# Timeline of Tucson, Arizona

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 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.