Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

People and culture

Demographics

As of the census{{GR|2}} of 2000, there are 486,699 people, 192,891 households, and 112,455 families residing in the city. The population density is 965.3/km² (2,500.1/mi²). There are 209,609 housing units at an average density of 415.7/km² (1,076.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 70.15% White, 4.33% Black or African American, 2.27% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 16.85% from other races, and 3.79% from two or more races. 35.72% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. The Native American inhabitants in the area include Tohono O'odham, living in the city, on the nearby San Xavier reservation, and in the Tohono O'odham Nation, who may be descendants of the prehistoric inhabitants, as well as 6,800 Yaqui, living in the city (largely in the Old Pascua and Barrio Libre neighborhoods), on the nearby Pascua Yaqui reservation, and in the Yoem Pueblo in the town of Marana, most of whom trace their local ancestry back to arrivals in the late 1800s fleeing persecution in Mexico.

Related Topics:
Census - 2000 - Population density - Racial - Tohono O'odham - Yaqui - Marana - 1800s

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There are 192,891 households out of which 29.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% are married couples living together, 13.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% are non-families. 32.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.12.

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In the city the population is spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.3 males.

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The median income for a household in the city is $30,981, and the median income for a family is $37,344. Males have a median income of $28,548 versus $23,086 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,322. 18.4% of the population and 13.7% of families are below the poverty line. 23.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Related Topics:
Per capita income - Poverty line

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Because of its arid climate, Tucson has been a historic destination for people with health problems such as arthritis and respiratory illnesses such as tuberculosis. Tucson Medical Center, in fact, was founded as a TB clinic. Many former soldiers who had been gassed during World War I, including Belgian composer Camille van Hulse, came to Tucson in the 1920s in hopes that the dry climate would aid their recovery. The longstanding presence of so many health-seekers has made Tucson extremely health-conscious, and it was in the vanguard in such actions as banning smoking in restaurants.

Related Topics:
Arthritis - Tuberculosis - Tucson Medical Center

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Annual cultural events and fairs

The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is held every year in February for three weeks. It is one of the largest and most well-known gem and mineral shows in the world, and it features many of the finest mineral specimens available. There is no single location for display of minerals, but rather dozens of locations spread across town: many big hotels and most motels are occupied for the occasion, with professionals displaying their specimens in such locations as hotel bedrooms, lobbies, tents, and lawns. The show has an estimated attendance of more than 35,000 people from over twenty countries. Attendees frequently include the general public, experts, beginning collectors, museum employees, dealers, retailers, and researchers. Many museums and universities, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Sorbonne, have displayed materials at the show.

Related Topics:
Tucson Gem & Mineral Show - Gem - Mineral - Smithsonian Institution - Sorbonne

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There are also two Fourth Avenue Street Fairs, in December and March, staged between 9th Street and University Boulevard, that feature arts and crafts booths, food vendors and street performers. The fairs began in 1970 when Fourth Avenue, which at the time had half a dozen thrift shops and the Food Co-Op, was a gathering place for hippies, and a few merchants put tables in front of their stores to attract customers before the holidays. The fairs now draw 200,000 to 350,000 people.

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Media

There are two major daily newspapers in Tucson: the Arizona Daily Star, a morning daily, and the Tucson Citizen, which publishes weekday afternoons and on Saturdays. The Tucson Citizen is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Arizona, established in 1870 as the Arizona Citizen. In 2005, the Star was sold by Pulitzer, Inc. to Lee Enterprises. The Citizen is owned by Gannett.

Related Topics:
1870 - Pulitzer, Inc. - Gannett

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The newspapers participate in a "Joint Operating Agreement" in which non-news, advertising, production and distribution operations are run by Tucson Newspapers Inc., founded in 1940.

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The Star refers to local residents as "Tucsonans" while the Citizen calls them "Tucsonians."

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In 1981, Star reporters Clark Hallas and Robert B. Lowe won a Pulitzer Prize for their stories about recruiting violations by University of Arizona football coach Tony Mason.

Related Topics:
1981 - Pulitzer Prize - Football - Coach - Tony Mason

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The Tucson Weekly is an alternative weekly publication that is distributed free at numerous locations around Tucson. Other alternative weeklies have included the Frumious Bandersnatch, published in the 1960s by Hugh Holub; the Mountain Newsreal; and another weekly dating from the 1970s using the title Tucson Weekly.

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Tucson is served by the major television networks: KVOA 4 (NBC), KGUN 9 (ABC), KOLD 13 (CBS), KMSB 11 (FOX), KTTU 18 (UPN), and KWBA 58 (WB). KUAT 6 is a PBS affiliate run by the University of Arizona.

Related Topics:
NBC - ABC - CBS - FOX - UPN - WB - PBS

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Museums and art collections

There are several museums in the city.

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The Arizona Historical Society, founded as the Pioneer Historical Society by early settlers, has a collection of artifacts reflecting the city's history--many focusing on the era before statehood was attained in 1912-- as well as a fine collection of original documents in its library, including many interviews with early residents.

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The Historical Society also operates an original adobe house in the Tucson Community Center that was saved when one of Tucson's earliest barrios was razed as urban renewal. Originally named the Fremont House after Gov. John C. Fremont, who rented it for his daughter, it is now known as the Sosa-Carrillo-Fremont House to more accurately reflect its Latin heritage.

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The society also operates the Fort Lowell Museum, on the grounds of a military fort established in 1873 during the "Indian Wars" period and abandoned in 1891.

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The Tucson Museum of Art, which has been around for 25 years, was established as part of an art school. It contains nearly 6,000 objects concentrating on the art of the Americas and its influences.

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The museum also operates several historic buildings in the neighborhood, including La Casa Cordova, the J. Knox Corbett House, the Edward Nye Fish House and the Stevens/Duffield House.

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The University of Arizona Art Museum includes works by Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko as part of the Edward J. Gallagher Memorial Collection, a tribute a young man who was killed in a boating accident. The museum also includes the Samuel H. Kress Collection of European works from the 14th to 19th centuries and the C. Leonard Pfeiffer Collection of American paintings.

Related Topics:
Franz Kline - Jackson Pollock - Mark Rothko

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The UA campus also features the Center for Creative Photography, a leading museum with many works by major artists such as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston.

Related Topics:
Ansel Adams - Edward Weston

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The Mission San Xavier del Bac is a historic Spanish mission, located 10 miles (16 km) south of the city. Old Tucson Studios (west of the Tucson Mountains) is a movie studio for classic Westerns, and now features a theme park.

Related Topics:
Mission San Xavier del Bac - Spanish - Old Tucson Studios - Movie studio - Westerns - Theme park

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The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a zoo devoted to Southwestern animals and plants, is located to the west of the Tucson Mountains. The Pima Air & Space Museum, featuring over 250 modern and historical aircraft, is located to the southeast of the city near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) is a facility where the federal government stores all of its out-of-service aircraft. Bus tours are conducted regularly from the Pima Air & Space Museum. There is also the Titan Missile Museum located about 25 miles (40 km) south of the city on I-19. This is a Cold War era Titan nuclear missile silo turned tourist stop.

Related Topics:
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Zoo - Animals - Plants - Pima Air & Space Museum - Davis-Monthan Air Force Base - Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center - Titan Missile Museum - I-19 - Titan - Missile silo

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Parks and outdoor attractions

The city is home to more than 120 parks, 26 pools (including 7 year-round pools), the Reid Park Zoo, 3 tennis centers, and 3 Urban Fishing lakes. There are also five golf courses located throughout the area. Several scenic parks and points of interest are also located nearby, including the Tucson Botanical Gardens, Saguaro National Park,

Related Topics:
Tucson Botanical Gardens - Saguaro National Park

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Sabino Canyon, and Biosphere 2 (just north of the city).

Related Topics:
Sabino Canyon - Biosphere 2

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Fourth Avenue, located near the University of Arizona, is home to many shops, restaurants, and bars, and hosts the 4th Avenue Street Fair in December and March.

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The University of Arizona campus has an arboretum and several museums.

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Performing arts

Music groups include the Arizona Opera Company, founded as the Tucson Opera Company in 1971, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1921, the Tucson Boys Chorus, Southern Arizona Symphony and Civic Orchestra of Tucson.

Related Topics:
Arizona Opera Company - Tucson Symphony Orchestra - Tucson Boys Chorus

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Theater groups include the Arizona Theatre Company, which performs in the Temple of Music and Art, a mirror image of the Pasadena Playhouse; the Invisible Theatre; and the Gaslight Theatre, which performs melodramas.

Related Topics:
Arizona Theatre Company - Temple of Music and Art - Pasadena Playhouse - Melodramas

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Sports

There are no major league, professional sports in the city. Most residents follow the professional teams of the Phoenix area, as well as the University of Arizona Wildcats in the NCAA.

Related Topics:
Phoenix - University of Arizona Wildcats - NCAA

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Tucson is home to the Tucson Electric Park, which is the spring training location of the Arizona Diamondbacks (NL), and the Chicago White Sox (AL). The Colorado Rockies (NL) practice at nearby Hi Corbett Field. These teams, along with the nine that practice in nearby Phoenix, make up the Cactus League.

Related Topics:
Tucson Electric Park - Arizona Diamondbacks - NL - Chicago White Sox - AL - Colorado Rockies - Hi Corbett Field - Phoenix - Cactus League

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The city does field a local minor league team, the Tucson Sidewinders, a triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Sidewinders play in Tucson Electric Park and are in the Pacific Conference South of the Pacific Coast League.

Related Topics:
Tucson Sidewinders - Tucson Electric Park - Pacific Coast League

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Auto racing is also popular, and NASCAR auto races can be found at the Tucson Raceway Park and Southwestern International Raceway.

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The English Premiership soccer club Charlton Athletic also recently opened a youth academy in Tucson in May 2005.

Related Topics:
English Premiership - Soccer - Charlton Athletic - May - 2005

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