Timeline of Tucson, Arizona

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Tucson, Arizona, U.S.

18th century

 * 1732 – Mission San Xavier del Bac founded by Jesuits near present-day Tucson.
 * 1776 – Presidio San Augustin del Tucson (military outpost) established.
 * 1779 – December 6: First Battle of Tucson.
 * 1782
 * May 1: Second Battle of Tucson.
 * December 25: Third Battle of Tucson (1782).
 * 1784 – March 21: Fourth Battle of Tucson, Sonora, New Spain.

19th century

 * 1846 – December 16: Capture of Tucson, Sonora, Mexico, by United States forces.
 * 1848 – Population: 760.
 * 1853 – Territory becomes part of the United States per Gadsden Purchase.
 * 1856 – August 29: Conference held to organize Arizona Territory.
 * 1857 – San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line in operation.
 * 1862
 * February: Tucson occupied by Confederate forces.
 * May 20: Capture of Tucson by Union forces.
 * 1863 – Tully, Ochoa & Co. merchandisers in business.
 * 1866 – L. Zechendorf & Co. merchandisers in business.
 * 1867 – Tucson becomes capital of Arizona Territory.
 * 1869 – St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church built.
 * 1870
 * Arizona Citizen newspaper begins publication.
 * J.S. Mansfield news depot in business.
 * 1872
 * Public School department organized.
 * Population: 3,500 (estimate).
 * 1873
 * San Diego-Tucson telegraph begins operating (approximate date).
 * Fort Lowell built near Tucson.
 * 1875 – Estevan Ochoa elected mayor.
 * 1876 – Pie Allen becomes mayor.
 * 1877 – Town incorporated.
 * 1878 – El Fronterizo newspaper begins publication.
 * 1879
 * Arizona Daily Star newspaper begins publication.
 * Presbyterian Church built.
 * 1880
 * Southern Pacific Railroad begins operating.
 * Tucson Library Association organized.
 * St. Mary's Hospital opens near town.
 * Population: 7,007.
 * 1881
 * Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad begins operating.
 * Methodist Church built.
 * 1882 – March 20: Wyatt Earp kills Frank Stilwell.
 * 1883 – City chartered. Townsite is bounded by Speedway Boulevard on the north, 22nd Street on the south, 1st Avenue on the east, & on the west by Main Avenue from north of 18th Street, & 10th Avenue from south of 18th Street.
 * 1885 – The first public park in Tucson known as Carrillo's Gardens is built by Leopoldo Carrillo.
 * 1890 – Population: 5,150.
 * 1891 – University of Arizona opens per Morrill Act; Old Main, University of Arizona built.
 * 1893 – Arizona State Museum established.
 * 1897 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson established; Cathedral of Saint Augustine (Tucson) built.
 * 1900 – Population: 7,531.

20th century

 * 1903 – Desert Laboratory founded.
 * 1907 – Southern Pacific railway station built.
 * 1910 – Population: 13,193.
 * 1912 – City becomes part of new State of Arizona.
 * 1919
 * City airfield established.
 * Hotel Congress in business.
 * 1920 – Rialto Theatre (Arizona) opens.
 * 1927
 * Charles Lindbergh visits city.
 * Temple of Music & Art built.
 * 1928 – James A. Walsh United States Courthouse built.
 * 1929
 * Pima County Courthouse and Consolidated National Bank building constructed.
 * Pioneer Hotel in business.
 * 1930
 * Fox Tucson Theatre and Plaza Theater (Tucson) open.
 * Arizona Inn built.
 * 1933 – Henry Jaastad becomes mayor.
 * 1940
 * Tucson Army Air Field established.
 * South Tucson incorporates as a city.
 * 1941 – Davis–Monthan Air Force Base established.
 * 1950 – Catalina Highway constructed.
 * 1952 – Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum founded.
 * 1954 – Hirsh's Shoes (shop) built.
 * 1955
 * Don Hummel becomes mayor.
 * Southern Pacific 1673 train exhibit opens.
 * 1956 – Tucson Air National Guard Base active.
 * 1960
 * University of Arizona Poetry Center founded.
 * Old Tucson Studios theme park and El Con Mall in business.
 * 1962 – Phoenix Title Building constructed.
 * 1963 – Tucson International Airport begins operating.
 * 1964 – Tucson Botanical Gardens founded.
 * 1965 – DeGrazia Gallery built.
 * 1967
 * University of Arizona College of Medicine and Reid Park Zoo founded.
 * Jim Corbett (politician) becomes mayor.
 * Tucson Federal Savings & Loan Association Building constructed.
 * 1969 – Pima Community College established.
 * 1971
 * Tucson Opera Company and Food Conspiracy Co-op founded.
 * Tucson Community Center built.
 * 1972 – Planetary Science Institute founded.
 * 1975 – Center for Creative Photography established.
 * 1976 – Tucson Community Food Bank and Pima Air & Space Museum established.
 * 1977 – Bank of America Plaza (Tucson) built.
 * 1978 – Arizona State Prison Complex – Tucson in operation.
 * 1982
 * Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson in operation.
 * Tucson Mall and Casas Adobes Foothills Mall (Arizona) in business.
 * 1984 – Channel 12 government access TV begins broadcasting (approximate date).
 * 1985 – Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation established.
 * 1986 – One South Church built.
 * 1987 – Thomas Volgy becomes mayor.
 * 1990 – Population: 405,390.
 * 1991
 * Biosphere 2 built.
 * George Miller (Arizona politician) becomes mayor.
 * 1996
 * Goodricke-Pigott Observatory dedicated.
 * Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson founded.
 * 1998
 * City website online (approximate date).
 * Park Place (Tucson, Arizona) shopping mall in business.
 * 1999 – Bob Walkup becomes mayor.

21st century

 * 2001 – Anselmo Valencia Tori Amphitheater opens.
 * 2004
 * La Encantada shopping center in business.
 * October 5: Murder of Brian Stidham.
 * 2005
 * Jewish History Museum (Tucson) established.
 * Southern Arizona Transportation Museum dedicated.
 * 2007
 * United States Penitentiary, Tucson in operation.
 * 2010
 * Con-Nichiwa anime convention begins.
 * Population: 520,116.
 * 2011
 * January 8: Shooting of U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords and eighteen others in Casas Adobes.
 * January 12: Barack Obama Tucson memorial speech.
 * May 5: Jose Guerena shooting.
 * November 8: Tucson mayoral election, 2011.
 * December 5: Jonathan Rothschild becomes mayor.
 * Casino Del Sol Hotel Tower and UniSource Energy Building constructed.
 * 2013 – Armed Citizens Project active.