Archaeological Investigations and Data Recovery at Historic Block 83, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona
Creators: name: Fernandez, Rachel
Publisher: name: Desert Archaeology, Inc.
Year: 2009
Subjects: subject: Tucson Basin
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/2758/tucson-basin
subject: Pima (County)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/7353/pima-county
subject: Tucson, AZ
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/geographic-keyword/76651/tucson-az
subject: 19th Century
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/temporal-keyword/5536/19th-century
subject: Historic Native American
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/30/historic-native-american
subject: Hohokam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/21/hohokam
subject: Huhugam
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/8166/huhugam
subject: Historic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/culture-keyword/25/historic
subject: Historic Block 83
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/104880/historic-block-83
subject: AZ BB:13:401 (ASM)
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-name/104881/az-bb13401-asm
subject: Borrow Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/893/borrow-pit
subject: Well
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/527/well
subject: Concrete Foundation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/1330/concrete-foundation
subject: Archaeological Feature
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/339/archaeological-feature
subject: Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/355/pit
subject: Planting Pit
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3604/planting-pit
subject: Roasting Pit / Oven / Horno
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/357/roasting-pit-oven-horno
subject: Wall Foundation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/3605/wall-foundation
subject: Post Hole / Post Mold
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/359/post-hole-post-mold
subject: Trench
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/809/trench
subject: Adobe Wall
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/1339/adobe-wall
subject: Outhouse
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/site-type/1756/outhouse
subject: Shell
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/14/shell
subject: Wood
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/15/wood
subject: Textile
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/16/textile
subject: Tin Fragment
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2320/tin-fragment
subject: Nails
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/50/nails
subject: Charcoal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/20/charcoal
subject: Plastic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/23/plastic
subject: Leather
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/186/leather
subject: Copper
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/890/copper
subject: Paper
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/796/paper
subject: Ash
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/157/ash
subject: Bead
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2237/bead
subject: Schist
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/446/schist
subject: Ceramic
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1/ceramic
subject: Chipped Stone
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2/chipped-stone
subject: Fauna
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/4/fauna
subject: buttons
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/196/buttons
subject: Glass
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/6/glass
subject: Caliche
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/1190/caliche
subject: Building Materials
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/8/building-materials
subject: Coins
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/2824/coins
subject: Macrobotanical
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/10/macrobotanical
subject: Metal
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/11/metal
subject: Mineral
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/material-type/12/mineral
subject: Ceramic Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/133439/ceramic-analysis
subject: Macrobotanical Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/20303/macrobotanical-analysis
subject: Vertebrate Faunal Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/85747/vertebrate-faunal-analysis
subject: Artifact Analysis
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/other-keyword/3318/artifact-analysis
subject: Archaeological Overview
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/1/archaeological-overview
subject: Data Recovery / Excavation
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/5/data-recovery-excavation
subject: Records Search / Inventory Checking
valueUri: https://core.tdar.org/browse/investigation-type/8/records-search-inventory-checking

description: The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Tucson on 20 March 1880, dramatically changed the community. Historic Block 83 was located across the street from the railroad depot and developed rapidly in response to the sudden influx of departing or arriving travelers. Boarding houses, a hotel, saloons, restaurants, barber shops, a pool hall, a Chinese laundry, and several small stores were among the businesses that catered to these people. The southeastern corner of the block was associated with a small group of Austrian immigrant businessmen, as well as several African-American barbers. Biographical research has provided new information about these groups. Archaeological excavations uncovered several hundred features dating to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; these included the foundations of structures. More common were features dug into the backyards of the four blocks. Privy pits and wells were common, many providing large samples of trash discarded by businesses. Unfortunately, about half of those located had been looted by bottle hunters in the 1960s and 1970s. A particularly interesting find was the set of planting pits for the trees that once shaded the Depot Beer Garden. A very large assemblage of artifacts and food remains were recovered. Many items originated in the Cactus Saloon, the Depot Park Hotel (later the Ramona Hotel), and the Quong Wo Chinese-operated laundry. These items provided valuable insights into the history and material culture of saloons and other businesses in Tucson. Plans to redevelop Lots 8, 9, 12, and 16 led to archaeological testing and data recovery excavations in this area at AZ BB:13:401 (ASM). Several hundred features were revealed and over 100,000 artifacts were recovered. Results of the project are summarized in this report.