TUCSON TIMELINE

TUCSON MOUNTAINS HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Old Tucson and The Reno Train. Tucson Historical Timeline

HISTORICAL MILESTONES
OF THE TUCSON MOUNTAINS

Follow the Tucson timeline of the Tucson Mountain Range, one of the
oldest continually inhabited and unique places in North America.

DATE	TUCSON MOUNTAINS HISTORICAL EVENT
2000 BC	Native Americans cultivated maize 4,100 years ago at the base of A Mountain and Tumamoc Hill
500 BC	Native Americans constructed a village 2,500 years ago on top of Tumamoc Hill.
500 BC	Between 500 BC and 2200 BC the Native Americans inhabited a large agricultural site called Las Capas located near Ina Rd and the I-10. It is the site of the oldest known cemetery in the southwest and the oldest known canals in North America also the oldest tobacco pipes in the world.
700 AD	Between 700-1450 A.D. the Hohokam cultivated the Sonoran Desert with a large village at the site of St Mary's Hospital.
850 AD	Between 850 - 1300 AD the Hohokam occupied a village at Los Morteros in Marana.
1150 AD	Between 1150 and 1300 A.D., the Marana Mound was the center of the Hohokam community that lived between the Santa Cruz River and the Tortolita Mountains.
1200 AD	Between 1200 and 1350 A.D., the Trincheras Linda Vista Hill site had more than 150 terraces and 75 pit-houses excavated into the terraces and a massive adobe-walled compound located on the hill summit.
1539	The Marcos de Niza expedition traveled through the Tucson area.
1540	The Francisco Coronado exhibition traveled through the area.
1694	Father Kino established the original San Xavier Mission.
1736	Spanish prospectors explored the area after a silver strike in Nogales.
1751	The original San Xavier Mission building was destroyed by the Pima Indian Revolt.
1757	The Mission San Agustin de Tucson was established near Tumamoc Hill.
1775	Juan Bautista de Anza camped at San Xavier and Los Morteros during his expedition from Mexico to San Francisco.
1783	Construction began on the current San Xavier Mission.
1797	Construction was completed on the current San Xavier Mission.
1804	The Presidio reported 37 Spaniards and 200 Indians farming nearby.
1819	The Presidio report a Spanish population of 62.
1821	The Franciscans replaced the Jesuits in the local missions.
1846	Cooke's Mormon battalion passed by San Xavier Mission.
1850	Tucson population is estimated at 400.
1854	Gadsden Purchase put the Tucson Mountains inside the United States.
1856	The American military took control of Tucson.
1858	The Butterfield Stage route arrived in Tucson.
1860	Tucson population at 915.
1862	The Homestead Act opened public lands.
1862	Southern Confederate forces control the city of Tucson.
1863	The Arizona Territory was created by splitting the New Mexico Territory virtually in half.
1867	The Nequilla Mine established.
1867	Apaches attack the Nequilla Mine and kill one employee.
1867	Tucson became the capital of the Arizona Territory.
1868	Apaches killed a mail carrier southeast of Pointer Mtn Stage Station.
1870	Tucson population at 3,215.
1872	Old Yuma Mine established.
1874	Reservation created for the Tohono O'odham.
1877	The Territorial Capital was moved out of Tucson back to Prescott.
1878	William Whitney Brazelton held up two stage coaches near Point of Mountain Station. (Near Avra Valley Rd)
1878	The Bojórquez Ranch was founded near what is now Silverbell and Cortaro Roads, is one of the areas last remaining examples of Territorial period Mexican ranches.
1880	The railroad arrived in Tucson.
1880	St Mary's Hospital was dedicated
1880	Tucson population at 7,007.
1882	Frank Stillwell killed by Wyatt Earp in a Tucson train yard.
1883	Robles Ranch established and will eventually become Three Points.
1884	Starr Pass Trail created and used by stagecoaches to transport goods, mail and passengers across the Tucson Mtns.
1884	The Arizona Historical Society was founded originally as the Society of Arizona Pioneers.
1887	An earthquake damaged San Xavier Mission.
1887	Frederic Remington published Sketches "Among the Papagos of San Xavier" after a visit to the area.
1890	Tucson population at 5,150.
1891	University of Arizona established.
1898	The Saginaw Mining Co. began working their claim.
1900	Tucson population at 7,531.
1906	Gould Mine established.
1903	The Desert Laboratory established at Tumamoc Hill by the Carnegie Institute to study desert plant life.
1910	Tucson population at 13,913.
1910	The movie industry came to Tucson. Vitagraph Company of America filmed "The Renunciation".
1912	Arizona became a state.
1913	Tucson's coldest day on record of 7 degrees on January 7.
1914	Mile Wide Mine established. Originally named Copper King.
1916	The "A" was built on Sentinel Peak (A Mountain).
1917	Elmer Staggs homesteaded Sanctuary Cove at the foot of Stafford Peak.
1919	Charles Reiniger embezzled $100,000 from the stockholders of the Mile Wide Mine. Disappeared.
1920	A court order closed the lime kilns operating in the Tucson Mountains.
1920	Tucson population at 20,292.
1924	The mysterious "Tucson Artifacts" were found near Silverbell and Sunset Rds.
1929	Tucson Mountain Park established and at the time was the largest county park in the country.
1930	Tucson population at 32,506.
1931	Newspaper editor Sherry Bowan started building the Stone House which still stands in Tucson Mountain Park.
1932	Cliff Adkins kidnapped Tucson banker Gordon Sawyer and is tracked down and apprehended at the Old Yuma Mine.
1933	Franklin Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corp opened Camp Pima.
1934	Tucson Mountain Association founded.
1939	Old Tucson Studios was built for the movie "Arizona" with Jean Arthur and William Holden.
1940	Mark Zimmerman acquired the White Stallion Ranch and converted it from a chicken/turkey ranch to a dude ranch.
1940	Tucson population at 36,818.
1940	The Carnegie Institute transferred the Desert Laboratory to the U.S. Forest Service.
1942	The Marana Army Air Field opened as a training site for the Army Air Corps. It became the largest pilot training center in the world at that time, training some 10,000 pilots. Currently named the Pinal County Airpark.
1944	The Bowens moved out of their Stone House.
1947	The bar that became Li'l Abners Steakhouse was founded by Dutches and Larry Lewis.
1948	Tucson Trap and Skeet incorporated.
1949	The Arizona Portland Cement Company began operations.
1950	Tucson population at 45,454.
1951	Ronald Reagan and Rhonda Fleming film "The Last Outpost" at Old Tucson.
1952	The Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum opened it's doors.
1954	Gould Mine closed . . . for the last time.
1955	Randolph Scott and Richard Boone film "Ten Wanted Men" at Old Tucson.
1957	Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster film "Shootout at the O.K. Corral" at Old Tucson.
1958	The Lone Ranger and Tonto film scenes for "The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold" at Old Tucson.
1959	John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan film "Rio Bravo" at Old Tucson.
1960	Bob Shelton opened the western theme park at Old Tucson Studios.
1960	Tucson population at 212,892.
1960	San Xavier del Bac became a National Historic Landmark.
1960	The University of Arizona purchased the Desert Laboratory from the U.S. Forest Service.
1961	President Kennedy created the Saguaro National Monument.
1963	San Xavier became a National Historic Landmark.
1963	John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara film "McLintock" at Old Tucson
1965	The True family acquired the White Stallion Ranch.
1965	Audie Murphy and Buster Crabbe film "Arizona Raiders" at Old Tucson.
1965	The Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill became a National Historic Landmark
1966	John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and James Caan film "El Dorado" at Old Tucson.
1966	Pima Community College established.
1966	The Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
1966	San Xavier Del Bac was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
1970	John Wayne, Jorge Rivero, Jennifer O'Niell and Jack Elam film "Rio Lobo", at Old Tucson
1970	Old Tucson acquired "The Reno". A Baldwin Steam Locomotive built in 1872 that has appeared in over 100 films.
1970	Tucson population at 262,933.
1970	Marana population at 1,154.
1971	Tucson's record snowfall of 6.8 inches on Dec. 8.
1972	Clint Eastwood and Robert Duvall film "Joe Kidd" at Old Tucson
1975	The rodeo arena constructed at Old Tucson.
1976	Silver Lake Park opened at Old Tucson featuring a haunted mine and rides for children.
1977	The town of Marana is incorporated and the first town council elected.
1978	The Pascua Yaqui Tribe gained recognition by the United States government.
1978	Santa Cruz Park installed one of the earliest disc golf courses in the nation.
1979	Tom Selleck, Sam Elliott, Glenn Ford and Ben Johnson film "The Sacketts" at Old Tucson.
1980	Tucson population at 330,537.
1980	Marana population at 1,647.
1983	The Bowen Stone House is incorporated into the Tucson Mountain Park.
1983	The flood of 1983 is caused by 7.5 inches of rain in 2 days and caused over 64 million in damages.
1986	Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short film "Three Amigos!" At Old Tucson.
1986	The Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute (SASI) was founded at the old Orcutt Ranch.
1988	International Wildlife Museum was founded.
1989	Nightfall was created at Old Tucson to celebrate Halloween.
1990	Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson film their music video "Highwaymen" at Old Tucson.
1990	Emilio Estevez, Keifer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips film "Young Guns II" at Old Tucson.
1991	Tucson's hottest day on record, 117 degrees on June 26.
1990	Marana Population at 2,187.
1990	Tucson population at 417,139.
1992	The Bray-Valenzuela House at 203 N Grande was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
1992	The Copper Bell Bed & Breakfast at 25 N. Westmoreland was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
1993	"Tombstone" was filmed at Old Tucson starring Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer and Sam Elliott.
1994	The Saguaro National Monument was elevated to National Park status.
1995	A fire destroys the northern half of Old Tucson Studios.
1996	Sweetwater Wetlands established.
2000	Tucson population at 484,997.
2000	Marana population at 14,301.
2001	Casino Del Sol opened it's doors.
2001	The federal government acquired the land surrounding Old Yuma Mine.
2004	Sweetwater Preserve established
2004	Los Morteros Conservation Area established.
2010	Tucson population at 520,116.
2010	The Tumamoc Hill Archaeological District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
2010	Marana population at 34,961.
2020	Old Tucson closes it's doors.
2020	Tucson population at 542,629.
2020	Marana population at 51,908
2022	American Heritage Railways reopens Old Tucson Studios