Anaconda Capital Group

Tucson – History

Tucson was probably first visited by Paleo-Indians, known to have been in southern Arizona by about 12,000 years ago. Recent archaeological excavations near the Santa Cruz River have located a village site dating from 2100 BC. The floodplain of the Santa Cruz River was extensively farmed during the Early Agricultural period, circa 1200 BC to AD 150.

Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino visited the Santa Cruz River valley in 1692, and founded the Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1700 about 7 mi (11 km) upstream from the site of the settlement of Tucson. Hugo O’Conor, the founding father of the city of Tucson, authorized the construction of a military fort in that location, Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón, on August 20, 1775. During the Spanish period of the presidio, attacks such as the Second Battle of Tucson were repeatedly mounted by Apaches. Eventually the town came to be called “Tucson” and became a part of Mexico after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821.

Tucson was captured by the Mormon Battalion during the Mexican-American War, but later returned to Mexican control. Tucson was not included in the Mexican Cession – it was following the Gadsden Purchase in 1853 that Tucson became a part of the United States of America.

From August 1861 to mid-1862, Tucson was the western capital of the Confederate Arizona Territory, the eastern capital being Mesilla. In 1862 the California Column drove the Confederate forces out of Arizona. Tucson and all of what is now Arizona was part of New Mexico Territory until 1863, when it became part of the new Arizona Territory. From 1867 to 1877, Tucson was the capital of the Arizona Territory. Southern Arizona was legally bought from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase on June 8, 1854. Tucson was incorporated in 1877, making it the oldest incorporated city in Arizona.

In 1885, the University of Arizona, was founded as a land-grant college on over-grazed ranch land between Tucson and Fort Lowell. In 1890, Asians made up 4.2% of the city’s population.
By 1900, 7,531 people lived in the city. The population increased gradually to 13,913 in 1910. At about this time, the U.S. Veterans Administration had begun construction on the present Veterans Hospital. Many veterans who had been gassed in World War I and were in need of respiratory therapy began coming to Tucson after the war, due to the clean dry air. Over the following years the city continued to grow, with the population increasing to 20,292 in 1920 and 36,818 in 1940. In 2006 the population of Pima County, in which Tucson is located, passed one million while the City of Tucson’s population was 535,000.

In 1912, when Arizona statehood became reality, the total number of different flags that had flown over Tucson now numbered five: American, Spanish, Mexican, Confederate, and the State of Arizona.

During the territorial and early statehood periods, Tucson was Arizona’s largest city and commercial center, while Phoenix was the seat of state government (beginning in 1889) and agriculture. The establishment of Tucson Municipal Airport increased its prominence. Between 1910 and 1920, Phoenix surpassed Tucson in population, and has continued to outpace Tucson in growth. In recent years, both Tucson and Phoenix have experienced some of the highest growth.

Climate

Tucson has hot summers and temperate winters. Tucson is almost always cooler and wetter than Phoenix because of its higher elevation.

Tucson has a desert climate (Köppen BWh), with two major seasons, summer and winter; plus three minor seasons: fall, spring, and the monsoon. Tucson averages 11.8 inches (299.7 mm) of precipitation per year, more than most other locations with desert climates, but it still qualifies due to its high evapotranspiration; in other words, it experiences a high net loss of water. A similar scenario is seen in Alice Springs, Australia, which averages 11 inches (279.4 mm) a year, but has a desert climate.

The most obvious difference of climate from most other inhabited regions is the hot and sunny climate. This difference is a major contributing factor to a rate of skin cancer that is at least 3 times higher than in more northerly regions. Media reports heat related deaths increasing among illegal immigrants in and around Tucson. Heatstroke related deaths have been recorded since 1999 in the Pima County Area.

Summer is characterized by daytime temperatures that exceed 100 °F (38 °C) and overnight temperatures between 66 and 85 °F (19 and 29 °C). Early summer is characterized by low humidity and clear skies; mid-summer and late summer are characterized by higher humidity, cloudy skies and frequent rain.

The monsoon can begin any time from mid-June to late July, with an average start date around July 3. It typically continues through August and sometimes into September. During the monsoon, the humidity is much higher than the rest of the year

The weather in the fall is much like that during spring: dry, with cool nights and warm, hot days. Temperatures above 100 °F (38 °C) are possible into early October. Temperatures decline at the quickest rate in October and November, and are normally the coolest in late December and early January.

Winters in Tucson are mild relative to other parts of the United States. Daytime highs in the winter range between 64 and 75 °F (18 and 24 °C), with overnight lows between 30 and 44 °F (−1 and 7 °C). Early spring is characterized by gradually rising temperatures and several weeks of vivid wildflower blooms beginning in late February and into March. During this time of year the diurnal temperature variation normally attains its maximum, often surpassing 30 °F (17 °C).

Economy

Much of Tucson’s economic development has been centered on the development of the University of Arizona, which is currently the second largest employer in the city. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, located on the southeastern edge of the city, also provides many jobs for Tucson residents. Its presence, as well as the presence of the US Army Intelligence Center (Fort Huachuca, the largest employer in the region in nearby Sierra Vista), has led to the development of a significant number of high-tech industries, including government contractors, in the area. The city of Tucson is also a major hub for the Union Pacific Railroad’s Sunset Route that links the Los Angeles ports with the South/Southeast regions of the country.

The City of Tucson, Pima County, the State of Arizona, and the private sector have all made commitments to create a growing, healthy economy with advanced technology industry sectors as its foundation. Raytheon Missile Systems, Texas Instruments, IBM, Intuit Inc., Universal Avionics, Sunquest Information Systems, Sanofi-Aventis, Ventana Medical Systems, Inc., and Bombardier Aerospace all have a significant presence in Tucson. Roughly 150 Tucson companies are involved in the design and manufacture of optics and optoelectronics systems, earning Tucson the nickname “Optics Valley”.

Tourism is another major industry in Tucson, bringing in $2 billion per year and over 3.5 million visitors annually due to Tucson’s numerous resorts, hotels, and attractions.

One of the major annual attractions is the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, and its associated shows, all held generally in the first two weeks of February. These associated shows (such as gems, jewelry, beads, fossils) are held throughout the city, with 43 different shows in 2010. This makes Tucson’s the largest such exposition in the world.

In addition to vacationers, a significant number of winter residents, or “snowbirds”, are attracted by Tucson’s mild winters and contribute to the local economy. Snowbirds often purchase second homes in Tucson and nearby areas, contributing significantly to the property tax base.

There are also a number of middle-class and upper-class Sonorans and Sinaloans who travel from Mexico to Tucson to purchase goods that are not readily available in Mexico.

Nonprofits based in Tucson include the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Top Employers

According to Tucson’s 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Interesting Facts About Tucson

• Tucson gets 350 days of sunshine annually – more than any other US city.
• Tucson is surrounded by the world’s largest concentration of Saguaro cactus.
• The Wall Street Journal dubbed Tucson “a mini mecca for the arts”.
• The Arizona-Sonora Museum was rated one of America’s top zoos in the country by Parade Magazine.
• Pima Air & Space Museum is the largest privately funded air museum in the world.
• Original Ansel Adams prints hang in the museum he founded, the UA’s Center for Creative Photography.
• Quarter horse racing began at Tucson’s historic Rillito Downs.
• Tucson is consistently rated one of the best golfing destinations in the west.
• Colossal Cave is one of the largest dry caverns in the world. Explorers have yet to find its end.
• Tucson is the only city in the U.S. that hosts three Major League Baseball Spring Training teams – The Arizona Diamondbacks, The Colorado Rockies and The Chicago White Sox.
• Saguaro National Park is one of the Unites States’ newest national parks. It is second only to the Grand Canyon in the number of visitors it receives annually.