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Mary Gordon & Steve Miller
Long Realty Company
www.RelocateTucson.com
Toll free: (800) 497-8109
Direct: (520) 907-1949
Fax : 520-299-2898
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Brief History of Tucson
Tucson’s name is believed to have come from the Native American Term meaning “spring at the foot of the black mountain”. Originally settled around 400 A.D. it is a widely held belief that Tucson is the oldest continually inhabited city in the U.S.
Between 200 and 1450 A.D., the Hohokam culture thrived by farming the valley. Around 1540, the Spanish Coronado Expedition crossed into Arizona in search of the “seven cities of gold” and led to the “discovery” of the area. In the early 1600’s, Spanish Jesuits traveled from Mexico establishing Christian missions. One of the Jesuits Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, established several missions in the area, including the Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1699. This mission remains active to this day.
In 1775 Hugo O’Conon established the Presidio of Tucson. This is the year that marks the official birth date of the City of Tucson on August 20th, about 4 months after Paul Revere’s famous ride. Mines and ranches also came into being at this time. Tucson’s present nickname “The Old Pueblo” originated from this one time existence of a wall surrounding the entire city.
Tucson has lived under 4 flags: Spain, Mexico, Confederate, and the United States. Considered part of a newly created Mexico in 1782, Tucson served as a military outpost. This ended in 1853 with the Gadsden Purchase, which finally made it part of the United States. It became known as a rowdy frontier town. Shootouts took place frequently and men rarely went unarmed on the streets. During the Civil War, confederate soldiers from Texas marched unopposed into Tucson, but were routed 3 months later by the California Volunteers who raised the U.S. flag over Tucson. Arizona became an official Territory of the U.S. in 1863 and Tucson held the title of Territorial Capital between 1867 and 1877.
In 1880 the Transcontinental Railroad arrived in this sleepy Mexican village with a population of just a few hundred. It was during this time that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday passed through here on their way to Tombstone and the famous shoot-out at the OK Corral. The University of Arizona was established in 1885. By the turn of the century, Tucson was becoming a booming business and supply center of a large territory, and was rapidly gaining recognition as a health resort where Easterners came to relax and soak up the desert sunshine.
By 1900 Tucson’s population had grown to 7,500, and was the largest city in Arizona. On Valentine’s Day 1912, Arizona became the 48th state in the union. Tucson continued to grow: the population was 20,292 in 1920; in 1940 it was 36,818; By 1950, the population had reached 120,000 and by 1960 it nearly doubled to 220,000. In 1951 famed aviator Howard Hughes broke ground on Hughes Missile Systems (now known as Raytheon Missile Systems).
Today metropolitan Tucson area has passed one million in population, and is blessed with the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert, as well as the close proximity to forest-clad mountains and the Sea of Cortez. The average of 350 days of sunshine, and clear, beautiful skies have helped the area to be named “the astronomy capital of the world”. These weather conditions also make golf a year-round sport for both residents and visitors alike, with private and public courses available. Tucson is consistently rated as one of the best golfing destinations in the west. Tucson is home to the University of Arizona (the city’s largest employer), Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and Raytheon Missile Systems. It embraces theater, opera, ballet, and a first-class symphony.
The Wall Street Journal dubbed Tucson “a mini Mecca for the arts”. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum was rated one of America’s top zoos by Parade Magazine. Smart Money.com recently named Tucson one the “seven places to retire during an economic downturn”. Additionally, Pima Air & Space Museum is the largest privately funded air museum in the world. Pima Community College is among the 10 largest multi-campus community colleges in the nation.
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