Tucson, Pima County, Arizona
An erstwhile Arizona territorial capital, Tucson used to be home to numerous shootouts in its early days of development. Men, and occasionally intrepid young women will not dare go out of the streets of Tucson without carrying at least one firearm. In essence, Tucson was the ultimate town frontier, where only the brave and the armed can survive.
But that was eons ago. When city dwellers came, they brought with them social refinements which proved enticing for most early Tucsonian residents. Soon, development came to the city. Today, several attractions that mirror Tucson's rich history await many local and foreign visitors.
Tucson was declared as USA's 33rd biggest city based on the 1990 American census with a population of ove 400,000. Located south-central of Arizona state, Tucson is bounded by 4 prominent mountain ranges: Santa Catalinas (north), Santa Ritas (south), the Rincons ( east), and Tucsons(west). It is approximately 116 miles away from Arizona's most famous city, Phoenix.
Being in a wide valley of desert, Tucson experiences very little rainfall, having an annual rainfall average of 11 inches, except for brief but strong thunderstorms during the summer. Average snowfall in a year is likewise low, though skiing is quite popular in several Tucson mountains. Because of this, Tucson is considered as one of US' sunniest cities.
Summer in Tucson can be extremely high, reaching as high as 98 F, with 70 F considered as low. However, central airconditioning and a generally low humidity all across the city enable most Tucsonians to bear the intense summer heat. Climate temperatures in the city are usually most pleasant during the months of March to April with 80 degrees Fahrenheit as the average high.
Several famous landmarks can be found in this desert city. The University of Arizona has made Tucson its home ever since it was established in 1885. Another educational institution which has the city as its home base is the Pima Community College.
Tucson is also known for having several Indian reservation sites. Aside from that, the city boasts of being host to the Saguaro National Park, a vast recreation area that encompasses both ends of Tucson city.
Tucson History
The early settlers of Tucson were believed to be hunters belonging to the Archaic and Paleo-Indian tribes who lived in the valley of Tucson around 10,000 B.C. It is unclear when and why they left the valley though there are proofs that agricultural settlers took over from them around 1,000 B.C.
The Hohokam tribe then came to Tucson around 200 to 1450 A.D. There are evidences that the tribe had an advanced civilization due to its adobe and pit houses. For still mysterious reasons though, the Hohokams vanished from the area about 1,000 years ago.
Late 1600's saw the arrival of Father Eusebio Kino to Tucson where he discovered the region's then present dwellers, the Tohono O'odham (Pima) Indians who then lived on farming. In 1700, Father Eusebio founded various missions in Tucson, including the Mission San Agustin, founded in 1757along Santa Cruz River's west side and was finished 33 years later. Another mission was the famous Mission San Xavier del Bac which took 97 long years to be completed. These missions signalled Tucson's introduction to the Christian religion.
Tucon then came under the jurisdiction of four major states namely, Spain, Mexico, the Confederate states, and the USA. Sometime in August of 1775, Spain ordered Hugh O'Connor, referred to as Don Hugo O'Connor to survey the Tucson area and find the region's best site's where Spain can possibly built presidios or military sites and at the same time put up several trade roads. A year later, Don Hugo founded the Presidio San Agustin located in the place that is presently downtown Tucson.
In 1821, Tucson fought for independence from Spain but fell into Mexican hands soon after. By 1854, the United States acquired the city from Mexico's rule by virtue of the Gadsden Purchase. Tucson then became Arizona's territorial capital for ten years (1867-1877).
Tucson Attractions
For tourists in search of famous places in Tucson, the region has numerous parks and monuments involving some really interesting historical backgrounds. One of its more popular recreation sites is the Saquaro National Park, a very vast center of play and activity, so wide that it has two major points, the east side and the west side.
Another prominent park in Tucson is the Catalina State Park located north, at the Santa Catalina Mountains base. A 5,500 acre park, the Catalina State Park is perfect for camping and bird watching with some 150 bird species living all around the park.
Other Tucson parks worth visiting are the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, the Tumacacori National Historic Park, both located south of the city. The east side is home to the Fort Bowie National Historic Site and the Chiricahua National Monument. West is where the Tucson Mountain County Park can be found, while the north side features the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument and the Picacho Peak State Park.
For visitors who prefer to take the trail of nature, Tucson offers several wilderness areas, including the Buenos Aries National Wldlife Refuge, the Coronado National Forest, the Cochise Stronghold Recreation Area, and the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. The latter is of particular interest as it is a sought-after refuge during summer with its various swimming areas such as Hutch's Pool and The Crack.
For history buffs, Tucson has numerous museums that include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Musem, the Boyce Thompson Southwest Arboretum, the Tucson Mineral Museum, and the Kitt Peak National Observatory. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a must-see attraction since it is both a zoo, a plant museum and a history center all rolled into one. It features a 2-mile long of absolutely scenic Sonoran Desert.
Tucson Economy
Tourism is seen as an extremely essential source of livelihood for many residents of Tucson. This particular sector brings in over $1.8 billion to Tucson's economy every year. Not surprising, since most tourist attraction sites in Tucson are absolutely eye-catching and awe-inspiring. Summer seasons are especially brisk business seasons in Tucson with local and foreign tourists flocking to the region for a taste of its swimming centers spread across Tucson's many mountain side locations.
The winter season likewise brings in good tourism business for Tucson. During this season, snow birds often come to the region, making Tucson a safe haven for these species but at the same time, a perfect bird-watching place for many tourists. Tucson's spas and vacation houses most specially experience good business during this time of the year with the influx of tourists coming in to do some bird-watching activities.
Nevertheless, what accounts for the biggest source of employment for many Tucsonians is its schools, most specifically, the University of Arizona. The university's population in student size alone is nearly 37,000. More than that however, University of Arizona employs about 10,348 people, most of them local residents.
Other than tourism and the University of Arizona, residents also point to Tucson's local government and even the Federal State as significant contributors to Tucson's growing economy. These areas maintain over 81,000 personnel spread out among the three main divisions of government functions, namely, the executive, the legislative, and the judicial branches. Another government entity in Tucson known to employ a large number of the residents is the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
Tucson (pronounced as TOO-sahn) is a city in Pima County. It is located on the Santa Cruz River 118 miles southeast of Phoenix. It is surrounded by five minor mountain ranges namely the Santa Catalina and Tortolita Mountains on the north, the Santa Rita Mountains on the south, the Rincon Mountains on the east and the Tucson Mountains on the west. Its elevation is 2,389 feet. 2005 census estimates the population at 521,605.
The name Tucson originates from the O’odham word “cuk son” which means “black base.” This was in reference to the mostly volcanic mountains on the west side of the city. In the year 2005, it was ranked as the 32nd largest city and the 52nd largest metropolitan area in the United States.
A lot of Tucson’s economic development was centered in the development of the University of Arizona. It holds the rank as the second largest employer in the city. Located on the southeastern side of the city is the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base which also provides many jobs for Tucson residents. A lot of advanced technology companies also boost the city’s economy. Not to mention the many resorts, hotels and artistic attractions that propels the tourism industry.
