Tucson is a growing Southwestern metropolis of about a million people. Tucson lies in the borderland, a region that blends the cultures of the United States and Mexico, and has a long history of settlement by ancient Native American peoples, Spanish explorers and Anglo frontiersmen, according to the Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau Web site.

The English name Tucson derives from the Spanish name of the city, Tucsón, which was borrowed from the O'odham name Cuk Son, meaning "(at the) base of the black [hill]", a reference to an adjacent volcanic mountain.

History

Tucson was likely first visited by Paleo-Indians, known to have been in southern Arizona about 12,000 years ago. Recent archaeological excavations near the Santa Cruz River have turned up a village site dating from 4,000 years ago. The floodplain of the Santa Cruz River was extensively farmed during the Early Agricultural period, circa 1200 BC to AD 150.

Spanish Period

Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino visited the Santa Cruz River valley in 1692, and established the Mission San Xavier del Bac about seven miles upstream (south) from the site of the settlement of Tucson in 1700. The Spanish established a walled fortress, Presidio San Agustín de Tucson, on August 20, 1775 (near the present downtown Pima County Courthouse). At least three known battles ensued in Tucson between Apache warriors, Spanish colonists and Spanish soldiers.

Mexican Period

The town came to be called "Tucson" and became a part of the Mexican state of Occidente (Sonora after 1830) after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821.

United States Period

Tucson, and all of Arizona, remained part of the New Mexico Territory until February 24, 1863, when the Arizona Organic Act passed the Senate forming the Arizona Territory. In 1867, the territorial capital was moved to Tucson from Prescott, where it remained until 1877. In 1885, the University of Arizona was founded in Tucson - it was located in the countryside, outside the city limits of the time.

Economy

A significant portion of Tucson's economic development has been centered on the development of the University of Arizona, which is currently the second largest employer in the city. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, located on the southeastern edge of the city, also provides many jobs for Tucson residents. Its presence, as well as the presence of the US Army Intelligence Center (Fort Huachuca, the largest employer in the region in nearby Sierra Vista), has led to the growth of a significant number of high-tech industries, including government contractors, in the area.