Tucson is a very historically rich place, and no matter if you're a local or a tourist, the history of Tucson is definitely worth exploring. From museums to historic sites, Tucson offers many places where you can learn more about the history of either the city, the area or a specific topic.
So why not have a look at some historic places in Tucson? You are bound to learn something new and make a nice trip of it.
Here are some historic sites that can be found right in Tucson, Arizona.
Postal History Foundation
All stamp collectors, beware - there is a Postal History Foundation in Tucson, and it offers some amazing insight into the history of stamp collecting!
In 1960, a group of people interested in stamp collecting got together and created the idea of establishing an organization that would promote and research the postal history of Arizona as well as the Western States. The foundation has a library dedicated to postal history nowadays, and there are over 30 thousand titles!
The Postal History Foundation organizes programs such as Stamp Discovery Education Program and it also offers guided tours, exhibits, and more!
According to the official website of the Postal History Foundation in Tucson, the aims of the organization in the initial stages of creation were to:
"organize a youth educational program to stimulate stamp collecting among youth, obtain and preserve the postal history of all periods for all of the Western States, gather a collection of historical objects related to the transportation and distribution of the mail, foster the study and research of postal history, organize a sponsoring society of philatelists, historians and others who have an interest in promoting and preserving these objectives for future generations."
Some of the permanent exhibits include "Old-fashioned Post Office" or "Hazards of mail delivery in early Arizona". However, at the time of writing this article (26th May 2021), the Postal History Foundation is closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. You can add the place to your list of places you'd like to visit when life goes back to normal.
For future reference, the place is located at 920 N 1st Ave in Tucson. If you'd like to learn more about postal history right now, there are digital services provided by the foundation - for example, there is a digital exhibition called "Pathway to the Pacific - The Creation of the Arizona Territory".
El Presidio Park and El Presidio Historic District
The next places that allow you to learn more about history are the El Presidio Park and the El Presidio Historic District.
The park itself is located at 160 W. Alameda St. in Tucson and it was established by Colonel Hugo O'Connor in 1775. Adobe walls were built around the presidio in order to protect everyone inside from Apache attacks.
When it comes to the El Presidio Historic District, it contains buildings made out of adobe and brick. According to nps.gov:
"Named for the Spanish-built Presidio de San Augustín del Tucson (1775), El Presidio is one of the nation's oldest inhabited sites. The district is on the site of a prehistoric Hohokam Indian site (c. 700-900 A.D.) and the original presidio (fort). The El Presidio Historic District reflects Tucson's development from an 18th-century walled compound to its emergence as a major 20th-century mercantile center."
The Tucson Museum of Art offers tours around the district.
Final Thoughts
The places mentioned above are perfect for any history enthusiast as well as someone who is just curious and would like to find out more about the history of Tucson or the history of stamp collecting.
Why not give these places a try? You might be surprised at what interesting information you find.