The following is a

timeline A timeline is a display of a list of events in chronological order. It is typically a graphic design showing a long bar labelled with dates paralleling it, and usually contemporaneous events. Timelines can use any suitable scale represen ...

of the

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

of the city of

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

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 ...

, U.S.

18th century

* 1732 –

Mission San Xavier del Bac Mission San Xavier del Bac ( es, La Misión de San Xavier del Bac) is a historic Spanish Catholic mission located about south of downtown Tucson, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham Nation San Xavier Indian Reservation. The mission was founded in 16 ...

founded by Jesuits near present-day Tucson. * 1776 –

Presidio San Augustin del Tucson A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...

(military outpost) established. * 1779 – December 6: First Battle of Tucson. * 1782 ** May 1: Second Battle of Tucson. ** December 25: Third Battle of Tucson (1782). * 1784 – March 21: Fourth Battle of Tucson, Sonora, New Spain.

19th century

* 1846 – December 16: Capture of Tucson, Sonora,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, by United States forces. * 1848 – Population: 760. * 1853 –

Territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

becomes part of the United States per Gadsden Purchase. * 1856 – August 29: Conference held to organize Arizona Territory. * 1857 – San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line in operation. * 1862 ** February: Tucson occupied by

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 ...

forces. ** May 20: Capture of Tucson by

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

forces. * 1863 – Tully, Ochoa & Co.

merchandisers A merchandiser is an arcade gaming device, which features a machine that contains a display of merchandise, which can be won by playing the game. In the trade, such games are described as " skill with prize" (SWP) games, and are a hybrid of games ...

in business. * 1866 – L. Zechendorf & Co. merchandisers in business. * 1867 – Tucson becomes capital of Arizona Territory. * 1869 – St. Augustine Roman

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

built. * 1870 ** '' Arizona Citizen'' newspaper begins publication. ** J.S. Mansfield news depot in business. * 1872 ** Public School department organized. ** Population: 3,500 (estimate). * 1873 ** San Diego-Tucson telegraph begins operating (approximate date). **

Fort Lowell Fort Lowell was a United States Army post active from 1873 to 1891 on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona. Fort Lowell was the successor to Camp Lowell, an earlier Army installation.http://www.oflna.org/fort_lowell_museum/ftlowell.htm Fort Lowell, ...

built near Tucson. * 1875 –

Estevan Ochoa Estevan Ochoa (March 17, 1831 – October 27, 1888) was a Mexican-born American businessman and politician who participated in the creation of the Arizona Territory. Biography Ochoa was born to Jesus Ochoa in Chihuahua, Mexico on March 17, 183 ...

elected mayor. * 1876 –

Pie Allen John Brackett "Pie" Allen (October 22, 1818 – June 13, 1899) was an American prospector, businessman, and politician. Unsuccessful in his efforts as a prospector, he earned his nickname baking pies for settlers and soldiers in Arizona Ter ...

becomes mayor. * 1877 – Town incorporated. * 1878 – ''El Fronterizo'' newspaper begins publication. * 1879 ** '' Arizona Daily Star'' newspaper begins publication. ** Presbyterian Church built. * 1880 ** Southern Pacific Railroad begins operating. ** Tucson Library Association organized. ** St. Mary's Hospital opens near town. ** Population: 7,007. * 1881 ** Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad begins operating. ** Methodist Church built. * 1882 – March 20:

Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848 – January 13, 1929) was an American lawman and gambler in the American West, including Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. Earp took part in the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which l ...

kills

Frank Stilwell Frank C. Stilwell (1856 – March 20, 1882) was an outlaw Cowboy who killed at least two men in Cochise County during 1877–82. Both killings were considered to have been self-defense. For four months he was a deputy sheriff in Tombstone, A ...

. * 1883 – City chartered. Townsite is bounded by Speedway Boulevard on the north, 22nd Street on the south, 1st Avenue on the east, & on the west by Main Avenue from north of 18th Street, & 10th Avenue from south of 18th Street. * 1885 – The first public park in Tucson known as Carrillo's Gardens is built by Leopoldo Carrillo. * 1890 – Population: 5,150. * 1891 –

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...

opens per

Morrill Act The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges in U.S. states using the proceeds from sales of federally-owned land, often obtained from indigenous tribes through treaty, cession, or s ...

; Old Main, University of Arizona built. * 1893 –

Arizona State Museum The Arizona State Museum (ASM), founded in 1893, was originally a repository for the collection and protection of archaeological resources. Today, however, ASM stores artifacts, exhibits them and provides education and research opportunities. It ...

established. * 1897 –

Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson ( la, Dioecesis Tucsonensis, es, Diócesis de Tucson) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southwestern region of the United States. It is a suffragan see of the Metro ...

established; Cathedral of Saint Augustine (Tucson) built. * 1900 – Population: 7,531.

20th century

* 1903 – Desert Laboratory founded. * 1907 –

Southern Pacific The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...

railway station built. * 1910 – Population: 13,193. * 1912 – City becomes part of

new New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

State of Arizona. * 1919 ** City airfield established. ** Hotel Congress in business. * 1920 –

Rialto Theatre (Arizona) The Rialto Theatre is a performance theater and concert venue located on Congress Street in downtown Tucson, Pima County, southern Arizona. The cinema−theater and surrounding Rialto Building commercial block were listed on the National Regist ...

opens. * 1927 **

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, author, inventor, and activist. On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, a distance o ...

visits city. ** Temple of Music & Art built. * 1928 –

James A. Walsh United States Courthouse The James A. Walsh United States Courthouse, also or formerly named U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, is a historic post office and courthouse building located at Tucson at Pima County, Arizona. It was a courthouse of the United States District Cour ...

built. * 1929 **

Pima County Courthouse Pima County Courthouse is the former main county courthouse building in downtown Tucson, Arizona. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by Roy Place in 1928 in Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival sty ...

and Consolidated National Bank building constructed. ** Pioneer Hotel in business. * 1930 **

Fox Tucson Theatre The Fox Tucson Theatre is located in downtown Tucson, Arizona, United States. The theater opened on April 11, 1930 as a performance space in downtown Tucson. It hosts a wide spectrum of events and concerts featuring a variety of performing talen ...

and Plaza Theater (Tucson) open. ** Arizona Inn built. * 1933 –

Henry Jaastad Henry O. Jaastad (1872–1965) was an influential Tucson, Arizona architect. His firm created over 500 buildings and Jaastad was Mayor of Tucson for 14 years. A number of his works are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places for ...

becomes mayor. * 1940 ** Tucson Army Air Field established. **

South Tucson South Tucson is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States and an enclave of the much larger city of Tucson. South Tucson is known for being heavily influenced by Hispanic, and especially Mexican, culture; restaurants and shops which sell tr ...

incorporates as a city. * 1941 –

Davis–Monthan Air Force Base Davis–Monthan Air Force Base (DM AFB) is a United States Air Force base southeast of downtown Tucson, Arizona. It was established in 1925 as Davis–Monthan Landing Field. The host unit for Davis–Monthan AFB is the 355th Wing (355 WG) assi ...

established. * 1950 – Catalina Highway constructed. * 1952 –

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a 98-acre (40 ha) zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, natural history museum, publisher, and art gallery founded in 1952. Located just west of Tucson, Arizona, it features two miles (3.2 km) of walking path ...

founded. * 1954 – Hirsh's Shoes (shop) built. * 1955 **

Don Hummel Don Hummel (September 8, 1907 – August 18, 1988) was an American businessman and politician. Don Hummel served as the mayor of Tucson, Arizona from 1955 through 1961, where he is remembered for pushing an aggressive annexation program that ...

becomes mayor. ** Southern Pacific 1673 train exhibit opens. * 1956 –

Tucson Air National Guard Base Tucson International Airport is a civil-military airport owned by the City of Tucson south of downtown Tucson, in Pima County, Arizona, United States. It is the second busiest airport in Arizona, after Phoenix Sky Harbor International Air ...

active. * 1960 **

University of Arizona Poetry Center The University of Arizona Poetry Center in Tucson, Arizona, is among the most extensive collections of contemporary poetry in the United States. It is the largest such collection which is "open shelf." History of the collection and the center The ...

founded. **

Old Tucson Studios Old Tucson (formerly Old Tucson Studios) is an American movie studio and theme park just west of Tucson, Arizona, adjacent to the Tucson Mountains and close to the western portion of Saguaro National Park. Built in 1939 for the movie ''Arizona'' ...

theme park and

El Con Mall El Con Center is an open-air shopping mall in the city of Tucson, Arizona, United States anchored by Cinemark Theatres, Target, The Home Depot, Walmart, Ross (30,220 ft.2), Burlington (65,680 ft.2), and Marshalls. There is 1 vacant an ...

in business. * 1962 – Phoenix Title Building constructed. * 1963 –

Tucson International Airport Tucson International Airport is a civil-military airport owned by the City of Tucson south of downtown Tucson, in Pima County, Arizona, United States. It is the second busiest airport in Arizona, after Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airp ...

begins operating. * 1964 –

Tucson Botanical Gardens The Tucson Botanical Gardens is a 5.5 acre (2.2 ha) collection of sixteen residentially scaled urban gardens in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Paths connect these gardens, which include a Zen Garden, a Prehistoric Garden, a Barrio Garden, a B ...

founded. * 1965 – DeGrazia Gallery built. * 1967 **

University of Arizona College of Medicine A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

and Reid Park Zoo founded. **

Jim Corbett (politician) James Nielson Corbett Jr. (September 26, 1924 – June 30, 2007) was an Arizona politician. He was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives from 1956 to 1958, the Tucson City Council from 1963 to 1967, and then Tucson City Mayor from 1967 ...

becomes mayor. ** Tucson Federal Savings & Loan Association Building constructed. * 1969 –

Pima Community College Pima Community College (PCC) is a public community college in Pima County, Arizona. It serves the Tucson metropolitan area with a community college district consisting of five campuses, four education centers, and several adult education learnin ...

established. * 1971 ** Tucson Opera Company and Food Conspiracy Co-op founded. ** Tucson Community Center built. * 1972 – Planetary Science Institute founded. * 1975 – Center for Creative Photography established. * 1976 – Tucson Community Food Ba

and

Pima Air & Space Museum The Pima Air & Space Museum, located in Tucson, Arizona, is one of the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museums. The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres (320,000 m²) on a campus oc ...

established. * 1977 –

Bank of America Plaza (Tucson) The Bank of America Plaza (formally Arizona Bank Plaza) is a high-rise office building which was built in 1977 and is located in downtown Tucson, Arizona. It was designed by Friedman & Jobusch and built by DEFCO Construction Company. It took over ...

built. * 1978 –

Arizona State Prison Complex – Tucson Arizona State Prison Complex – Tucson is one of 13 prison facilities operated by the Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC). ASPC–Tucson is located in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, 127 miles south from the state capital of Phoenix, Arizona. ...

in operation. * 1982 **

Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson The Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson (FCI Tucson) is a medium-security United States federal prison for male inmates with an administrative facility for male and female offenders. It is part of the Tucson Federal Correctional Complex (FCC ...

in operation. **

Tucson Mall Tucson Mall is the largest shopping mall in Tucson, Arizona. Tucson Mall features over 170 stores and two levels of indoor shopping. It is anchored by Forever 21 (formerly Mervyn's), J. C. Penney, Macy's (formerly Goldwaters Foley's and Robinsons- ...

and Casas Adobes

Foothills Mall (Arizona) Foothills Mall is an indoor regional shopping mall located in Casas Adobes, Arizona, United States, with a Tucson postal address. Foothills Mall is a dead mall with capacity for over 90 stores and outlets for consumers and/or tourists, along with ...

in business. * 1984 – Channel 12 government access TV begins broadcasting (approximate date). * 1985 – Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation established. * 1986 –

One South Church One South Church (formally United Bank Tower and UniSource Energy Tower) is a 23 story office building located in Tucson, Arizona. At 23 stories high, One South Church is the tallest building in Tucson, and is a prominent fixture in the city's ...

built. * 1987 – Thomas Volgy becomes mayor. * 1990 – Population: 405,390. * 1991 ** Biosphere 2 built. **

George Miller (Arizona politician) George Miller (October 24, 1922December 25, 2014) was an American politician who served as the mayor of Tucson, Arizona from 1991 until December 6, 1999. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He received both a bachelor's degree and master's ...

becomes mayor. * 1996 **

Goodricke-Pigott Observatory The Goodricke-Pigott Observatory is a private astronomical observatory in Tucson, Arizona. It was formally dedicated on October 26, 1996, and observations began that evening with imaging of Comet Hale–Bopp. The observatory is named after Joh ...

dedicated. **

Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Tucson, Arizona, United States, was founded in 1997, by Julia Latane, James Graham, and David Wright. The museum was founded to create a permanent institution for contemporary art in Tucson's arts distri ...

founded. * 1998 ** City website online (approximate date). ** Park Place (Tucson, Arizona) shopping mall in business. * 1999 –

Bob Walkup Robert E. Walkup (November 14, 1936 – March 12, 2021) was an American politician who served as the 40th mayor of Tucson from 1999 to 2011. Early life and career Walkup was born in Ames, Iowa, on November 14, 1936. His father was a professo ...

becomes mayor.

21st century

* 2001 – Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater opens. * 2004 ** La Encantada shopping center in business. ** October 5: Murder of Brian Stidham. * 2005 **

Jewish History Museum (Tucson) The Jewish History Museum, formerly known as the Jewish Heritage Center of the Southwest, is a museum housed in a historic synagogue building in Tucson, Arizona. The museum's building, which housed the first synagogue in the Arizona Territory, i ...

established. ** Southern Arizona Transportation Museum dedicated. * 2007 **

United States Penitentiary, Tucson The United States Penitentiary, Tucson (USP Tucson) is a high-security United States federal prison for male inmates in Arizona. It is part of the Tucson Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Tucson) and is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, ...

in operation. * 2010 ** Con-Nichiwa anime convention begins. ** Population: 520,116. * 2011 ** January 8:

Shooting Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missiles ...

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

Gabby Giffords Gabrielle Dee Giffords (born June 8, 1970) is an American retired politician and gun control advocate who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives representing from January 2007 until January 2012, when she resigned ...

and eighteen others in Casas Adobes. ** January 12:

Barack Obama Tucson memorial speech Barack Obama, then-president of the United States, delivered a speech at the ''Together We Thrive: Tucson and America'' memorial on January 12, 2011, held in the McKale Center on the University of Arizona campus. It honored the victims of the 201 ...

. ** May 5: Jose Guerena shooting. ** November 8: Tucson mayoral election, 2011. ** December 5:

Jonathan Rothschild Jonathan Rothschild (born 1955) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 41st mayor of Tucson, Arizona from 2011 to 2019. From 2001 to 2011, Rothschild was managing partner at the law firm Mesch Clark Rothschild. Early life and edu ...

becomes mayor. ** Casino Del Sol Hotel Tower and UniSource Energy Building constructed. * 2013 – Armed Citizens Project active.

References

Bibliography

;Published in 19th century * * * * * * ;Published in 20th century * * * * * *

External links

* Arizona State University Libraries
Items related to Tucson
in the Hayden Arizona Collection * Arizona Archives Online
Materials related to Tucson
various dates * Library of Congress, Prints & Photos Division
Materials related to Tucson
various dates * Digital Public Library of America
Items related to Tucson
various dates {{coord, 32.222, -110.926, type:city, display=title