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TUCSON, ARIZONA - USA
Tucson (pronounced tusʊn) is a city located in Pima County, Arizona. As of
the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 486,699. A July 1, 2002
Census estimate puts the city's population at 503,151. It is the largest
city in southern Arizona, and the second largest in the state after Phoenix.
Joined by I-10, Phoenix and Tucson are the two endpoints of a 100-mile long
corridor of increasingly suburbanized areas. Tucson is the county seat of
Pima County.
The name Tucson comes from the O'odham name
for the city, Chuk Shon, meaning "Black foothills" (a reference to Sentinel
Peak, better known as "A Mountain" because it sports a large letter A in
honor of the University of Arizona). Tucson is sometimes referred to as The
Old Pueblo.
Two United States Navy vessels have been named USS Tucson in honor of the
city.
History
Tucson was originally inhabited around roughly 7000 BC by early Paleo-Indians,
and later replaced by groups designated by archaeologists as the Hohokam.
The Mission San Xavier del Bac was founded in the area of present-day Tucson
in 1700 by the Spanish Jesuit missionary Father Eusebio Francisco Kino.
Tucson became a part of Mexico after Mexico gained independence from Spain
in 1821. Following the Gadsden purchase in 1853, Tucson became a part of the
United States. From August 1861, until mid-1862, Tucson was the capital of
the Confederate Territory of Arizona. Until 1863, Tucson and all of Arizona
was part of the New Mexico Territory. From 1867 to 1889, Tucson was the
capital of the Arizona Territory. The University of Arizona, located in
Tucson, was founded in 1885.
Geography
Tucson is located at 32°12'52" North, 110°55'5" West (32.214476,
-110.918192)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
505.3 km˛ (195.1 mi˛). 504.2 km˛ (194.7 mi˛) of it is land and 1.1 km˛ (0.4
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 0.22% water.
Its elevation is 2,389 ft (728 m) above sea level. Tucson is bounded by four
sets of mountains: the Catalina Mountains to the North, the Santa Rita
Mountains to the South, the Rincon Mountains to the East, and the Tucson
Mountains to the West.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 486,699 people, 192,891 households, and
112,455 families residing in the city. The population density is 965.3/km˛
(2,500.1/mi˛). There are 209,609 housing units at an average density of
415.7/km˛ (1,076.7/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 70.15% White,
4.33% Black or African American, 2.27% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.16%
Pacific Islander, 16.85% from other races, and 3.79% from two or more races.
35.72% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 192,891 households out of which 29.0% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 39.7% are married couples living together, 13.8%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% are non-families.
32.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.3% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.42 and the average family size is 3.12.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18,
13.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100
females there are 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $30,981, and the median
income for a family is $37,344. Males have a median income of $28,548 versus
$23,086 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,322. 18.4% of
the population and 13.7% of families are below the poverty line. Of all the
people living in poverty, 23.6% are under the age of 18 and 11.0% are 65 or
older.
Institutions
Tucson is home to the University of Arizona, a state-run land-grant
university which provides many jobs and economic stimulus to the local
economy. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, located on the southeastern edge of
the city, also provides many jobs for Tucson residents. The city's largest
private employer is the Raytheon missile factory
Attractions
Biosphere 2 is located north of the city.
Mission San Xavier del Bac, a historic Spanish mission, is 10 miles south of
the city.
Old Tucson Studios, a movie studio for classic Westerns and a theme park, is
located west of the Tucson Mountains.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a zoo devoted to Southwestern animals and
plants, is located to the west of the Tucson Mountains.
Pima Air & Space Museum, featuring over 250 modern and historical aircraft,
is located to the southeast of the city near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
The Titan Missile Museum, a Cold War era Titan nuclear missle silo turned
tourist stop, is located several miles south of the city along Interstate
19.
4th Avenue, near the University of Arizona, is home to many shops,
restaurants, and bars. Hosts the 4th Avenue Street Fair in December and
March.
Tucson Botanical Garden
Sabino Canyon is a scenic hiking destination, with some areas that are quite
lush considering the local climate.
Saguaro National Park has sections east and west of the city.
The University of Arizona campus has an arboretum and several museums.
Annual gem & mineral show
The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is held every year in February for two weeks (open
+ one week for professionals). It is one of the largest and most well-known
gem and mineral shows anywhere, and it features the many of the finest
mineral specimens available. There is no single location for display of
minerals, but rather dozens of locations spread across town: many big hotels
and most motels are occupied for the occasion, professionals even display
their specimens in hotel bedrooms, lobbies, under tents, and on lawns. The
show has an estimated attendance of more than 35,000 people from over twenty
countries. Attendees frequently include the general public, experts,
beginning collectors, museum employees, dealers, retailers, and researchers.
Many museums and universities, including the Smithsonian Institution and the
Sorbonne, have displayed materials at the show.
Famous current or former residents
Paul McCartney - musician (The Beatles)
Linda Ronstadt - musician
John Denver - musician
Lute Olson - highly successful college basketball coach
Richard Carmona - current US surgeon general
Andrew Weil - doctor well known for promoting alternative medicine
Sean Elliott - professional basketball player
Gary Shandling - comic
Barbara Kingsolver - novelist
Tedy Bruschi - professional football player
Ted DeGrazia - painter
Lee Marvin - actor
Brooke Burke - model, TV host
Charlie Fina - professional football player
Greg Kinear - actor
Edward Abbey - author
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