Copyrights and Site Access

Some materials and sources may be subject to copyrights though nothing that originates on either the blog or website is copyrighted. This creates some complications: 

• For fair use of some materials, our use must be for educational, research or scholarship purposes. Those are the purposes of the website which has no commercial purpose. 
• The website is not public. Users are expected to use the site only for the above purposes and never for any commercial purpose. To preserve the non-public status of the website, registration of users is required. 
• The inconvenience of registration is unfortunate but I will be glad to help any of the few people I expect to seek registration. If you don't already have a Google account, you will need to create one. If you have a Gmail address, you already have a Google account. How to: Create a Google Account
• The blog is public and is not to contain any copyrighted materials. Posts I create or submitted by someone other than me become a part of the public domain (no copyright). 

Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) Review of Tucson Indian School Records

The PHS conducted an extensive review of their operation of the Tucson Indian School which is accessible online here. The review report is well worth reading in its entirety because of its completeness and candor in addressing the subject. A descriptive paragraph from the report follows: 

"In winter of 2023, when we at the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS) Reparative Description Committee were auditing archival collection guides for harmful and oppressive language, the records of the Tucson Indian Training School (Record Group 103) caught our attention. As we wrote in our first blog post on the topic, reparative description is the practice of critically examining and ultimately adjusting the way we as an institution describe or characterize marginalized groups, paying particular attention to instances where our description inflicts harm, spreads false narratives, or minimizes past and ongoing injustices.  In reading the original collection guide, we immediately recognized outdated terms were used to refer to the Akimel O'odham (Pima) and Tohono O’odham (Papago) people, but, upon further reflection, noted that the lived experiences of these Indigenous groups were erased and misrepresented through omission and under-description rather than through outdated language alone. The use of a neutral voice glossed over government and church policies of assimilation and cultural destruction and left out students’ points of view." 

An image of the Escuela News, the school newspaper, gives the reader of the school's function in 1960. The reader may also notice a condescending tone in describing the students. Other images include student photos and documents related to student enrollment and their work on a well replacement project. 

Much of the latter part of the review will be of more interest to a researcher than to someone interested in the students or school life. There are links to other materials that may be of interest. Images related to Tucson can be seen here. 

Website Fixed

Earlier this week, a friend told me that the website would not work for him. I looked into it and found that there was a problem caused by human error (mine). It is now fixed. Thanks Jim. 

I'm sorry if this inconvenienced you. 

I've been occupied the last few days doing backups of my online accounts to reduce the risk of data loss. That's done for now, so I'm back to doing research and posting articles. 

View with Small Screen

Using a tablet or phone, it is best to select the Desktop Site option and in the landscape (wider) orientation. Both the blog and website work best on a laptop or desktop computer. 

New material and Better Organization

I've found many historic photos of Tucson's early years, many more than I can use here. While doing that, I learned some new things about our city. I'm not surprised but didn't know that Tucson had an Indian school. Such schools are quite controversial today, with good reason. There are a great many pictures related to the school but I want to know more about the lives of their students. Perhaps there are still former students willing to share their stories. 

Naturally there are more photos of more recent times but I would like to stick mostly with the WW II years and earlier. I also want to focus on the downtown and the five Historic Preservation Zones but as time passed, these communities were influenced by events outside of those places. Major events in the growing city should not be ignored. There is still a lot of research to be done. 

As I filled in the pages with new content some reorganization seemed best. The main two subject areas are history and historic preservation. In some ways, each is distinct but the boundaries become blurred in some cases. The goal is to make it easy for you or me to access material of interest. That's not as easy as I first thought. 

My last chore will probably never be entirely completed: finding and fixing broken or erroneous links. It's annoying to click a link and get nothing of use. There are hundreds of links in a complex website and the content they point to can be moved or deleted. Each link must be tested and fixed as needed. A good link today may be bad tomorrow. 

If you discover any problem in the blog or website, please let me know at historictucson@gmail.com. 

Progress Report

I've made good progress at organizing and adding new content to the website; there is still much to be done. Portraits and biographic sketches of early Tucsonans have been added; more will be coming. Some pages are nearly complete but others are waiting for my attention. If you come across a blank or incomplete page, please be patient. I'll get around to it. Many pages are nearly complete. If you have comments, questions or problems, please let me know at historictucson@gmail.com. 

Big Changes

The structure of this site and arrangement of the content have been substantially changed, The blog (https://historictucson.blogspot.com/) is still the best starting place. Blog posts like this one will point out new or reorganized content along with discussion of historic information in the Old Pueblo. Some blog posts may be the basis for new pages on the website. Google Sites is the host for the web pages and provides many more features to organize the content and make it more useful to those viewing the site. 

The Topics page (https://sites.google.com/view/historictucson/topics) on the website is a way to see the variety of subject categories and pages on the site. It is the home page of the website and is where the link near the top of the left column of the blog will take you. The Topics menu at the top of every web page has the same function. 

I have cleaned up many broken or outdated links but there are more likely to need attention. if you find a bad link or other problem, please let me know at historictucson@gmail.com.

Back to Work

After another long break I'm returning to collecting and publishing materials about old Tucson's history and efforts to preserve historic structures that enrich our community. 

More work is needed to make sure all parts of the site are working properly. There are many links and some will be broken or no longer current. Please let me know if you encounter any problems. 

I will resume devoting most efforts to locating source material and organizing it for easier access. It will be a work in progress even as I resume posting articles. If you are a history buff, you may find the research sources helpful as you research your own interests in Tucson history. If you want to see the current version of the research sources page, click here.

Community history is a niche interest, especially researching and writing about it, but if you are interested in either of these activities, please contact me at historictucson@gmail.com (preferred) or use the Contact Me form at the bottom of the left column.

For over seven years, I lived in a 1900 brick bungalow in Armory Park and became interested in the history and was active in neighborhood affairs. I've since moved but still live in downtown Tucson and my interest in the city's history broadened. Previous posts were mostly about Armory Park and have not had new ones added for some time. Now that I have given up my neighborhood activities, I can resume working on this blog and researching Tucson history more broadly. 

I am still devoting most efforts to locating source material and organizing it for easier access. It will be a work in progress even as I resume posting articles. If you are a history buff, you may find the sources helpful as you research your own interests in Tucson history. If you want to see the current version of the sources page, click here. 

Since this site has not been updated for some time and there are many links, there will be some links that are broken or no longer current. Please let me know if you encounter any problems. 

Community history is a niche interest, especially researching and writing about it, but if you are interested in either of these activities, please contact me at historictucson@gmail.com (preferred) or use the Contact Me form at the bottom of the left column. 

From the Storks Nest to Armory Park 2021

Most people likely think of our historic buildings when we consider our historic Armory Park neighborhood. That's especially true for us more recent arrivals who have not observed the community over many years. The stories of our people bring the neighborhood to life by adding context and color to the physical structures. Small stories like Julieta's below are always welcome.  -Ken

I have lived no more than two miles from Stone and Congress all my life. I was born at the Stork’s Nest 86 years ago. The Stork’s Nest was a small maternity hospital on North Court Avenue that closed in the early 40s. The building is still there.

 Where I lived for 12 years the house still stands next to the Temple of Music and Art on Scott Avenue. Living there I saw a busy, happy downtown.
 
Then it died. When it started to come alive. I was so happy.

We went home for lunch every day while in elementary. Took sandwiches for my junior high lunch hour, until a family with the last name of *Orozco, constructed a food stand in front of their house on 12th Street across from Armory Park. We would buy our hot dogs or hamburgers, then go to the park and enjoy our lunch.
 
My playmates and fellow school classmates lived here in Armory Park. This was my playground after being in school all day. I attended the Safford elementary and junior high schools from first grade through the ninth grade.
 
The train whistles don’t bother me in the least bit. Now I live one block away from the railroad tracks by Barrio Brewery. I’m sorry and feel for those who are bothered by the blaring sounds from the trains. It must be difficult to be hearing them when trying to get a good night's sleep. The sounds help me go to sleep.
 
Regarding this past weekend’s festival at the Jácomes Plaza. It was wonderful that it was moved away from Armory Park. In 2003 we moved from Menlo Park to East 16th Street. I expected my new neighborhood to be somewhat noisy being that we would be in the downtown area.
 
That’s all for now. Happy good night,
 
Julieta Bustamante Portillo
 Bright yellow house named “Casita Sol”

*Señor Jacinto Orozco, owner of the food stand, was Tucson’s first Spanish broadcaster. He had one, two hours (I really don’t remember the hours.) every weekday on KVOA, I think. It was an afternoon program. He would announce who in the Mexican community had died. I mainly remember that he played beautiful Mexican music. When I was three and four years I would dance to the music in our small living room. More happy memories.
 

This story was published on the Armory Park listserv on November 15th, 2021. Thanks Julieta

Margo Caylor - Neighborhood Historian and Innkeeper

Margo Caylor and her husband Rob, own the Blenman Inn. This adobe Victorian mansion is located just west of the Children's Museum. Besides being beautifully restored and furnished, it is distinguished by its rare style among Tucson houses. It must also be one of the largest adobe homes in the city. 

In addition to operating the inn, Margo is an accomplished amateur historian. She was not satisficed with owning an historic property, she also researched and wrote a compact history of the house and its prominent residents. You can see the page on the inn's website with this link: https://www.theblenmaninn.com/about-us

Here are a couple of excerpts: 
As the Civil War came to an end, the Indian Wars raged in Southern Arizona well into the 1870s when Charles Rivers Drake, a former US Army officer, broke ground on this home.

​Drake was commissioned to provide contract labor and supplies to the recently-organized Southern Pacific Railroad Company in the laying of track between Los Angeles, California and El Paso, Texas. He chose this particular homesite because of its near equidistance along that 1,000 mile segment of track; the perennial fresh water supply offered by the nearby Santa Cruz River which flowed northbound out of Mexico, and because of the safety and protection offered by Fort Lowell—an adjacent Army fort erected during the Civil War that continued in operation, charged with sheltering Tucson residents from Indian attacks.
Drake’s additional responsibilities included helping out at neighboring Fort Lowell and the tent city of soldiers which occupied what is now Armory Park. With a basic knowledge of medicine, he assisted in primitive surgeries and prescribing of medicine to personnel injured during the Arizona Indian Wars of the turbulent 1870s.

. . . .

Drake sold the home in 1891 to Charles Blenman, an English attorney who had sailed around Cape Horn en route to San Francisco. Blenman practiced law in Tucson for more than 45 years and was affectionately known as “Judge” or “Barrister” throughout his career. The flagpole in the front yard of the Blenman Inn is the original one that Blenman erected. He was known for his patriotism, raising and lowering the flag on a daily basis. The “judge” entertained frequently at his home, being a brilliant storyteller and was known for his hospitality and for having a wide circle of friends. His two sons, Charles Jr. and William grew up in the house and both received appointments to the U.S. Naval Academy, both eventually retiring to Tucson, both earning the rank of Admiral.

Both of these men were prominent in their days in early Tucson. Both are also our historic neighbors. 

Review: Tucson, A Drama in Time

 

Rob Caylor loaned me this book when we met at the historic Blenman Inn, just west of the Children's Museum. Margo and Rob own this wonderful inn and I was enjoying a tour of the house. Rob has been developing properties in Tucson for many years and he enjoyed following the growth of Tucson over the decades. 

The book's format is unusual, paragraph length historic facts arranged in order by years. This arrangement makes it easy to follow the evolution of Tucson and makes it easy to read in many sittings. I rarely read a history in one or a few sittings; more often I read a number of pages then continue at a later time. 

This is a great book if you want to understand Tucson at various times in its long history. Individuals, family and businesses can be followed over a number of years. The names are likely to be familiar to long time residents or more recent arrivals (like me) who like history. It is available at Amazon in paperback ($24.95) or in the Kindle electronic format ($9.99). I chose the latter format. 

This link will take you to the appropriate Amazon page: 
https://smile.amazon.com/Tucson-Drama-Time-John-Warnock-ebook/dp/B07YZ1BK35/ref=sr_1_9?crid=TDOT5TKQCMF3&keywords=tucson+arizona+history&qid=1638816708&s=digital-text&sprefix=tucson%2Caps%2C256&sr=1-9

Review: Living in the Past

An Owner's Guide to Understanding & Repairing an Old Home

Many people coming to Armory Park are novices in the details of living in an historic home and neighborhood. Author Scott Sidler has provided answers to the questions us novices should have asked. 

Perhaps the best way to learn what this book has to offer is to review the subject matter extracted from the Table of Contents:

WHO NEEDS THIS BOOK?

INTRODUCTION

UNDERSTANDING YOUR OLD HOUSE

WHAT IS A HISTORIC HOUSE?

WHY SHOULD I BUY AN OLD HOUSE?

BEFORE YOU BUY AN OLD HOUSE

PRESERVATION OR REMODELING

DEALING WITH HISTORIC DISTRICTS

THE "GREEN" OLD HOME

MODERN LIFE IN AN OLD HOUSE

RENOVATING THE RIGHT WAY

THE DANGERS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE

HISTORIC HOME MAINTENANCE 101

THE 5 WORST MISTAKES OF HISTORIC HOME OWNERS

OLD HOUSE HEALTH HAZARDS

REPAIRING YOUR OLD HOUSE

WORKING WITH FLOORS

WORKING WITH WINDOWS

WORKING WITH DOORS

WORKING WITH PLASTER

WORKING WITH EXTERIOR WOOD

WORKING WITH PAINT

WHY DOES ANY OF THIS MATTER

The best time to read the book is before purchasing an historic property. The challenges of maintaining or repairing an old house may be more than you want to take on. If you have exterior changes in mind, you may find that the historic review process will make those changes impossible or more difficult. The process will always take time and may incur more cost. There are permit fees involved.

If you decide to go forward or already own an Armory Park property, the second section can be helpful. The tips regarding some of the most common repair tasks may help with your repairs. 

I couldn't find the book in the Pima County Library system. The print version of the book is fairly expensive at $33 but you can buy the Kindle version for $10. Here is the link at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=living+in+the+past&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Whichever you choose, this book will be useful as you live the adventure of caring for an old house or decide that this adventure is not for you. 

Historic Blenman Inn

This excellent piece by KGUN9 tells a good story about the Blenman Inn today and how it came to be. Margo and Rob Caylor are the owners of the inn and have preserved its historic character while offering comfortable accommodations to the traveling public. Margo is an accomplished amateur historian and has filled in many details of the house's history and its most significant residents. I've had the pleasure of touring the inn and it is even more appealing in person. 

You can view the video by clicking below: 

Railroad Coal Tower

 There has been some listserv discussion recently regarding a coal tower the railroad used to fuel its steam locomotives back in the day. Tod Santee did a post  that inspired me to do a search for the matter in the Star archives. Here is what Tod had to say: 

  "Up until way back in '97-'98 or so, there was an historic coal tower straddling the tracks almost directly east of 16th St & Toole.  One day we found out Union Pacific or Southern Pacific RR was preparing to knock it down with a wrecking ball but only because of the news that a homeless guy who had apparently been living inside the upper part for a few years when he came to Tucson during his transience.  He climbed out on the roof of it basically daring the wreckers to "go ahead and try" according to so news reports & interviews he got with the Star.

New Window Replacement Options

At its September 21st meeting the APHZAB accepted for its reviews the revised language in the Technical Standards Manual regarding windows. The Board will now have more flexibility to recommend approval of alternative window materials. Here is the relevant language from the meeting Legal Action Report (LAR): 

The Board members then asked for certain clarifications. It was noted that the language merely allows the Board to consider alternate materials on a case-by-case basis, especially “clad” wood windows. Ms. Brown suggested that it could potentially allow certain considerations on historically authentic replacements that are now being manufactured. She gave several examples: vinyl is never considered appropriate as a material; some aluminum replacements may replicate historic steel windows better than other options; exterior and interior surface wood munitions and mullions may more faithfully recreate historic proportions on dual pane windows  rather than scaled up versions required for the heavier and thicker panes (noting that between glass snap in grids and exterior only designs are not considered appropriate; and that some fiberglass products may be better than modern wood replacements in specific instances. The option however will only allow for consideration of possible materials on a case-by-case basis. Further acceptable changes would require further updates to guidance than the language now in the code the Board is discussing. 

The AZ Republic Likes Armory Park

The reputation of Armory Park as a historic gem even extends to Phoenix. This article appeared on the azcentral.com website on 10/15/21. 

Armory Park 

Armory Park, just south of the city center, is the first residential district in Tucson to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to the Blenman-Elm Neighborhood Association.

Research Team

History research can be a team sport. Finding historic details is like a detective story. Success is built on leads, tips and networking with others who may have a part of the picture. Put these things together and another bit of Armory Park history emerges. I would like to facilitate collaboration among the Armory Park residents who are interested in our history. 

There are two ways for you history buffs to stay engaged. The easiest is to become a follower which you can do by clicking on the blue button in the left column. This will notify you of each post to this blog. 

The second way is to become part of the Armory Park history discussion group. Just send me an email indicating your desire to join and I'll add you to the list. This will be a forum for sharing neighborhood history and research options. Since not all Armory Park listserv members are history buffs, it is considerate for us to limit the amount of discussion on that platform. Since only people interested in history will sign up to our discussion group, you can feel free to discuss whatever you want. 

I hope one or both of these options will help you to be a part of our Armory Park history research team. If you have trouble with either, please let me know at blog@kmtaylor.com. 

Research Tools: Tucson Directories

Even before the telephone came to Tucson, directories of businesses and residents were published. This first image is from the 1901 directory, page 66. It shows that a person named F B French lived at 637 S 4th Avenue, my house. If you are scrolling through the PDF copy of the directory, it will show as page 89 because of the un-numbered pages which are counted by my PDF software. If you scroll through to page 109 of the pdf, you will find another name, O H J Johnson, associated with the same address. This is page 86 of the paper directory. Paper copies of the directories can be found at the historic society but they are in resident name order so finding a particular address is very difficult. 

ARIZONA STATE HISTORIC PROPERTY INVENTORY

For those seeking more background on a historic home, here is another source. The Arizona State Historic Property Inventory is the survey report which was written in 1974 as part of the application for National Historic Residential status. The entry for each property includes a description of the house, information regarding the owner at that time drawings of the house footprint and pictures. Like any history resource, not all information may be accurate. For example, my house is listed as constructed in 1905. The Sanborn insurance map shows the house in 1901. The 1901 Tucson directory lists two men living at the address. Nevertheless, The description and period photos give me an idea of what changes have been made to the house since 1974. Additional work was done in 1993 so some information is from that year.

If you are doing a project requiring historic review, The information will tell you how the property was at the time the historic district was formed. The board will want to retain the details of the house during the period of significance (1860s to 1945). The 1974 survey is the earliest reliable information available.