Below is a title list of most interesting local History stories about Tucson and the vicinity. Click on one of interest or browse through the stories further below.
How Pie Allen & Sam Hughes Neighborhoods in Tucson Got Their Names
In the mid-19th century, in the remote southwest desert that was Arizona Territory, there were not many ways to earn a fortune. Life was mostly
The Best Downtown Tucson Museums
In no particular order, here are our recommendations for The 4 Best Downtown Tucson Museums: (1) Jewish History Museum; (2) Tucson Museum of Art; (3) El Agustin de Tucson Presidio; and (4) Arizona Historical Society Downtown Tucson Museum; (5) Southern Arizona Transportation Museum
Oro Valley Farmers Market: Farm Fresh History!
Years ago, we posted our first article on the historic Steam Pump Ranch and Oro Valley Farmers Market on North Oracle Road not far from
Look to the Mountains: A History of Mt. Lemmon
I found this book on the history of Mt. Lemmon at the Palisades Ranger Station on Mt. Lemmon last summer and have been trying to get
From Cowtown to Desert Metropolis: Roy Drachman’s Tucson
“From Cowtown to Desert Metropolis” is Roy P. Drachman’s telling of an oasis in the Sonoran Desert that, in the twentieth century, became a mid-sized
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
A Day Trip Through History: The Santa Cruz River Valley
A brief history of the Santa Cruz River Valley from Tucson, South to the Mexican Border. Here you will find the Spanish missions and presidios
The New Rodeo Parade Museum in Tucson
Please note: If you are unfamiliar with our slideshows you can navigate through them faster by using the arrows. On a Saturday in mid-January 2023,
The Wedge and Maiden Lane
This is an excerpt from our Downtown History and Dining Tour which we no longer give but we do have some books in both print
A Walkabout An Old Tucson Cemetery
In late October 2022, Ms. Karen and I ventured out to partake in a walking tour of the Old Court Street Cemetery with Guide Homer
A Closer Look at the January 8th Memorial – Tucson
The New Heritage and Visitors Center opened at about the same time that the multimillion-dollar renovation was completed on the Old Pima County Courthouse. This
Zeckendorfs & Steinfelds: Merchant Princes of the American Southwest
Some time ago, on one of our monthly Tucson History & Libation Walking Tours, I had the distinct pleasure to meet a fellow author, although
The Second Anza Expedition: Journey of a Lifetime!
In 1775, along the East Coast of North America between what would become the states of New Hampshire and Georgia, America’s founding fathers were busy
A Walk Through El Presidio Park
The following is a sample of our Self Guided Downtown Tucson History Tour. It is Stop 7. We start with a Trivia question after each
The Garcés Bridge: Who Was Father Garcés?
This is an excerpt from Stop 6 of our History and Dining Guide. Nearly 100 years before C.O. Brown established the Congress Hall Saloon, Father
Apaches Attack A Stagecoach; Passenger and Driver Murdered!
Arizona Weekly Citizen: August 7, 1881 Back in the 1860’s to 1880’s, the terrorist threat to Anglo and Mexican Tucsonans was local and ever-present. Only
Where Does The Santa Cruz River Start & End?
The Santa Cruz River is about 184 miles long. It begins in the high grasslands of the San Rafael Valley east of Patagonia, AZ. At first, it runs south into Sonora Mexico for several miles before it changes its mind and
Atanacia Santa Cruz Hughes: A Video
Ms. Karen and I were at the Tucson Presidio Museum in early March 2022 on a Saturday to witness Living History Days which included a
The Roads Of Tucson: A Historical Perspective
The most common complaint I hear about Tucson is the awful condition of Tucson roads, particularly the proliferation of potholes. Every time this subject comes up I recall that Congress Street wasn’t even paved until 1912 the year Arizona became a state. From myriad accounts by travelers in those early years, any pavement was better than no pavement.
Pioneer Hotel – The Fire That Destroyed Downtown Tucson
In the 1920’s, one of Tucson’s richest men was Albert Steinfeld. When he was 18-years-old, the German-born Steinfeld came to Tucson in 1872 via stagecoach
