Nogales international., 1937-05-08
HISTORIC TOWN
ISONLY Fl MILES
FROM NOGALES

Historic Tubac, one of Arizona'S
earliest settlements, affords the
tourist a glimpse at Spanish, In
dian, Mexican and early American
mining history which makes a mo-
tor trip to this interesting spot 81
miles north of Nogales, a worth
while journey. Ruins of a Mexican
fort, Spanish church and the
buildings that once housed the first
newspaper to be published in Ari-
Zona are among the things which
indicate the charming background
of colorful Tubac.
Quickly let us run through some
of the known date-records for Tub
&C. Kino's visits here are a mat
ter of records written in the sew
enteenth century Then the British
museum map of the town of Tubac
made in 1765 shows the village as
the center for four main roads,
Caminos, Tumacacori, San Xavier
del Bac, Altar and Sonoita, and
reveals great agricultural fields
along the Santa Cruz river. In 1751
the mission of st Gertrude was
founded; 1852 records show fort
garrisoned by so men; 1774, Capt.
Jaun Bautista de, ANA was here
resting and planning his trip to
the Gila river and later his San
Francisco journey, though he did
not know that was his objective;
in 1777 de ANA returned from the
bay to tell the hamlet of his trip;
in 1884 a petition was made to Mex
leo City officials of the Spanish
crown for the reopening of the
Tubac fort; 1905, a land grant was
being measured.
Millions for Mining
Continuing with this moving pic
ture of history in 1926 silver
mines are mentioned as being
worked; in 1842 rancheria of friend
ly Apaches is recorded at Tubac;
1848 someone took census show
ing 249 persons living here; 1856
the Sonora Exploring and Mining
company was organized in New
York with millions to be spent in
developing the Santa Rita and
Arivaca claims and using T'ubac as
a housing center There were pro-
badly $50 mining claims known
within a radius of 20 miles of Tu-
bac, many being worked. BY 1858
Tubacs population had jumped to
800 and ore was being hauled by
wagons to Kansas City and down
to Guaymas for shipment. In 1853
9 the Arizona newspaper was pub
lished in little adobe office.
Those are the bald, bare dates,
stripped of all the stories surround
ing them or the intervening years.
When you fill those spaces in your
imagination, with the wars Of the
Apaches, the killing of miners at
their claims, the ambushing of wag-
on parties, the treachery of even
some of the MexicanS, the hazards
of bringing goods from Guaymas
or taking ore by wagon trains clear
to Kansas City, you have a better
picture of these pioneer days.
The activities of the Sonora Ex-
ploriAg and Mining company were
not peaceful; it required courage
for Charles D. Poston, Samuel Colt,
William T. Coleman, Major Hartley,
Herman Ehrenberg and Heintzel-
man to stay on. However PoSton's
own recollections put into book
form stress the life of the Tubac
community.
BarIy Marriage Agent
I'VE had no law but love, no oc-
cupation but labor, no government,
no taxes, no public debt, no poll
tics" wrote Poston "It was a COM
munity in a perfect state Of nature.
AS 'syndic' under New Mexico, I
opened a book of records, perform
ed the marriage ceremonies, baptiz-
ed children and granted divorces"
Later, he comments, the coming of
Bishop Lane of Santa Fe and Fa-
ther Mashboef to look after the
spiritual welfare of the community
brought CONSERVATION for the men