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The City of Tubac

Tubac, in the far southern part of Arizona, is 40 miles south of Tucson on Interstate 19, and 23 miles north of the international border at Nogales. It lies in the Santa Cruz River Valley and is bordered by the Santa Rita, Tumacacori and San Cayetano mountains. At a high desert elevation of 3,200 feet, it posseses a mild climate. The origin of the Tubac name has never been successfully interpreted. Some say it means "place of brackish water," while others claim the meaning is "low ruins or houses."

Tubac has been home to at least five distinct cultures: the Hohokam between 300 and 1400 AD; the Ootam (Pima and Papago) arrived some time in the 1500s; the Spaniards arrived with Father Campos in 1726, according to a baptismal record; Mexico claimed it during the 1821 Mexican War of Independence; and it was bought by the United States under the 1853 Gadsden Purchase.

The Spaniards first settled Tubac in 1752 at a Presidio, or military fort, to protect the settlers around Tumacacori and San Xavier. Tubac then became the first European community in Arizona and the second oldest west of the Mississippi.

This internationally known artist colony and historic site hosts a variety of special events, including the Anza Days Celebration, Art Walk in March, and the oldest art fair in the country, the annual Tubac Festival of the Arts held in February. There are more than 80 retail shops, working studios, galleries and restaurants.

Tourism and retirement play important roles in the economy of Tubac. Although retirees and winter visitors have represented most of Tubac's population, it is growing to include professionals who commute to Tucson or Nogales, or entrepreneurs who own and operate local business. In addition to wages and salaries, other income not related to tourism includes Social Security payments, private retirement benefits, and stock dividends. All of Santa Cruz County is an Enterprise Zone.

The community of Tubac is governed by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and served by the sheriff's department and the local fire department (with 40 volunteers). Additionally, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Arizona Department of Public Safety provide law enforcement services to the area.

Santa Cruz County is a product of generations of cultural and ethnic interactions, especially influenced by American West and Mexican traditions. Bilinguals (Spanish and English) are prevalent, with English being the official status and Spanish being the principal language of social exchange. European, Semitic, and Asiatic immigration, during the twentieth century have also had important influences on the local culture of Southern Arizona, the geographic region centered on "Ambos-Nogales."

The population of Santa Cruz County is, on average, younger than the population of Arizona. Santa Cruz County has one of the lowest percentages of resident retired persons in Arizona. The average age of the Mexican population is substantially lower than on the American side of the border.

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