Tubac Travel Guide
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45 miles S of Tucson; 21 miles N of Nogales; 84 miles W of Sierra Vista
Located in the fertile valley of the Santa Cruz River 45 miles south of Tucson, Tubac is one of Arizona's largest arts communities. The town's old buildings house more than 80 shops selling fine arts, crafts, unusual gifts, and lots of Southwest souvenirs. This concentration of shops, artist studios, and galleries makes Tubac one of southern Arizona's most popular destinations, and a small retirement community is beginning to develop.
In 1691, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino established Tumacacori as one of the first Spanish missions in what would eventually become Arizona. At that time, Tubac was a Pima Indian village, but by the 1730s, the Spanish had begun settling here in the region they called Pimeria Alta. After a Pima uprising in 1751, Spanish forces were sent into the area to protect the settlers, and in 1752 Tubac became a presidio (fort).
Although the European history of this area is more than 300 years old, the area's human habitation dates far back into prehistory. Archaeologists have found evidence that there have been people living along the Santa Cruz River for nearly 10,000 years. The Hohokam lived in the area from about A.D. 300 until their mysterious disappearance around 1500, and when the Spanish arrived some 200 years later, they found the Pima people inhabiting this region.
Tubac's other claim to fame is as the site from which Juan Bautista de Anza III, the second commander of the presidio, set out in 1775 to find an overland route to California. De Anza led 240 settlers and more than 1,000 head of cattle on this grueling expedition, and when the group finally reached the coast of California, they founded the settlement of San Francisco. A year after de Anza's journey to the Pacific, the garrison was moved from Tubac to Tucson, and, with no protection, Tubac's settlers moved away from the area. Soldiers were once again stationed here beginning in 1787, but lack of funds caused the closure of the presidio again when, in 1821, Mexican independence brought Tubac under a new flag. It was not until this region became U.S. territory that settlers returned, and by 1860, Tubac was the largest town in Arizona.
After visiting Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Tumacacori National Historical Park to learn about the area's history, you'll probably want to spend some time browsing through the shops. Keep in mind, however, that many of the local artists leave town in summer, prompting many local shops to close on weekdays in the summer, so, if you visit during the summer, it's best to visit on weekends. The shops are open daily during the busy season of October through May.
