Tucson, Arizona

**Tucson** is a city in Arizona, United States. It is the seat of Pima County. It is 118 miles (188 km) southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles (98 km) north of the Mexican border. It is where the shooting of senator Gabrielle Giffords took place. Arizona has many deserts. It is visited by many people to escape cold weather. Tucson has a population of 547,239 as of 2023 and is the second most populated city in Arizona behind Phoenix. The city has a mean elevation of 2,400 feet. The climate of Tucson is an arid desert climate with very hot summers and mild winters. The monsoon occurs in mid June and ends around late September in the Tucson area.

## History

Tucson was founded on August 20, 1775—an event celebrated annually at Tucson's birthday party, La Fiesta de San Agustín. But people had long before feeling something special here and made it their home. In fact, the area we call Tucson is one of the oldest continually inhabited areas in North America.

Hohokam Indians lived and farmed here for 4,000 years before Spanish missionaries and soldiers arrived in the late 1600s and established local landmarks such as the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson and the Mission San Xavier del Bac—the two most iconic and historic structures in the region. "The Old Pueblo," as the adobe-walled Presidio became known, remains one of Tucson's nicknames to this day.

### Tucson in the 1800's

All of Arizona, south of the Gila River was legally bought from Mexico as part of the Gadsden Purchase on June 8, 1854, and Tucson officially became a part of the United States of America. During what is commonly referred to as the "Old West" era (1860 to 1880) Tucson was the battleground of many clashes between cattle ranchers, settlers, miners, and the Apache Indians.

In 1877, Tucson was incorporated as a city, making it the oldest city in Arizona, and with the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1880, Tucson's multicultural roots expanded and deepened as new residents adopted customs of both the Tohono O'odham Indians, Mexicans and early settlers that were already living here.

## Geography

Tucson is situated in the eastern portion of Pima County, Arizona in one of the lushest valleys found in the Sonoran Desert. Surrounded by five unique mountain ranges, opportunities for outdoor exploration are endless. A quick drive along the Catalina Highway-Sky Island National Scenic Byway can take you from the lower elevations of the valley floor to the summit of Mt. Lemmon at 9,157 feet. In roughly an hour this scenic drive traverses seven of the world's nine life zones—the span of ecosystems you'd see driving from Mexico to Canada.

The city is bordered on all sides by protected natural areas: Coronado National Forest, Catalina State Park, Ironwood Forest National Monument, and Saguaro National Parks East and West (the best places to see the giant saguaro cactus native only to Southern Arizona and Native Mexico).

Because of the variety of terrain and proximity to protected areas and parks Tucson is widely considered one of the world's best destinations for activities such as hiking, cycling, rock climbing, horseback riding, and just about anything else you would want to do outdoors.

## Climate

Boasting an average 350 sunny days a year and warm dry air, Tucson's climate is ideal for outdoor recreation, with winter temperatures reaching average highs of 64-75°F. Summer days are often hot with low humidity—great for indoor activities like museums, art galleries, and shopping or relaxing indoor or poolside at one of the area's world-famous spas or resorts. Cool mornings and evenings and long twilight hours throughout summer make for memorable cookouts, patio dining, and activities like hiking and horseback riding. Golf can be enjoyed year-round with a host of pro-level courses. In summer months both early morning and late afternoon tee times are available at reduced prices, making it even easier to hit the links.

## Tucson's famous and historical locations

- University of Arizona
- Tucson Mall
- San Aguistin de Tucson
- Park Place
- Foothills Mall
- El Con Center/El Con Mall
- Tucson Museum of Art
    - Mission San Xavier del Bac.
    - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
    - Sentinel Peak
    - A-Mountain
    - Pima Air and Space Museum

## References

https://www.visittucson.org/

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5195762.pdf

https://www.britannica.com/place/Tucson

## Other websites

- Official government website

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Tucson, Arizona
- **settlement type**: City
- **image skyline**: TucsonDerivative.png
- **image caption**: Clockwise, from the top: Downtown Tucson skyline, Old Main, University of Arizona,  St. Augustine Cathedral (Tucson), St. Augustine Cathedral, Santa Catalina Mountains, Saguaro National Park, Pima County Courthouse
- **image flag**: Flag of Tucson, Arizona.svg
- **flag size**: 100px
- **etymology**: O'odham language, O'odham _Cuk Ṣon_ , "(at the) base of the black [hill]"
- **nicknames**: "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
- **mapsize**: 260px
- **map caption**: Interactive map outlining Tucson
- **image map1**: File:Pima County Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Tucson highlighted.svg
- **mapsize1**: 250px
- **map caption1**: Location within Pima County
- **pushpin label**: Tucson
- **pushpin map**: USA Arizona#USA
- **pushpin map caption**: Location within Arizona##Location within the United States
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision type1**: U.S. state, State
- **subdivision type2**: List of counties in Arizona, County
- **subdivision name**: United States
- **subdivision name1**: Arizona
- **subdivision name2**: Pima County, Arizona, Pima
- **established title**: Founded
- **established date**: August 20, 1775
- **established title1**: Incorporated
- **established date1**: February 7, 1877
- **founder**: Hugo Oconór, Hugo O'Conor
- **parts type**: Ward (United States), Ward
- **parts style**: coll
- **parts**: 6 Wards
- **p1**: [https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/pdsd/Ward1new.pdf Ward 1]
- **p2**: [https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/pdsd/Ward2new.pdf Ward 2]
- **p3**: [https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/pdsd/Ward3new.pdf Ward 3]
- **p4**: [https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/pdsd/Ward4new.pdf Ward 4]
- **p5**: [https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/pdsd/Ward5new.pdf Ward 5]
- **p6**: [https://www.tucsonaz.gov/files/pdsd/Ward6new.pdf Ward 6]
- **government type**: Council-manager government
- **governing body**: Tucson City Council
- **leader party**: Democratic Party (United States), D
- **leader title**: Mayor
- **leader name**: Regina Romero
- **leader title1**: City Manager
- **leader name1**: Tim Thomure
- **leader title2**: City Council
- **area total km2**: 624.99
- **area total sq mi**: 241.31
- **area land km2**: 624.17
- **area land sq mi**: 240.99
- **area water km2**: 0.82
- **area water sq mi**: 0.32
- **elevation ft**: 2389
- **elevation m**: 728
- **population total**: 542629
- **population as of**: 2020 United States census, 2020
- **population rank**: List of United States cities by population, 33rd in the United States
List of municipalities in Arizona, 2nd in Arizona
- **population density sq mi**: 2251.6
- **population density km2**: 869.4
- **population metro**: 1043433 (List of metropolitan statistical areas, 53rd)
- **population demonym**: Tucsonian, Tucsonan
- **timezone**: Mountain Standard Time Zone, MST (no Daylight saving time, DST)
- **utc offset**: -07:00
- **postal code type**: ZIP Codes
- **postal code**: 85701-85775
- **area code**: Area code 520, 520
- **area code type**: North American Numbering Plan, Area code
- **blank name**: Federal Information Processing Standard, FIPS code
- **blank info**: 04-77000
- **blank1 name**: Geographic Names Information System, GNIS feature ID
- **blank1 info**: 43534
- **unit pref**: Imperial