Timeline of Tucson, Arizona

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.

1847 - Tucson occupied by "Mormon Battalion."

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.

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.

20th century

1900 - Population: 7,531.

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[1] 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 Gabrielle 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.