Timeline of Tucson, Arizona facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Tucson, Arizona, U.S.

18th century

• 1732 – Mission San Xavier del Bac founded by Jesuits near present-day Tucson.
• 1776 – Presidio San Augustin del Tucson (military outpost) established.
• 1779 – December 6: First Battle of Tucson.
• 1782
  • May 1: Second Battle of Tucson.
  • December 25: Third Battle of Tucson (1782).
• 1784 – March 21: Fourth Battle of Tucson, Sonora, New Spain.

19th century

• 1846 – December 16: Capture of Tucson, Sonora, Mexico, by United States forces.
• 1848 – Population: 760.
• 1853 – Territory becomes part of the United States per Gadsden Purchase.
• 1856 – August 29: Conference held to organize Arizona Territory.
• 1857 – San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line in operation.
• 1862
  • February: Tucson occupied by Confederate forces.
  • May 20: Capture of Tucson by Union forces.
• 1863 – Tully, Ochoa & Co. merchandisers in business.
• 1866 – L. Zechendorf & Co. merchandisers in business.
• 1867 – Tucson becomes capital of Arizona Territory.
• 1869 – St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church built.
• 1870
  • Arizona Citizen newspaper begins publication.
  • J.S. Mansfield news depot in business.
• 1872
  • Public School department organized.
  • Population: 3,500 (estimate).
• 1873
  • San Diego-Tucson telegraph begins operating (approximate date).
  • Fort Lowell built near Tucson.
• 1875 – Estevan Ochoa elected mayor.
• 1876 – Pie Allen becomes mayor.
• 1877 – Town incorporated.
• 1878 – El Fronterizo newspaper begins publication.
• 1879
  • Arizona Daily Star newspaper begins publication.
  • Presbyterian Church built.
• 1880
  • Southern Pacific Railroad begins operating.
  • Tucson Library Association organized.
  • St. Mary's Hospital opens near town.
  • Population: 7,007.
• 1881
  • Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad begins operating.
  • Methodist Church built.
• 1882 – March 20: Wyatt Earp kills Frank Stilwell.
• 1883 – City chartered. Townsite is bounded by Speedway Boulevard on the north, 22nd Street on the south, 1st Avenue on the east, & on the west by Main Avenue from north of 18th Street, & 10th Avenue from south of 18th Street.
• 1885 – The first public park in Tucson known as Carrillo's Gardens is built by Leopoldo Carrillo.
• 1890 – Population: 5,150.
• 1891 – University of Arizona opens per Morrill Act; Old Main, University of Arizona built.
• 1893 – Arizona State Museum established.
• 1897 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson established; Cathedral of Saint Augustine (Tucson) built.
• 1900 – Population: 7,531.

20th century

• 1903 – Desert Laboratory founded.
• 1907 – Southern Pacific railway station built.
• 1910 – Population: 13,193.
• 1912 – City becomes part of new State of Arizona.
• 1919
  • City airfield established.
  • Hotel Congress in business.
• 1920 – Rialto Theatre (Arizona) opens.
• 1927
  • Charles Lindbergh visits city.
  • Temple of Music & Art built.
• 1928 – James A. Walsh United States Courthouse built.
• 1929
  • Pima County Courthouse and Consolidated National Bank building constructed.
  • Pioneer Hotel in business.
• 1930
  • Fox Tucson Theatre and Plaza Theater (Tucson) open.
  • Arizona Inn built.
• 1933 – Henry Jaastad becomes mayor.
• 1940
  • Tucson Army Air Field established.
  • South Tucson incorporates as a city.
• 1941 – Davis–Monthan Air Force Base established.
• 1950 – Catalina Highway constructed.
• 1952 – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum founded.
• 1954 – Hirsh's Shoes (shop) built.
• 1955
  • Don Hummel becomes mayor.
  • Southern Pacific 1673 train exhibit opens.
• 1956 – Tucson Air National Guard Base active.
• 1960
  • University of Arizona Poetry Center founded.
  • Old Tucson Studios theme park and El Con Mall in business.
• 1962 – Phoenix Title Building constructed.
• 1963 – Tucson International Airport begins operating.
• 1964 – Tucson Botanical Gardens founded.
• 1965 – DeGrazia Gallery built.
• 1967
  • University of Arizona College of Medicine and Reid Park Zoo founded.
  • Jim Corbett (politician) becomes mayor.
  • Tucson Federal Savings & Loan Association Building constructed.
• 1969 – Pima Community College established.
• 1971
  • Tucson Opera Company and Food Conspiracy Co-op founded.
  • Tucson Community Center built.
• 1972 – Planetary Science Institute founded.
• 1975 – Center for Creative Photography established.
• 1976 – Tucson Community Food Bank[1] and Pima Air & Space Museum established.
• 1977 – Bank of America Plaza (Tucson) built.
• 1978 – Arizona State Prison Complex – Tucson in operation.
• 1982
  • Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson in operation.
  • Tucson Mall and Casas Adobes Foothills Mall (Arizona) in business.
• 1984 – Channel 12 government access TV begins broadcasting (approximate date).
• 1985 – Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation established.
• 1986 – One South Church built.
• 1987 – Thomas Volgy becomes mayor.
• 1990 – Population: 405,390.
• 1991
  • Biosphere 2 built.
  • George Miller (Arizona politician) becomes mayor.
• 1996
  • Goodricke-Pigott Observatory dedicated.
  • Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson founded.
• 1998
  • City website online (approximate date).
  • Park Place (Tucson, Arizona) shopping mall in business.
• 1999 – Bob Walkup becomes mayor.

21st century

• 2001 – Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater opens.
• 2004
  • La Encantada shopping center in business.
  • October 5: Murder of Brian Stidham.
• 2005
  • Jewish History Museum (Tucson) established.
  • Southern Arizona Transportation Museum dedicated.
• 2007
  • United States Penitentiary, Tucson in operation.
• 2010
  • Con-Nichiwa anime convention begins.
  • Population: 520,116.
• 2011
  • January 8: Shooting of U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords and eighteen others in Casas Adobes.
  • January 12: Barack Obama Tucson memorial speech.
  • May 5: Jose Guerena shooting.
  • November 8: Tucson mayoral election, 2011.
  • December 5: Jonathan Rothschild becomes mayor.
  • Casino Del Sol Hotel Tower and UniSource Energy Building constructed.
• 2013 – Armed Citizens Project active.