Tubac

History

Established in 1752 as a Spanish presidio, the first Spanish colonial garrison in what is now Arizona, Tubac was one of the stops on the Camino Real (the "Royal Road") from Mexico to the Spanish settlements in California. Tubac's most famous Spanish resident was Juan Bautista de Anza. While stationed at Tubac (1760–1776), de Anza built the chapel of Santa Gertrudis, the foundations of which lie beneath today's St. Ann's Church. Apaches attacked the town repeatedly in the 1840s, forcing the Sonoran Mexicans to abandon both Tumacacori and Tubac. Tubac was the scene of a four-day siege in 1861 among the population of Tubac, Confederate militia, and Apache warriors. The Confederates won and the Confederate flag used by the headquarters in Richmond was raised. When Union troops then started to approach Tucson, the Confederate troops left Tubac. There the town lay abandoned; grass grew in the streets and the adobe houses crumbled away. From the 1930s–1960s, Tubac evolved into an art colony. Painter Dale Nichols opened an art school in the small desert village in 1948 and restored some of Tubac's historic buildings. Students included watercolorist Al Romo and sculptor Bob Brisley. In 1955, artist Ross Stefan established a studio in the village. In 1961, the Santa Cruz Valley Art Association was formed with 80 members. This group founded the Tubac Festival of the Arts in 1964. Other significant artists in the Village included Sophie and Harwood Steiger, Hal Empie and Hugh Cabot.

Geography

Tubac is located at (31.625462, -111.051921). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Lesser Goldfinch

  Spinus psaltria (Say, 1822) · Aves
  58,611
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  55,239
• White-winged Dove

  Zenaida asiatica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  49,010
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  47,648
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  47,272
• Broad-billed Hummingbird

  Cynanthus latirostris Swainson, 1827 · Aves
  45,515
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  44,598
• Bridled Titmouse

  Baeolophus wollweberi (Bonaparte, 1850) · Aves
  43,128

Largest nearby schools

• Rio Rico High School
  High · Rio Rico · 1,414 students · 25.7:1 ratio
• Coatimundi Middle School
  Middle · RIO RICO · 473 students · 18.9:1 ratio
• Mountain View School
  Elementary · RIO RICO · 387 students · 20.4:1 ratio
• Montessori De Santa Cruz - St. Ann's Hall
  Elementary · AMADO · 69 students
• PCJTED - Rio Rico High School
  High · RIO RICO
• Santa Cruz Valley Digital Learning Program
  Other · RIO RICO

Most recent

• M 3.1 — 2023-09-28
  21 km E of Tanque Verde, Arizona