Historic Neighborhoods of Tucson

We have written a number of articles about Tucson’s Neighborhoods and streets and how they arrived at their names, but we have yet to combine them all in one place.
Here are some short explanations of many of the origins of Tucson streets and neighborhoods. You will find links to additional in-depth articles in the Neighborhood’s heading.

Blenman Elm

Nothing too exciting here. Although Blenman Elm is the neighborhood of the famed Arizona Inn and famous Josias Joesler homes, this neighborhood, which began around the turn of the 20th century, was named after one of the developers of the area. It is a beautiful district, quiet and comfortable, and near the UA Banner Hospital. Walk the neighborhood and have lunch at the historic Arizona Inn if you wish.

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Miles Street and Neighborhood

General Nelson A. Miles was in charge of the Army in Arizona when Geronimo surrendered, so the street and neighborhood is named after him, not the man who so rightfully deserved it. Read our story on how Charles Gatewood’s part in the surrender was “overlooked”.

Sam Hughes Neighborhood
Sam Hughes was an interesting figure. He was an uneducated man who promoted education. He was also one of the main instigators of the Camp Grant Massacre of Apaches at Aravaipa Canyon.

Pie Allen Neighborhood

John “Pie” Allen was born in Maine and educated in Boston. He moved West arriving in Yuma in 1857. He moved to Tucson in 1858.

Upon his arrival in Tucson, Allen gave up his ambition of striking it rich by finding gold. Instead, he began baking pies with dried apples and selling them to the local townsfolk and soldiers for a dollar a pie. His pies proved to be quite popular and profits from the endeavor allowed him to open a general store. His skill as a baker also earned him the nickname “Pie”.

Following his initial success, Allen opened stores in Tubac and Maricopa Wells. Additionally, he branched out into farming and ranching activities.

In addition to his business interests, Allen also became involved in territorial politics. As a member of the 4th Arizona Territorial Legislature, he led the effort to move the territorial capital from Prescott to Tucson. On November 18, 1867, Allen was appointed one of three superintendents to Arizona’s first school district. Governor Richard McCormack then appointed him Territorial Treasurer in 1867. Under his management, the territorial deficit was quickly erased. In 1873, Allen resigned as Treasurer after being elected a member of the 7th Arizona Territorial Legislature. He was reappointed at the close of the session and continued to serve until 1875. Following his time as Treasurer, he was appointed Adjunct General for the territory and became known as “General Pie”. Allen became Tucson’s mayor on April 15, 1876, serving a partial term. In January 1877 he won the election to a full term as mayor. While in office, he employed jail inmates to implement the city’s first street-sweeping program.

With the founding of Tombstone, Allen opened another store out of the town’s first major building. During much of his life Allen moved from place to place throughout Southern Arizona. In addition to Tubac, Tucson, Tombstone, and Maricopa Wells he operated businesses in other cities including Casa Grande and Willcox. In 1891, when he was elected to represent Pinal County in the 16th Arizona Territorial Legislature, he was living in Florence, Arizona.

In 1881 the 63-year-old Allen proposed marriage to a teenage girl named Lola Tapia. The girl’s mother agreed to the union on the condition she stayed in a convent. The marriage took place and Lola remained at the convent till the next year when she gave birth to a daughter. The marriage lasted until 1891 when Allen was granted a divorce on grounds of his wife’s infidelity.

In April 1899, Allen was suffering through the final stages of terminal cancer when his friends in Tucson decided to hold a dinner in his honor. During the ceremony, he was presented with a tombstone by Zeckendorf & Company. In addition to his name and dates of birth and death, the tombstone bore the epitaph “Territorial Treasurer Six Years, 1865 to 1871. Mayor of Tucson two terms. A man without an enemy.”

Allen died in 1899 and was buried in Tucson’s Court Street Cemetery. His tombstone was later moved to Evergreen Cemetery without his remains. The land was to be used for a building project. The Pie Allen Historic District in Tucson was named a National Register Historic District in 1996.

El Presidio District

This is the oldest neighborhood in Tucson. The Tucson Presidio was established in 1776, the same year on the East Coast that the British American colonies were declaring their independence. The neighborhood surrounds what was the original Presidio wall. Visit the Presidio, walk its perimeter or take a tour presented by the good folks at the TucsonPresidio. Also included in the Presidio District is the Tucson Museum of Art which include the former homes of Corbett, Fish and Stephens, as well as the homes in Snob Hollow, (Main Avenue) home to the richest people of Tucson in the late 19th early 20th century.

Sosa-Carrillo-Fremont House — Sosa-Carrillo House, one of the oldest left in the neighborhood.

The Barrio Districts

The Barrio District was home to many Hispanic neighborhoods, each with its own history. Much of this history is being preserved by the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation and the Borderlands Theatre’s Community project, “Barrio Stories”. It was off to a wonderful start before Covid hit and the bottom fell out. You can learn more about the Borderlands Theatre’s Barrio Stories Project here. Above is the Sosa-Carillo House which was just purchased by Rio Nuevo to preserve its history. It will be given some much-needed attention in the near future.

Barrio Anita – Located a little east and west of the I-10 Freeway near Downtown Tucson, Barrio Anita was named after the sister of Thomas Hughes Sr. brother of Sam Hughes. It was Annie or Anita that raised Thomas Hughes Sr. ‘s 9 children after his wife died. A favorite stop here is Anita Street Market. To learn more about the Barrio Anita and the people who live there, see this page.

Barrio Hollywood – The Hollywood Barrio still exists today off Silverbell south of Speedway. it was named that as a joke since the neighborhood was one of the poorest in town.

Barrio Viejo – What is left of it and also part of Barrio Libre is just south of the Tucson Convention Center. It is one of the oldest Neighborhoods in Tucson and is named as such. Barrio Viejo was bulldozed in the 60’s to make way for what would become the Convention Center. Through much effort of Betsy Rollings, past owner of Cushing Street Bar and Restaurant, Barrio Viejo is now one of the most desirable neighborhoods to live in the downtown area. For a short while in the recent past, Diane Keating owned a house here. Whether she ever actually visited or lived there, we have no knowledge. But I am sure it raised the real estate values.

Barrio Historico – Well, we are really not sure. We think it is what is left of the Barrio Viejo, just a different name.

Dunbar/Spring

Dunbar/Spring is a historically black neighborhood, Speedway, Stone, Main and 6th street are the defining roads. John Spring was a teacher and Paul Dunbar, a poet. As I recall it is also the area where the Court Street Cemetery once existed, the Northeast corner being Stone and Speedway. There is now a vacant lot where most of the bodies were found during a redevelopment effort and then excavated and moved to the current cemeteries. However, some remains remain, and from time to time, people find them. Karen and I took a walking tour of this neighborhood. The guide pointed out houses under which lay bodies. If the homeowners want to disinter them, they have to pay up to $6,000 for each body to be identified and relocated to a modern cemetery. Quite an interesting neighborhood.

Iron Horse District

This neighborhood was born as you might expect; from the construction of the railroad. This was a poor part of town, populated by construction workers. However, as more materials became available, several different housing styles popped up. Take a walk through the neighborhood and see for yourself. If you like the small downtown and the University feel, check it out.

If this has you hankering to move to the Tucson area, read our guest blog from someone who did just that here. We will surely be adding more neighborhoods and more about the neighborhoods mentioned here in the future.