Metropolitan Tucson: History & Facts

Southwest Charm & Cultural Diversity

 

Tucson loves to celebrate its rich medley of cultures, architecture, and peoples. The community places an emphasis on preserving its colorful heritage and on maintaining a casual attitude despite fresh growth. Arizona’s oldest city established the same year Paul Revere made his famous ride through Boston has become a trendy spot for cosmopolitan ambience. Named "a mini Mecca for the arts" by The Wall Street Journal, and included in the book, "50 Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family”, Tucson also is ranked ninth in the"12 Best Walking Cities in the U.S. "list by Prevention Magazine; criteria includes low crime rates, mass transit, air quality, and the number of historic sites, museums, parks and gyms each city has.

The largest city in southern Arizona and one of the fastest growing urban areas in the Southwest, Tucson is both a bustling center of business and a laid-back university and resort town. The days of rowdy saloons and the Butterfield Stage rolling over dusty city streets may be gone, but the independent feeling of the Old West remains. Tucsonans embrace the quality of life and live in a place where the American dream can still come true, where individual voices can be heard, and where people are the driving force behind making things happen.

Nicknamed "The Old Pueblo " after the Spanish meaning for town or village, the name Tucson comes from the O’odham tribe and was pronounced chuk-shon, meaning "spring at the foot of a black mountain." Continuously inhabited for more than 12,000 years, the area has been home to Native Americans, Spanish explorers, Mexicans, Europeans, and West-bound pioneers.

Archaeologists have found evidence of the ancient Hohokum Civilization living in the Tucson basin as early as 900 A.D. The Santa Cruz River once flowed through this picturesque desert valley, supporting abundant wildlife and agriculture. In 1539, a Spanish expedition led by Fray Marcos de Niza traveled through the area in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola. Tucson is one of the oldest towns in the United States, founded in 1775 by Don Hugo O’Connor, an Irishman who was an officer in Spain’s military. He established the Tucson Presidio as a military outpost. When Spanish settlers arrived in 1776 the Presidio of Tucson was enclosed with an adobe wall for protection from the native Apache tribe, who quite obviously did not put out a welcome mat for the newcomers.

Tucson officially became part of the United States with the Gadsden Purchase of 1854 and served as the capital of the Arizona Territory from 1867 to 1877. Early Tucson was a major outpost, a Butterfield Overland Stagecoach stop, and a rowdy frontier town tempered only by social refinements of new settlers from more civilized cities back east. The town prospered and boasted a population of more than 7,000 by the early 1800s, making it one of the largest cities in the West. The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1880 paved the way for modern growth, which was further stimulated by the founding of the University of Arizona in 1885. The University opened its doors in 1891 on land donated by a saloonkeeper and two gamblers.

After World War I, veterans with damaged lungs sought the dry air and healing power of Tucson’s climate. During World War II the opening of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the rise of local aeronautical industries attracted many military families. The city has experienced remarkable and steady growth since the 1950s, and many people have moved to the area from the Midwest and nearby California because of the lower housing costs and spectacular scenery. In recent years, the metropolitan area has become a popular resort and golf destination.

 

Location
Tucson sits in the heart of southern Arizona’s Sonoran Desert valley at an elevation of 2,389 feet above sea level, surrounded by the world’s largest concentration of Saguaro cactus and protected by a ring of mountain ranges - the Santa Catalinas to the north, the Rincons to the east, the Tucson Mountains in the west, the Tortolitas in the northwest and the Santa Ritas in the south. Located along the now dry bed of the Santa Cruz River and Interstate 10, Tucson is approximately 115 miles south of Phoenix and 63 miles north of the Mexican border.

Climate
Known for its mild winters, dry desert air, low annual rainfall and abundant brilliance - about 360 days of sunshine a year, more than any other U.S. city - Tucson is a popular health destination, winter resort, and retirement community. The metropolitan area’s population swells from November through February as thousands of part-time "snowbirds" flee colder regions to enjoy Tucson’s warmth in the winter when temperatures hover around 68 degrees during the day. Tucsonans admit the summers sizzle when the mercury tops 104 degrees. But they insist, "It’s a dry heat." About 12 inches of rain falls mostly from July to September, when Monsoon seasons spills torrents of rain and display spectacular lightning dances across night skies (See the tables showing Average Monthly Rainfall & High/Low Temperatures at the end of this article).

Demographics
Nearly 860,000 people live in metropolitan Tucson, including thousands of part-time seasonal winter residents and students attending the University of Arizona. Tucson is the county seat of Pima County, the second largest city in Arizona, and the third fastest growing city in the U.S. Metropolitan Tucson’s land mass, totaling more than 600 square miles, has plenty of elbow room and space for growth. The median age is 32 years, with a diverse population of several ancestry groups, primarily Mexican, German, Irish, English, Italian, American and French.

Tucson is ranked Seventh Best City for Hispanics (a higher rating than Los Angeles or New York) in Hispanic Magazine’s list of Top 10 Cities for Hispanics. The criteria are based on the percentage of Hispanic political representation, the vibrancy of the Latin cultural scene, job opportunities and cultural growth. Native American inhabitants in the area include the Tohono O’odham living in the city, on the nearby San Xavier reservation and Tohono O’odham Nation land, as well as 6,800 Yaqui living in the city, on the nearby Pascua Yaqui reservation, and in the Yoem Pueblo in the town of Marana.

Statistics

Population of Tucson: 514,725
Population of Metropolitan Area: 892,798
Incorporated: 1877
County: Pima
Elevation: 2,410
Total Area of Tucson: 194.7 square miles
Total Area of Metropolitan Area: 600 square miles
Average July High: 99
Average January Low: 38
Annual Precipitation: 11.49
Median Household Income: $30,981
Median Age: 32
City Sales Tax: 2.0%
Property Tax: $17.50/$100 of assessed value
Cable Internet Service: Yes
Fiber Optics: Yes

(Information current as of 6/2004 – check for updates later this year)

 

Tucson Climate Tables

Average Daily Temperature				Average Precipitation per Month
Month	Low	High		Month	Average
Jan	38.9°F	64.5°F		Jan	0.99 in.
Feb	41.6°F	68.4°F		Feb	0.88 in.
Mar	45.1°F	73.3°F		Mar	0.81 in.
Apr	50.5°F	81.5°F		Apr	0.28 in.
May	58.6°F	90.4°F		May	0.24 in.
Jun	68.0°F	100.2°F		Jun	0.24 in.
Jul	73.4°F	99.6°F		Jul	2.07 in.
Aug	72.4°F	97.4°F		Aug	2.30 in.
Sept	67.7°F	94.0°F		Sept	1.45 in.
Oct	57.0°F	84.0°F		Oct	1.21 in.
Nov	45.1°F	72.3°F		Nov	0.67 in.
Dec	39.2°F	64.6°F		Dec	1.03 in.

 

Which city has the most sunny days - St. Petersburg, FL or Tucson, AZ? 

 

With an average of 361 Sun Days per year, St. Petersburg edges out Tucson by one day (Tucson averages 360 Days of Sunshine).

Close Page