Second World War. The Mission San Xavier del Bac is one of the great example of mission architecture in the Southwest. The Biosphere 2 is hailed as the world’s largest glass-enclosed mini-world.

Parks like the Tucson Greyhound Park, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tohono Chul Park, Saguaro National Park, Reid Park Zoo, Kartchner Caverns State Park, and Colossal Cave Mountain Park are some of the prime examples of the beauty and richness of Tucson.

To witness and experience the history and modern day Tucson, several museums like Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, International Wildlife Museum, Pima Air & Space Museum, Titan Missile Museum, Tombstone's Historama, and Tucson Children's Museum bring the whole city in to one roof.

The mixture of history, diversity, culture and modern living harmoniously dominate every corner and block of the city.