Tubac

Tubac was an O'odham place before it was anything Spanish. In 1752, in the wake of the O'odham revolt of the year before, Spain planted its first Arizona presidio here — a garrison built, in part, to hold down the people whose land it stood on. From this fort Juan Bautista de Anza set out in 1775 to found San Francisco. Later it drew American silver miners, printed Arizona's first newspaper in 1859, and in 1959 became Arizona's first state park. Layers upon layers, all on O'odham ground.

What the plaque says

Originally an Indian village, Tubac is the oldest European settlement in Arizona. It was established as the Royal Spanish Presidio San Ignacio de Tubac in 1752, after an uprising of Pima Indians. In 1775 Captain Juan Bautista de Anza led an expedition of 240 colonists from here to California and founded the city of San Francisco. In the 1850's, under C. D. Poston, Tubac was headquarters for a silver mining venture. In 1859 Arizona's first newspaper, The Weekly Arizonian , was published in Tubac and in 1959 Arizona's first state park was established here.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Tumacácori National Historical Park — 2.5 mi
  Arizona's first mission, on O'odham ground along the Santa Cruz River.

More markers nearby

• Juan Bautista de Anza — 0.3 mi
• Charles Debrille Poston — 0.3 mi
• Baca Float Number 3 — 0.3 mi
• Mission San José de Tumacácori — 2.8 mi