Things to do / Travel Guide
Despite the rugged terrain and harsh climatic conditions, people have been living in southern Arizona for thousands of years. The ancient Hohokam Indians, Spanish Conquistadors, Franciscan missionaries, and Old West fortune-seekers have all left their mark.
Historical Attractions around Phoenix
Heritage Square, located in central Phoenix, is one spot where you'll be able to catch a rare glimpse of historic Phoenix. The Victorian-style Rosson House, once the most elegant home in the city, has been meticulously restored to its original appearance. Eight other 19th and early 20th century homes now house museums and restaurants.
Railroad fans will enjoy a visit to the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, located in Scottsdale, where visitors can hop on the 5/12-scale replicas of famous trains from the past and ride around the theme park. Also on display are several full-sized replicas of old train stations and a real Pullman Car that transported U.S. presidents in the days before air travel became the norm; Herbert Hoover, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower were but a few of it's distinguished guests.
The Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum brings the frontier back to life. The little town, located just 30 minutes from downtown Phoenix, includes roughly 20 authentic structures (like an opera house, blacksmith's shop, a jail, a ranch complex, etc.) that date from the late 1880s where craftspeople still ply their trades. Although mountain men and gunfighters do make an appearance, the emphasis at this museum is on historical accuracy, as opposed to the less authentic Hollywood version of the “Wild West” offered at some of the nearby theme parks.
Overlooking the Roosevelt Lake are two cliff dwellings constructed by the Salado Indians, who lived in the area from about 1150-1450 A.D. Known as the Tonto National Monument, a Visitor Center at the site explains how the tribe lived. A self-guided trail, which is a 350-foot climb up a paved road, will take you to the Lower Ruin, where you can explore the rooms inside this cave. It takes about one hour to get there and see the ruins. The Upper Ruin can be viewed only by prior arrangement with the Ranger guides, who lead a three-hour tour of the site.
The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, located about 45 miles southeast of Phoenix, was built by the Hohokam tribe thousands of years ago. Some 2,800 tons of mud went into building the 11 rooms that comprise Arizona's biggest and most puzzling prehistoric structure, which is the only structure of its type that is still standing. Casa Grande, or the “Big House,” is the U.S.'s first archeological preserve, it was created by order of President Harrison and became the first prehistoric and cultural site to be established. Archeologists surmise that it was used for ceremonies or astronomical observations. At the Visitor Center you will learn about the Hohokam tribe and their sophisticated irrigation and farming techniques. Not to be confused with the modern town called Casa Grande, the monument is located one mile north of Coolidge.
The Gila River Arts and Crafts Center, located on the Gila River Reservation, about 30 miles southeast of Phoenix, is an excellent place to learn about the history and crafts of the region's Native American residents. On display are traditional structures of the Hohokam, Pima, Maricopa, Tohono O'odham, and Apache tribes.
Historical Attractions around Tucson
Exploring two historic areas of Tucson, the El Presidio and Barrio Historic Districts, is a great way to get a taste of 19th century life in the “Old Pueblo.” The Edward Nye Fish House, which now houses the Jack Goodman Pavilion of Western Art, has solid adobe walls that are more than 2½-feet thick and 15-foot ceilings. La Casa Cordova, an adobe structure that dates from 1848, is one of the oldest houses in Tucson and its interior rooms have been restored to reflect life in the 1880s. An excellent example of the Mission Revival, or Spanish Mediterranean, style is the Corbett House, built in 1907 on the site of the original presido (fort) wall built by the Spanish in the 18th century. The impressive St. Augustine Cathedral, which is modeled after the Cathedral of Queretaro on Mexico, is located in the southern section.
Mission San Xavier Del Bac, known as the “White Dove of the Desert,” is an outstanding example of Mexican folk baroque that was built in the late 18th century by Franciscan missionaries. When the Franciscans ran out of money, they improvised and painted parts of the inside to look like marble and glazed tiles. A museum inside the mission gives the history of this southern Arizona landmark. To get there from Tucson, drive south on I-19 for about nine miles and follow the signs.
Historical Attractions South of Tucson
Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday made Tombstone famous, after their 1881 shoot-out at the O.K. Corral. Today, you can recapture the “Wild West” atmosphere of “the town too tough to die” with visits to the Helldorado Outdoor Amphitheater, where the gunfight is recreated, the Boot Hill Graveyard, where the losers are buried, and, of course, the O.K. Corral itself. You can also stop and smell the roses of the world's largest rosebush, planted way back in 1885.
Bisbee began back in the late 1800's as a mining town for copper, silver, and gold. The little town continued to thrive through the middle of the 20th century until the closing of mining operations in the 1970s. As property values plummeted artists began to flock to the area and were ultimately responsible for the town's renewal. Historic Bisbee is well preserved and showcases a number of examples of both Victorian and Art Deco architecture.
In addition to its more than 80 shops and galleries, Tubac is also the site of a presidio (fort), which Spanish colonizers built in 1752. Models of the presidio can be found at the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, whose museum also houses the printing press used in 1859 to print Arizona's first newspaper and a circa 1885 schoolhouse.
Historical Sites in Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, Tombstone and Southern Arizona
Historical-Sites
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