The name Tucson is derived from a Tohono O’Odham (Papago) term roughly translated as "spring at the foot of black mountain." Native American peoples had long lived in the Santa Cruz Valley when first contacted by Europeans. Spanish Jesuit Eusebio Kino encountered a Native American settlement on the site of Tucson in 1694; he returned in 1700 to found the Mission San Xavier del Bac to the south of the village. A fine example of Spanish mission architecture, the mission on the Tohono O’Odham Indian Reservation is one of the region’s principal attractions. In 1776 the Spanish established a presidio, or military garrison, at Tucson, and a town eventually developed within its walls. Control of the region passed from Spain when Mexico gained independence in 1821; Tucson became a possession of the United States with the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. In 1862, during the American Civil War, the town was held briefly by Confederate soldiers. Tucson served as the capital of the Arizona Territory from 1867 to 1877. The city was reached by railroad in 1880. The city’s growth accelerated after World War II (1939-1945), as many military people who had been stationed nearby returned to live. Retirees and companies have also relocated to the city.

Tucson covers a land area of 195 sq mi, with a mean elevation of 2,437 ft.

Real Estate: United States - Arizona

Cottage & Cabin Rentals: Arizona