Tucson, Arizona

USA / Arizona / Tucson /
 city, draw only border, county seat
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The population was 520,116 at the 2010 census. The city is the second largest in the state of Arizona and home to the University of Arizona.

Originally settled by Hohokan indians, it's name is derived from the O'odham Indian name Cuk Son (at the base of the black hill), a reference to a nearby volcanic mountain. The area was first settled by the Spanish in 1700 when the Mission San Xavier del Bac was built nearby. A fortress was built here in 1775 to protect the growing settlement. Remained part of Mexico after 1821, and became part of the United States with the Gadsden Purchase in 1853.

The city was seized by Confederate forces in 1861 and made part of the Confederate Territory of Arizona. In July 1862 the Union recaptured the city and abolished the territory. From 1867 to 1877, it was the capital of the Arizona Territory. It was the largest city in Arizona until the 1910s.

Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, South Tucson (surrounded by Tucson), and Sahuarita south of the city. Communities in the vicinity of Tucson (some within or overlapping the city limits) include Casas Adobes, Catalina, Catalina Foothills, Flowing Wells, Green Valley, Marana, Tanque Verde, New Pascua, and Vail.

The name Tucson originates via Spanish from the O'odham, Cuk Ṣon (pronounced [ʧʊk ʂɔn]; roughly, "chuk shon"), meaning "Black Base," a reference to the mostly volcanic mountains on the west side of the city. The most notable of these mountains is Sentinel Peak, better known as "A Mountain" because it sports a large letter A in honor of the nearby University of Arizona, situated in west central Tucson. Tucson is sometimes referred to as "The Old Pueblo."

cms3.tucsonaz.gov/
maps.tucsonaz.gov/pdsd/
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucson,_Arizona
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   32°11'58"N   110°53'30"W

Comments

  • It is pronounced /ˈtuːsɒn/.
  • The Tucson metropolitan area has a population of approx. 1,000,000 people