Celebrating ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s 248 years with historic photos
Happy 248th birthday, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥! Today, we are looking back at more than a dozen historic photos taken in and of the Old Pueblo.
Many of these photos have been featured in the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Time Machine newsletter, which explores interesting pieces of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s past.
If you would like to see more historical ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ photos delivered directly to your email every week, subscribe to .Ìý
Congress Street
Aug. 20, 2023 is ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s 248th birthday and we are taking a trip down memory lane to celebrate!
This snapshot of Congress Street in the 1880s captures the old western aesthetics of the time with the wooden patios lining storefronts, the dirt road stretching out towards the desert and the striped barber's pole outside of the brick building on the left.Ìý
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ had been around for over 100 years at this point, after it was founded as the Presidio of San AgustÃn del ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ on Aug. 20, 1775. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ later achieved statehood in 1912.Ìý
Photo credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen.
"ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥" world premiere, 1940
Did you know ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ was home to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s first-ever world premiere of a film? Crowds flocked to downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ for a parade, seen above, that happened just before the Nov. 15, 1940 premiere of the movie "ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥."
It was the first full-length movie filmed at Old ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Studios and was shown at five different locations on opening night: Rialto Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Fox ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Theatre, the Temple of Music, and the State Theatre, according to the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s archives.
"ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥" cost $2.5 million to make and Columbia Pictures had a replica of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in the 1860s built, since that was when the movie's plot took place.
Photo credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen 1940.
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, 1949
Downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, looking southeast from the Old Pima County Courthouse in 1949.
The historic Valley National Bank building towers in the background. At the time, it was the tallest building in the city.
The back of the Fox Theatre is in front of the Valley Bank building. At right is the St. Augustine Cathedral.
Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, 1951
People fish in the lake at Sabino Canyon north of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ in May 1951, after it was stocked with trout for the first time.ÌýPhoto credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ firefighters, 1956
These ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Firefighters are working on a vintage 1928 pumper at a city fire station in 1956. This photo is even more fun if you imagine the four men are performing "Greased Lightnin'," which they obviously are not. Sadly.Ìý
The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Fire Department was founded in 1881 and was entirely made up of volunteers until the early 1900s. By 1916, all ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ firefighters were being paid for their work. Photo credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen.
University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ campus, 1959
Some things just don't change on the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ campus. The crowd of students walking to their next class, cars stopped by pedestrians in crosswalks and even the potential jaywalkers seen in the top left of this photo from 1959 are all still familiar sights.Ìý
UA was founded in 1885 and opened for classes in 1891, to the dismay of some ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ residents who wanted the property to house ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s capitol or even a state asylum.
In 1930, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s first university had just over 1,900 students enrolled, according to the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ archives. Today, UA's total enrollment is over 53,000 and the campus area is booming with businesses, nightlife and of course, sports fans ready to "Bear Down."Â
Photo credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen.
John F. Kennedy visits, 1960
When Sen. John F. Kennedy arrived at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Municipal Airport in April 1960, a crowd of 150 people were there to greet him, many waving signs that read "Viva! Kennedy," according to the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen. Here, he is seen being gifted a sombrero.Ìý Â
The future U.S. President made the stop in the Old Pueblo as part of his presidential campaign, attending several events around town that week. Later in 1960, Lyndon B. Johnson, Kennedy's running mate, also visited ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ while campaigning and spoke to young voters at the University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.Ìý
Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater, Richard M. Nixon and Hubert H. Humphrey were among other famous politicians who visited ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥Â in the '60s and '70s. Photo credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade,1964
The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo Parade has been a long-running tradition just like the yearly La Fiesta de los Vaqueros it ushers in.ÌýA ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ police officer is seen here with kids watching the 1964 parade as it moves through downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.Ìý
Members of the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ community, from mayors and local business leaders to high school marching bands and nuns from St. Mary's, have been a part of the parade for almost 100 years.
The first ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Rodeo was held in 1925 and lasted three days. Photo credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen.
A-10 Thunderbolt II, 1975
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has a long history with aviation. Here, Air Force officers check out a Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II during a special showing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in June 1975.
The Air Force is planning for a new wing of its Special Operations Command at D-M that will replace the A-10 mission as the renowned “Warthog†close air-support jet is retired over the next several years.ÌýPhoto credit: Bruce Hopkins/ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen.
La Placita Village, 1977
A quiet day at the hospitable confines of La Placita Village in 1977.Ìý
The village, located near Broadway and Church, was originally built in 1973 and featured around 90 shops, offices and restaurants.
Eventually, La Placita Village was demolished in 2018 to make way for residential apartments.ÌýPhoto credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Meet Yourself, 1981
Music and dance have long been key elements of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Meet Yourself, as these Leikarring dancers illustrate at the 1981 festival in downtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.Ìý
A ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen story from that year stated visitors would hear a wide array of music, "from contemporary Papago polka tunes to old-time fiddling," along with Mariachi music, Scottish bagpipes, and traditional African singing.Ìý
As for dancing, the Norwegian dance troupe shown above was joined at the festival that year by Greek, Mexican, Scottish, Cuban, and Indian dancers showing off traditional moves. Photo credit: Joe Vitti/ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
The Loft, 1981
The audience at the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" cover their heads as rice is thrown at the New Loft Theatre, 504 N. Fremont Ave., in January 1981.ÌýPhoto credit: Jack W. Sheaffer / ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
McDonald's on Speedway, 1982
What is that contraption at the counter? It's the cash register at the McDonald's restaurant at Speedway and Campbell, as shown here in September 1982. Photo credit: ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Citizen.
Foothills Mall, 1983
The line for the opening of the Star Wars film, "Return of the Jedi," at the Foothills Cinemas at Foothills Mall on May 24, 1983. Photo credit: Jim Davis / ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Biosphere II, 1987
Raising their glasses in celebration, Margret Augustine and Carl Hodges toast the groundbreaking for the Biosphere II project in Oracle on Jan. 30, 1987.
The complex was built as a self-sustaining environment for humans, and in 1993, eight “biosphereans†ended a two-year stint living inside its sealed ecosystem. Photo credit: David Sanders / ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
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