Tucson (pronounced ) is a city and the seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States, located 118 miles (188 km) southeast of Phoenix. As of July 1 2004 a census estimate put the city's population at 521,605, and the metropolitan population at 931,210. By 2008 the city population is expected to exceed 610,000. The population of metropolitan Tucson is expected to exceed 1 million by spring 2007. In 2004 Tucson ranked as the 32nd largest city and 55th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. It is the largest city in southern Arizona, and the second largest in the state after Phoenix.
Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, and South Tucson and Sahuarita south of the city. Other communities near Tucson include Casas Adobes, Catalina, Catalina Foothills, Flowing Wells, Green Valley, Tanque Verde, and Vail.
The name Tucson originates via Spanish from the O'odham, (pronounced ; roughly, "chuk shon"), meaning "Black Base," a reference to the mostly volcanic mountains on the west side of the city. The most notable of these foothills is Sentinel Peak, better known as "A Mountain" because it sports a large letter A in honor of the nearby University of Arizona, situated in west central Tucson. Tucson is sometimes referred to as "The Old Pueblo."
Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino visited the Santa Cruz River valley in 1692, and founded the Mission San Xavier del Bac in 1700. The Spanish established a presidio (fort) in 1775 and the town came to be called "Tucson." Tucson became a part of Mexico after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821. Following the Gadsden purchase in 1853, Tucson became a part of the United States of America. From August 1861, until mid-1862, Tucson was the capital of the Confederate Territory of Arizona. Until 1863, Tucson and all of Arizona was part of the New Mexico Territory. From 1867 to 1889, Tucson was the capital of the Arizona Territory. The University of Arizona, located in Tucson, was founded in 1885. By 1900 7,531 people lived in Tucson. The population increased gradually to 13,913 in 1910, 20,292 in 1920, and 36,818 in 1940.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 505.3 km² (195.1 mi²). 504.2 km² (194.7 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (0.22%) is water.
Its elevation is 2,389 ft (728 m) above sea level. Tucson is situated on an alluvial plain, surrounded by five minor ranges of mountains: the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Tortolita Mountains to the north, the Santa Rita Mountains to the south, the Rincon Mountains to the east, and the Tucson Mountains to the west. The Santa Catalina Mountains include Mount Lemmon, the southernmost ski destination in the continental U.S.
The city is located on the Santa Cruz River, a dry river bed much of the year that floods during significant seasonal rains. (The Santa Cruz becomes a subterranean stream part of the year although it may appear dry.)
Tucson is located along I-10, which runs through Phoenix toward Santa Monica, California in the northwest, and through El Paso, Texas toward Jacksonville, Florida in the east. I-19, south of Tucson, also runs to the south toward Nogales and the U.S.-Mexico border.
Tucson's early neighborhoods (some of which are covered by the Tucson Convention Center) include Barrio Libre; Barrio Anita, named for an early settler; El Jardin, named for an early recreational site, Levin's Gardens; and El Ollo, named for a lake that was part of the gardens. Up until the building of the Tucson Convention Center (or TCC), El Ollo referred to this part of the city, which was inhabited mainly by Mexican-American citizens and immigrants from Mexico. Other historical neighborhoods include Sam Hughes neighborhood, located east of the University of Arizona, and Menlo Park, situated adjacent to Sentinel Peak.
Summer is characterized by low humidity, clear skies, and daytime high temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The average overnight temperature ranges between 69°F and 74°F.
The period of late summer known locally as "monsoon season" (with a few Tucsonans calling the storms "chubascos") typically begins in July, but can begin anytime from June to August. During monsoon season the temperatures are a few degrees lower than during the drier summer, but the humidity is much higher than the rest of the year. This period begins with clouds building up from the south in the early afternoon followed by intense thunderstorms and rainfall, which rapidly flood normally dry washes. Large areas of the city do not have storm sewers, so monsoon rains flood the main thoroughfares (often constructed in a "vee" shape to channel water), but usually only for a few hours. Two underpasses leading towards downtown from the north, at Sixth Avenue and Stone Avenue, have "feet of water" scales painted on their supports to indicate whether they can be safely "forded" by an automobile during a rainstorm. At this time of year, motorists are warned to avoid normally dry creekbeds as cars can be swamped or washed away. The evening sky at this time of year is often pierced with dramatic lightning strikes, especially at nearby Kitt Peak observatory.
Fall lasts from late October to November or December. It is much like summer, and similarly dry, with days above 100 degrees typical into early October. Average daytime highs of 84°F, with overnight lows of 55°F, constitute typical fall weather.
Winters in tucson are mild relative to other parts of the United States. Daytime highs in the winter usually are between 64°F and 69°F, with overnight lows between 38°F and 44°F.
Spring begins in late February or March, and is characterized by rising temperatures and several weeks of vivid wildflower blooms. Daytime highs in the spring range from 72°F in March to 88°F in May with overnight lows in March being 45°F and in May being 59°F.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °F | 64 | 68 | 73 | 81 | 90 | 100 | 99 | 97 | 94 | 84 | 73 | 65 | |
| Avg low temperature °F | 39 | 41 | 44 | 51 | 58 | 64 | 74 | 72 | 67 | 57 | 45 | 39 | |
| Rainfall in. | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 1.0 | |
| ''Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Tucson currently draws water from three main sources: Central Arizona Project (CAP) water, effluent (treated wastewater), and groundwater. In 1992, Tucson Water delivered CAP water to some customers that was unacceptable. This problem led Tucson to modify its water resources plan to allow more study of the best use of CAP water. While currently dependent on groundwater, Tucson is making use of CAP water by selling it to local farmers, and is developing several recharge projects to augment groundwater supply.*
There were 192,891 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the inner-city, the population has 24.6% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,981, and the median income for a family was $37,344. Males had a median income of $28,548 versus $23,086 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,322. About 13.7% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.
Both the council members and the mayor serve 4-year terms, and none face term limits. Council members are nominated by their wards via a ward-level primary held in September. The top vote-earners from each party then compete at-large for their ward's seat on the November ballot. In other words, come election day, the whole city votes on all the council races up for that year. Council elections are severed: Wards 1, 2, and 4 (as well as the mayor) are up for election in the same year (most recently 2003), while Wards 3, 5, and 6 share another year (most recently 2005).
Tucson is well-known for being a trailblazer in voluntary partial campaign finance. Since 1985, both mayoral and council candidates have been eligible to receive matching public funds from the city. To become eligible, council candidates must receive 200 donations of $10 or more (300 for a mayoral candidate). Candidates must then agree to spending limits equal to $.33 for every registered Tucson voter, or $79,222 in 2005 (the corresponding figures for mayor are $.64 per registered voter, or $142,271 in 2003). In return, candidates receive matching funds from the city at a 1:1 ratio ($1 in public money for every $1 in private donations). The only other limitation is that candidates may not exceed 75% of the limit by the date of the primary. Many cities, such as San Francisco and New York City, have copied this system, albeit with more complex spending and matching formulas.
Tucson also has a high tourism industry, being home to many resorts, hotels, and artisitic attractions.
Other school districts in the Tucson metropolitan area include:
The Arizona Historical Society:founded as the Pioneer Historical Society by early settlers, has a collection of artifacts reflecting the city's history--many focusing on the era before statehood was attained in 1912-- as well as a fine collection of original documents in its library, including many interviews with early residents.
The Fremont House: an original adobe house in the Tucson Community Center that was saved when one of Tucson's earliest barrios was razed as urban renewal. Originally named the Fremont House after Gov. John C. Fremont, who rented it for his daughter, it is now known as the Sosa-Carrillo-Fremont House to more accurately reflect its Latin heritage
Fort Lowell Museum: on the grounds of a military fort established in 1873 during the "Indian Wars" period and abandoned in 1891.
The Tucson Museum of Art: established as part of an art school. It contains nearly 6,000 objects concentrating on the art of the Americas and its influences. The museum also operates several historic buildings in the neighborhood, including La Casa Cordova, the J. Knox Corbett House, the Edward Nye Fish House and the Stevens/Duffield House.
The University of Arizona Art Museum includes works by Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko as part of the Edward J. Gallagher Memorial Collection, a tribute to a young man who was killed in a boating accident. The museum also includes the Samuel H. Kress Collection of European works from the 14th to 19th centuries and the C. Leonard Pfeiffer Collection of American paintings.
The UA campus also features the Center for Creative Photography, a leading museum with many works by major artists such as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston.
The Mission San Xavier del Bac is a historic Spanish mission, located 10 miles (16 km) south of the city. It was built by Father Kino in the 1660's as a mission which included a chain of other missions located now south of the border. It is now located in the Tono O'odham nation reservation southwest of Tucson off of I-19.
Old Tucson Studios, Built as a set for the movie Arizona, is a movie studio for classic Westerns. It was destroyed by arson and the rebuilt site now features a theme park.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a non-traditional zoo devoted to animals and plants of the Sonoran Desert. It is located west of the Tucson Mountains.
The Pima Air & Space Museum, featuring over 250 modern and historical aircraft, is located to the southeast of the city near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) is a facility where the federal government stores out-of-service aircraft. Bus tours are conducted regularly from the Pima Air & Space Museum.
Titan Missile Museum located about 25 miles (40 km) south of the city on I-19. This is a Cold War era Titan nuclear missile silo (billed as the only remaining intact post-Cold War Titan missile silo) turned tourist stop.
Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum: museum inventory includes 150 vehicles, ranging from small Buggies, Wagons, Surries, Coaches and Historic artifacts from pioneer days and a re-created Western Main Street representing what early Wild West Tucson would have looked like and what it offered in terms of businesses and services.
The Museum of the Horse Soldier includes artifacts and ephemera detailing Western cavalry and dragoon military units.
Fourth Avenue, located near the University of Arizona, is home to many shops, restaurants, and bars, and hosts the annual 4th Avenue Street Fair every December and March. University Boulevard, leading directly to the UA Main Gate, is also the center of numerous bars, retail shops, and restaurants most commonly frequented by the large student population of the UA.
El Tiradito is a religious shrine in the downtown area. The Shrine dates back to the early days of Tucson. It's based on a love story of revenge and murder. People stop by the Shrine to light a candle for someone in need, a place for people to go give hope.
Trail Dust Town is an outdoor shopping mall and restaurant complex that was built from the remains of a 1950 western movie set. Trail Dust Town contains a number of historical artifacts, including a restored 1920s merry-go-round and a museum dedicated to Western cavalry and dragoon military units.
Theater groups include the Arizona Theatre Company, which performs in the Temple of Music and Art, a mirror image of the Pasadena Playhouse; the Invisible Theatre; and the Gaslight Theatre, which performs melodramas. Additonally, many bands perform at the numerous local clubs.
Tucson is home to the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus. They have been Arizona's "Ambassadors in Levi's" since 1930. A chorus of mostly pre teen boys with exceptional singing skills, they have toured the USSR, China, Japan, Singapore, and all over the world.
Tucson is home to the Tucson Electric Park, which is the spring training location of the Arizona Diamondbacks (NL), and the Chicago White Sox (AL). The Colorado Rockies (NL) practice at nearby Hi Corbett Field. These teams, along with the nine that practice in nearby Phoenix, make up the Cactus League.
The Tucson Sidewinders, a triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Sidewinders play in Tucson Electric Park and are in the Pacific Conference South of the Pacific Coast League.
The English Premiership soccer club Charlton Athletic also recently opened a youth academy in Tucson in May 2005.
Downtown Tucsonan: A free monthly magazine published by the Tucson Downtown Alliance. Editorial coverage focuses on issues pertinent to downtown - including revitalization efforts, arts, entertainment, history and events.
Tucson Citizen: an afternoon daily paper. The Tucson Citizen is the oldest continuosly published newspaper in Arizona, established in 1870 as the "Arizona Citizen". It is owned by Gannett.
Tucson Weekly: an alternative publication that is distributed free at numerous locations around Tucson. Other alternative weeklies have included the Frumious Bandersnatch, published in the 1960s by Hugh Holub; the ''Mountain Newsreal'
Explorer: a free weekly newpaper for residents of the suburban communities north of Tucson, including Oro Valley, Marana, Catalina Foothills, Tortolita and Catalina. The Explorer attempts to cover many aspects of suburban Tucson life, including high-school sports and preformances, cultural events, and stories of political interest.
Tucson is served by the major television networks: KVOA 4 (NBC), KGUN 9 (ABC), KOLD 13 (CBS), KMSB 11 (local news broadcast from KTVK-TV in Phoenix) (FOX), KTTU 18 (UPN), and KWBA 58 (WB). KUAT 6 is a PBS affiliate run by the University of Arizona.
Sun Tran, the city's public bus system.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Tucson three times weekly in each direction, operating its Sunset Limited between Orlando, Florida and Los Angeles, California.
Old Pueblo Trolley operates weekend heritage streetcar service between the Fourth Avenue Business District and the University of Arizona.
Some famous TV Shows which were filmed in Tucson include: The Big Valley (1965), The High Chaparral (1967), Petrocelli (1974), Summer Breeze (1987), Computer Doctor (1992), Spirit of Television (1993)