List of historic properties in Tucson, Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids List of historic properties in Tucson, Arizona
City
The Tucson Inn, 1956 (Miracle Mile Historic District)
Location in Pima County and the state of Arizona
Country	United States

This article shares a list of historic places in Tucson, Arizona. It includes photos of some of the old buildings and areas. Tucson is a city in Pima County and is the second-largest city in Arizona, after Phoenix. You'll see pictures of historic neighborhoods, buildings, and other important spots. We also have images connected to the old Fort Lowell, which was an active U.S. Army base from 1873 to 1891.

Tucson's Early Days: A Brief History

It's not fully known who the first Native American tribes were in the Tucson Valley. But archaeologists have found signs of farming villages along the Santa Cruz River from as far back as 1080 BC.

The Hohokam people lived and farmed in the valley between 200 and 1450 AD. Many believe that the Pima and Tohono O'odham tribes are descendants of the Hohokams. They continued to live in the area for a long time.

Adobe Brickwork of the Kilns arched openings, built by Spanish colonists in the 18th century.

In 1540, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado led a group through Arizona. He was looking for a legendary place called the "Seven Cities of Cibola," rumored to be made of gold. Coronado and his men were the first Europeans to explore the area. However, the golden cities were just a myth.

Later, in 1699, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino arrived in the valley. He decided to start a Catholic mission. The mission church, named Mission San Xavier del Bac, wasn't finished until 1797, almost a hundred years later.

Tucson officially became a city in 1775. That year, Hugo Oconór built the Tucson Presidio, which was like a fort. Oconór was born in Ireland in 1732. He moved to Spain and changed his name to "Oconór." He joined a Spanish army group. People called Oconór "The Founding Father of Tucson." He was a military governor for northern Mexico. In 1821, Tucson became part of Mexico after Mexico won its independence from Spain.

In 1854, Tucson stopped being part of Mexico. It became a United States Territory (New Mexico Territory) because of the Gadsden Purchase. During the American Civil War, in February 1862, the Confederacy created the Arizona Territory. They made Tucson its capital. The United States created its own Arizona Territory in 1863. On May 20, 1862, soldiers from California, led by Captain Emil Fritz, took control of Tucson without a fight. Arizona became an official U.S. territory in 1863. Tucson was the capital of the territory from 1867 to 1877.

Saving Tucson's History: The Preservation Foundation

The Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation started in March 1984. Their main goal is to save Tucson's old neon signs. They also work to get many properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list recognizes important historical sites.

However, the Foundation can't stop a historic building from being torn down. If a property owner wants to demolish a building, even if it's on the National Register, they can.

For example, the MacArthur Building was built in 1907 as the "Hotel Heide." In 1944, it became the "MacArthur Hotel." It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. But after part of it collapsed, it was changed a lot and removed from the list in 1984.

Historic Places You Can See

Historic Districts and Neighborhoods

A historic district is a special area with many old buildings. These buildings are important to a city's history and culture. They are protected to keep their historic look. "Barrios" is a Spanish word for neighborhoods. Tucson has many historic districts and archaeological districts. The National Register of Historic Places is the official U.S. list of important places.

Here are some of the historic districts and neighborhoods you can see pictures of:

• Armory Park Historic Residential District. This area was listed on July 30, 1976.
• Blenman-Elm Historic District. Listed on October 29, 2003.
• Catalina Vista Historic District. Listed on October 29, 2003.

DeGrazia Mission

• DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Historic District. This includes artist Ettore DeGrazia's studio and home. Listed on October 12, 2006.
• El Encanto Estates Residential Historic District. Listed on January 29, 1988.
• El Montevideo Historic District. Listed on September 12, 1994.
• El Presidio Historic District. Listed on September 27, 1976.
• Feldman's Historic District. This used to be called "Speedway-Drachman Historic District." It's named after Alther M. Feldman, a homesteader and photographer. Listed on September 21, 1989.
• Fourth Avenue Commercial Historic District. Listed on October 12, 2017.
• Iron Horse Expansion Historic District. Listed on June 6, 1986.
• Marist College Historic District. Listed on October 25, 2011.
• Menlo Park Historic District. Listed on April 23, 2010.
• Rillito Race Track Historic District. This was first called "Rillito Racetrack-Chute." Listed on June 12, 1986.
• Rincon Heights Historic District. Listed on January 23, 2013.
• John Spring Neighborhood Historic District. Listed on May 11, 1989.
• Tucson Community Center Historic District. Listed on September 8, 2015.
• University of Arizona Campus Historic District. Listed on June 13, 1986.
• West University Historic District. Listed on December 10, 1980.
• Barrio Anita. This area was first called McKinley Park subdivision. It was named after Annie Hughes. Listed on September 23, 2011.
• Barrio El Hoyo Historic District. Listed on August 13, 2008.
• Barrio El Membrillo Historic District. Listed on August 5, 2009.
• Barrio Libre. Listed on October 18, 1978.
• Barrio Santa Rosa. Listed on September 23, 2011.

Some other historic districts not pictured are:

• Aldea Linda Residential Historic District. Listed on June 9, 2009.
• Colonia Solana Residential Historic District. Listed on January 4, 1989.

The Pago Pago Restaurant and Lounge in the Miracle Mile Historic District

• The Eleven Arches. Listed on September 9, 2010.
• Indian House Community Residential Historic District. Listed on October 28, 2001.
• Indian Ridge Historic District. Listed on July 16, 2010.
• Jefferson Park Historic District. Listed on May 1, 2012.
• Miracle Mile Historic District. Listed on December 11, 2017.
• San Clemente Historic District. Listed on February 4, 2005.
• Tucson Veterans Administration Hospital Historic District. Listed on August 28, 2012.
• Pie Allen Historic District. Listed on June 20, 1996.
• Winterhaven Historic District. Listed on December 28, 2005.

Archaeological Districts and Sites

Archaeological districts are areas where scientists have found old remains. These remains teach us about past human life. Here are two archaeological districts in Tucson:

• The Cocoraque Butte Archaeological District. This area is protected and was listed on October 10, 1975.
• The Tumamoc Hill Archeological District. Listed on April 5, 2010.

Other historic Archaeological Districts not pictured are:

• The Rincon Mountain Foothills Archeological District. Listed on October 16, 1979.
• The Sutherland Wash Archeological District. Listed on August 15, 1988.
• The Sutherland Wash Rock Art District. Listed on October 19, 1993.
• The University Indian Ruin Archeological Research District. Listed on October 17, 2012.
• The Valencia Site (BB:13:15;BB:13:74). This site has remains of a Hohokam village. Listed on May 17, 1984.
• The Santa Ana del Chiquiburitac Mission. This mission was built in 1881. Listed on September 18, 1975.

Other Historic Areas

• Agua Caliente Ranch Rural Historic Landscape. Listed on July 9, 2009.
• Binghampton Rural Historic Landscape. Listed on May 1, 2003.
• Deep Well Ranch. This was a steer ranch. Listed on July 9, 2009.
• Owen Homesite. Listed on January 9, 2013.
• Rebeil Block. Listed on March 12, 2004.
• San Rafael Estates. Listed on July 9, 2009.
• Villa Catalina. Listed on December 22, 2009.
• Harold Bell Wright Estate. Listed on January 18, 1985.
• Harold Bell Wright Estates. This land was developed in 1950. It was once owned by author Harold Bell Wright. Listed on July 9, 2009.

Historic Buildings

Here are some of the historic buildings in Tucson that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

The old lobby of the Hotel Congress.

Display of newspaper clippings related to the capture of John Dillinger and his gang.

Inside the El Paso and South Western Railroad Depot

Arizona Daily Star Building

• The MacArthur Building was built in 1907. It was first called the Hotel Heidel. In 1944, it became the MacArthur Hotel. It was built for people arriving by train.
• El Paso and South Western Railroad Depot was built in 1912. It was listed in 2004.
• The Rialto Building and Rialto Theater were both built in 1917. The Rialto Theater showed its first full movie in 1920. Famous performers like Ginger Rogers appeared there. Both were listed in 2003.
• The J. C. Penney–Chicago Store Building was built in 1903. J.C. Penney was in this building for 30 years. It was listed in 2003.
• The Hittinger Block was built in 1901 by Anton Hittinger. It used to house a shoe company. It was listed in 2003.
• The Fox Commercial Building was built in 1925. It was listed in 2004.
• The Fox Tucson Theatre was built in 1925. It opened in 1930 for both live shows and movies. It was listed in 2003.
• The Old Pima County Court was built in 1925. Its mosaic dome is a famous landmark in Tucson. It was listed in 1978.
• The Arizona Daily Star Building was built in 1875. It was added to the National Register in 2002.
• The Amtrak Station was built in stages from 1907 to 1922. It was listed in 1999 as part of the "Tucson Warehouse Historic District."
• The Ronstadt House was built in 1904. Frederick Ronstadt was an important person in Tucson. He served on the Pima County Board of Supervisors. The house was listed in 1979.
• The Old Main, University of Arizona was built in 1875. It's also known as the University of Arizona School of Agriculture. It was listed in 1972.
• The Arizona Hotel was listed in 2003.
• The Arizona Inn was built by Isabella Greenway, who was Arizona's first female U.S. Congress member. It was listed in 1988.
• The Copper Bell Bed and Breakfast was built using volcanic rock from a nearby mountain. It has an old copper bell from a German church. It was listed in 1992.
• The Coronado Hotel was built by Harold M. Brooks. It has been updated into modern apartments. It was listed in 1982.
• The Desert Laboratory was founded by the Carnegie Institution. Scientists studied how plants survive in the desert here. It was listed in 1966.
• The Don Martin Apartment House was listed in 2010.
• The El Encanto Apartments were built in the 1940s for officers at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. They were listed in 1994.
• The Haynes Building was listed in 2010.
• The Julian-Drew Building was built in 1917. It housed a plumbing business and a car dealership. It was listed in 1996.
• The Lemmon Rock Lookout House was built in 1928 in the Coronado National Forest. It was listed in 1988.
• The Bear Down Gym was built in 1926 on the University of Arizona campus. It was first called "Men's Gymnasium." It was listed in 1990.
• The Old Library Building is on the University of Arizona campus. It was listed in 1979.
• The Ronstadt-Sims Adobe Warehouse was listed in 1989.
• The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse was built in 1928. It's now called the "James A. Walsh United States Courthouse." It was listed in 1983.
• The University Heights Elementary School was built in 1917. It was listed in 1983.
• The USDA Tucson Plant Materials Center was started in 1934. It focused on growing plants and collecting seeds for regional projects. It was listed in 1997.
• The Valley National Bank Building was built in 1929. It's the oldest skyscraper in Tucson. It was listed in 2003.
• Carrillo Elementary School was built in 1930. It was built on the site of the old Elysian Grove.

The Catalina Foothills Estates Apartments are not pictured. They were listed in 2015.

Hotel Congress: A Place with a Story

• Hotel Congress was built in 1918. It was designed as part of a plan to expand Congress Street. It was also connected to the Rialto Theatre. A famous outlaw named John Dillinger, who was wanted by the F.B.I., stayed on the third floor of the hotel using a fake name.

On January 22, 1934, a fire started in the hotel basement. It spread up to the third floor. This fire led to Dillinger's capture! The hotel celebrates this event every January with "Dillinger Days." They even have reenactments of what happened. The hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

John Dillinger Days: A Historical Reenactment

Since 1994, Hotel Congress has hosted "John Dillinger Days." This event includes a reenactment of the capture of gangster John Dillinger in Tucson. On January 25, 1934, John Dillinger and his gang were caught by the Tucson Police and Fire Departments at the Hotel Congress.

Here are some pictures from the 2020 reenactment. You can see historic vehicles that were part of the event:

• A 1930 Ford Model A Police car.
• A restored 1923 American LaFrance Fire Engine. This actual fire engine was there during the event in 1934!
• A 1916 American LaFrance Type 17 Tractor Drawn Aerial Ladder.
• A 1928 Ahrens-Fox Fire Engine.

Historic Underpasses

These underpasses are considered historical by the National Register of Historic Places:

• The Fourth Avenue Underpass. Listed on September 30, 1988.
• The Sixth Avenue Underpass. Listed on September 30, 1988.
• The Stone Avenue Underpass. Listed on September 30, 1988.

Historic Houses

The John Dillinger House

Here are some historic houses in Tucson that are pictured and listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

• The Ronstadt House was built in 1904 for Fredrick Ronstadt, a Tucson pioneer. He was a wagon maker and the city's first car dealer. It was listed in 1979.
• The Blixt-Avitia House was built in 1923. Listed in 1992.
• The Boudreaux-Robison House was built in 1908. Listed in 1992.
• The Bray-Valenzuela House was built in 1917. Listed in 1992.
• The Dr. William Austin Cannon House was built in 1906 for Professor William Austin Cannon. He was a famous botanist who worked at the Carnegie Desert Laboratory. It was listed in 1982.
• The Cordova House was built in 1848. Listed in 1972.
• The Dodson-Esquivel House was built in 1921. Listed in 1992.
• The Drexel House was listed in 2017.
• The First Joesler House was built in 1927. Josias Thomas Joesler was an architect from Switzerland who designed many buildings in Tucson. It was listed in 2010.
• The Gabel House was listed in 2010.
• The Gist Residence was listed in 2009.
• The Arthur C. and Helen Neel Hall House was listed in 2011. Arthur C. Hall helped develop the Mission Mine Complex.
• The Lewis D.W. Hall House was listed in 2011.
• The Hecker House was listed in 2010.
• The Manning Cabin was built in 1905. It's located in Saguaro National Park. It was listed in 1975.
• The Levi H. Manning House was built in 1907. Levi H. Manning was the mayor of Tucson from 1905 to 1907. He was involved in many businesses. It was listed in 1979.
• The Charles O. Brown house was built in 1876. It's one of Tucson's oldest houses. It was listed in 1971.
• The Ramada House was listed in 2006.
• The Schwalen-Gomez House was built in 1905. Listed in 1992.
• The Professor George E. P. Smith House was built in 1904. George Edson Philip Smith was a professor at the University of Arizona. He was an expert on water resources in Arizona. It was listed in 1982.
• The Sosa–Carrillo–Fremont House was built in 1858. It was once the home of John Charles Frémont, a former governor of Arizona. It was listed in 1971.
• The Charles S. Todd House was built in 1941. Listed in 2001.
• The Type A at 2101 E. Water St. was listed in 2010.
• The Type B at 2019 E. Water St. was listed in 2010.
• The Nellie Mae Kellogg Van Schaick House was built in 1953. Nellie Mae Kellogg Van Schaick was a relative of the Kellogg cereal family. It was listed in 2011.
• The Carlos Ygnacio Velasco House was built in 1878. Carlos Ygnacio Velasco published Tucson's first Spanish-language newspaper. It was listed in 1974.
• The Solomon Warner House and Mill was built in 1874. Solomon Warner was the first American business trader to live in Tucson. It was listed in 1976.
• The John Dillinger House was built in 1925. This is where the famous gangster John Dillinger was arrested in 1934.
• The Aggie House was built in 1930. It was founded in 1937 to provide affordable housing for male agriculture students at the University of Arizona.

Some houses not pictured are:

• James P. and Sarah Adams House. Listed in 2011.
• Arthur Olaf and Helen S. Anderson House. Listed in 2017.
• Jean and Paul Bauder House. Listed in 2017.
• Grace and Elliot Brown House. Listed in 2017.
• Erskine P. Caldwell House was built in 1942. Erskine Preston Caldwell was an American writer. The house was listed in 2010.
• Casa Juan Paisano was built in 1961. It was the home of developer John W. Murphey. Listed in 2013.
• Catalina Foothills Estates Job 265 House. Listed in 2017.
• Stephen and Persis Hart Browne Congdon House. Listed in 2018.
• John P. and Helena S. Corcoran House. Listed in 2011.
• George C. Craig House. Listed in 2017.
• P.W. Fletcher House. Listed in 2011.
• Antonio Matus House and Property was built in 1926. Listed in 1991.
• Phillip G. McFadden House. Listed in 2011.
• Sabedra-Huerta House was built in 1915. Listed in 1988.
• Betty-Jean Wilson House was built in 1935. Listed in 2016.
• Herbert and Irma Woollen House. Listed in 2017.

Houses of Religious Worship

Inside the Mission San Xavier del Bac.

• The Mission San Xavier del Bac was rebuilt between 1783 and 1797. Its walls are covered with paintings. This mission has been part of Arizona's history through Spanish, Mexican, and American times. It's the oldest European building in Arizona. It was listed in 1966.
• The Mortuary Chapel is next to the Mission San Xavier del Bac. It holds statues of saints and candles for prayers. It was listed with the Mission in 1966.
• Catalina American Baptist Church was built in 1960. It has a unique modern design. It was listed in 2008.
• St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church was built in 1936. It was listed in 2004.
• Santa Cruz Catholic Church was built between 1916 and 1918. It has a Spanish Colonial Revival style with some Islamic design elements, like a bell tower that looks like a minaret. It was listed in 1994.
• El Tiradito is known as The Wishing Shrine. It's a unique Catholic shrine in the U.S. It's said to be dedicated to a man buried there who died in a fight. It was listed in 1971.
• Pascua Cultural Plaza was built in 1921. It's a special ceremonial place for the Yoeme (Yaqui) people. They hold both old traditions and Christian ceremonies here. It was listed in 2004.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel is on the historic Tumamoc Hill.

Fort Lowell: A Historic Army Post

The San Pedro Chapel National Register of Historic Places Marker.

Display of a sergeants uniform in the Fort Lowell Park Museum. The uniform once belonged to a member of the 5th Cavalry.

Information board on officers' quarters.

Fort Lowell Park is where a U.S. Army post once stood. It was active from 1873 to 1891, just outside Tucson. The park was even the setting for a TV show called Boots and Saddles. The city of Tucson now owns this historic park. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Here are some images and descriptions related to Fort Lowell:

• The Flagstaff of Fort Lowell. This is the third flagpole built in the same spot as the original. It was put up in 2007.
• The reconstructed Commanding Officer's Kitchen.
• The Fort Lowell Hospital ruins. The hospital was built in 1878.
• The adobe ruins of the Fort Lowell kitchen. This kitchen was built in 1879.
• The adobe ruins of the Band Quarters which were built in 1879.
• The adobe ruins of Soldier Barracks which were built in 1878.
• The Fort Lowell Officer's Quarter's was built in 1873. The restored Officer's Quarter's was listed in 1978.
• The Fort Lowell Quartermaster's Quarters was built in 1873. The restored Quartermaster's Quarter was listed in 1978.
• The Fort Lowell Post Traders Store and Riallito House called Las Saetas was built around 1875. It was listed in 1978.
• The Fort Lowell Quartermaster's Storehouse was built around 1875. It was listed in 1978.
• The San Pedro Chapel was built in 1932. The first chapel here was destroyed by a tornado in 1929. The current chapel was built over its ruins. It was listed in 1993.
• The Fort Lowell Park Museum is in Fort Lowell Park. It has displays like a sergeant's uniform from the 5th Cavalry.
• The Cavalry Corrals were built in 1873. Listed in 1978.
• The Post Trader's Storehouse was built in 1875. Listed in 1978.
• The Charles Bolsius House Site No. HD 5-26 was built in 1873. Listed in 1978.
• Site Nos. HD 5-28/5-25 were built in 1875. Listed in 1978.

Some historic sites at Fort Lowell not pictured are:

• The Quartermaster's Corrals were built in 1873. Listed in 1978.
• Site No. HD 4-8A was built in 1873. Listed in 1978.
• Site No. HD 7-0A was built in 1875. Listed in 1978.
• Site No. HD 7-13 was built in 1873. Listed in 1978.
• Site Nos. HD 9-11/9-2 were built in 1875. Listed in 1978.
• Site No. HD 9-28 was built in 1875. Listed in 1978.
• Site Nos. HD 12-4/12-8 were built in 1873. Listed in 1978.
• Site No. HD 13-4 was built in 1873. Listed in 1978.
• Site No. HD 13-11 was built in 1973. Listed in 1978.
• Site No. HD 13-13 was built in 1873. Listed in 1978.

Other Historic Items and Places

Here are some other important historic items and places in Tucson:

• The Southern Pacific Railroad Locomotive No. 1673. This steam train was built in 1900. It was even in the 1954 movie Oklahoma! You can see it at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum. It was listed in 1992.
• The USS Arizona Bell. This 1,820-pound bell was saved from the battleship USS Arizona. It's now in the bell tower at the University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center. The building itself is part of the University of Arizona Campus Historic District, listed in 1986.
• The 1880s Tucson Depot location. This is where Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday killed Frank Stilwell. The spot is now part of the Amtrak Station, which was listed in 1999.
• El Conquistador Water Tower. Listed in 1980.
• The Lowell Ranger Station. It's in the Coronado National Forest. Listed in 1993.

Not pictured is:

• Valley of the Moon is a children's fantasy park built in 1920. It was listed in 2011.

See also

• Tucson, Arizona
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Pima County, Arizona