Tubac is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) in
Santa Cruz County,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, United States. The population was 1,191 at the
2010 census.
The place name "Tubac" is an English borrowing from a
Hispanicized
Hispanicization ( es, hispanización) refers to the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by Hispanic culture or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-Hispanic becomes Hispanic. Hispanicization is il ...
form of the
O'odham
The O'odham peoples, including the Tohono O'odham, the Pima or Akimel O'odham, and the Hia C-ed O'odham, are indigenous Uto-Aztecan peoples of the Sonoran desert in southern and central Arizona and northern Sonora, united by a common herita ...
name ''Cuwak'', which translates into English as "place of dark water". When first taken into Spanish speech, it was spelled ''Tubaca''. Finally, over time, the latter "a" was dropped. Tubac is situated on the
Santa Cruz River.
Tubac was the original
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
colonial
Colonial or The Colonial may refer to:
* Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology)
Architecture
* American colonial architecture
* French Colonial
* Spanish Colonial architecture
Automobiles
* Colonial (1920 au ...
garrison in Arizona. It was depopulated during the
O'odham Uprising in the 18th century. During the 19th century, the area was repopulated by miners, farmers and ranchers, but the town of Tubac is best known today as an artists' colony.
Geography
Tubac is located at (31.625462, -111.051921).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the CDP has a total area of , all land.
History
Established in 1752 as a Spanish
presidio
A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th century, 16th and 18th century, 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Captaincy Genera ...
, the first
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
colonial garrison in what is now
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, Tubac was one of the stops on the
Camino Real (the "Royal Road") from Mexico to the Spanish settlements in
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
Tubac's most famous Spanish resident was
Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto (July 6 or 7, 1736 – December 19, 1788) was an expeditionary leader, military officer, and politician primarily in California and New Mexico under the Spanish Empire. He is credited as one of the founding fa ...
. While stationed at Tubac (1760–1776), de Anza built the chapel of Santa Gertrudis, the foundations of which lie beneath today's St. Ann's Church.
Apache
The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...
s attacked the town repeatedly in the 1840s, forcing the
Sonora
Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...
n Mexicans to abandon both
Tumacacori and Tubac.
Tubac was the scene of a four-day
siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...
in 1861, between Tubac's male population,
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
militia and Apache warriors.
The Confederates won and the Confederate flag used by the headquarters in Richmond was raised. When Union troops then started to approach Tucson the Confederate troops left Tubac. There the town laid abandoned; grass grew in the streets and the adobe houses crumbled away.
In the 1930s–1960s Tubac became an art colony. Painter
Dale Nichols
Dale Nichols (July 13, 1904 – October 19, 1995), also published under his full name, Dale William Nichols, was an American visual artist whose works included illustrations, paintings, lithographs, and wood carvings. He is best known for his wo ...
opened an art school in the small desert village in 1948 and restored some of Tubac's historic buildings. Students included watercolorist Al Romo and sculptor Bob Brisley. In 1961, the Santa Cruz Valley Art Association was formed with 80 members and the group founded the Tubac Festival of the Arts in 1964. Other significant artists in the Village included
Sophie and Harwood Steiger,
Hal Empie and Hugh Cabot.
Attractions
The remains of the old Spanish
presidio
A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th century, 16th and 18th century, 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Captaincy Genera ...
are preserved by
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, located in Tubac, Arizona, US, preserves the ruins of the Presidio San Ignacio de Tubac and various other buildings, thereby presenting a timeline of human settlement in this Southern Arizona town. The park ...
. The park also features a regional museum, an underground archeology display, and other historic buildings. Modern Tubac is home to over 100 art galleries, home decor boutiques, gift shops, jewelers, potters, and artists of every kind. There is a very active art school, many restaurants, and a golf resort nestled along a verdant valley with one of the oldest stands of cottonwoods in the state.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 1,191 people residing in Tubac. The racial makeup of Tubac was 76.7%
non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic whites or Non-Latino whites are Americans who are classified as "white", and are not of Hispanic (also known as "Latino") heritage. The United States Census Bureau defines ''white'' to include European Americans, Middle Eastern Amer ...
, 0.6%
Native American, 0.4%
Black or African American, 0.59%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 6.5% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.1% from two or more races. 20.7% of the population were
Hispanic or Latino
''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...
of any race.
In Tubac 1.5% of the population was age 0–4, 4.7% from 5 to 17, 51.0% from 18 to 64, and 42.5% 65 years of age or older. The population of Tubac is 52.4% female and 47.6% male.
2000 census
As of the census
of 2000, there were 949 people, 481 households, and 303 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 569 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.7% White, 1.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 9.0% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. 18.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 481 households, out of which 12.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 2.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.45.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 12.3% under the age of 18, 2.5% from 18 to 24, 12.1% from 25 to 44, 37.8% from 45 to 64, and 35.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $39,444, and the median income for a family was $59,375. Males had a median income of $36,528 versus $30,268 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the CDP was $46,643. About 2.1% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including none of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Historic ruins and structures in Tubac
This is a list with images of historic ruins and structures in Tubac which includes the Presidio Captains Quarters, St. Ann's Catholic Church, the Tubac schoolhouse and various historic residences. Also, included are displays of historical significance on display in the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park Museum and in the museum's underground.
The historic Tubac schoolhouse and inside furnishings
Notable people
Congressman
Will Rogers, Jr.
William Vann Rogers, generally known as Will Rogers Jr. (October 20, 1911 – July 9, 1993), was an American politician, writer, and newspaper publisher. He was the eldest son of humorist Will Rogers (1879–1935) and Betty Blake Rogers (1879– ...
retired to a ranch near Tubac and is buried at the Tubac Cemetery.
Tubac's 'cementery': Fascinating, right down to the name
''Green Valley News''
References
External links
Henry F. Dobyns, "Tubac Through Four Centuries"
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Museum
"Through Our Parents' Eyes: History & Culture of Southern Arizona"
{{authority control
Census-designated places in Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Populated places in the Sonoran Desert
Populated places established in 1752
1752 establishments in New Spain
Census-designated places in Arizona