The Spanish Frontier in 1775.   Tucson was part of a network of Spanish missions and fortress across what we now call the American Southwest and Mexican Northwest.   In 1775, the fort at Tubac was abandoned, and the Spanish soldiers were moved to Tucson.

     The City of Tucson celebrates the founding of the Tucson presidio  in 1775 as its birthday, every August  20th.  This "birthday" is somewhat inaccurate, according to Father Kino the Sobaipuri village of "Chuk-Shon" from which Tucson takes its name had been occupied since at least AD 1698, some 83 years prior to the foundation of the presidio.  What Tucson's birthday really celebrates is the establishment of the Spanish military in the Tucson Basin.

     There are many ways of understanding the past, and a history as complex as Tucson's will have many varied viewpoints as to what really happened.    The historical account provided here is based upon a perspective biased by traditional Anglo historical approaches.    Hopefully, in the near future, this website will be able to incorporate more varied viewpoints.

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