Downtown in Tucson in Pima County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Southwest Corner of the Presidio

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 8, 2012

1. Southwest Corner of the Presidio Marker

Inscription. Excavations beneath this lawn in 1998 located the west adobe wall of the Tucson Presidio and a portion of the presidio blacksmith shop. The tower at the southwest corner remains buried beneath the nearby city hall parking lot. Soldiers stood guard here, watching over the field on the Santa Cruz River floodplain below. The soldiers accompanied women as they washed clothes in an irrigation acequia (canal) and men as they tended crops and herds, located a short distance from the main gate. The Cosmopolitan Hotel (later the Orndorff Hotel) was located here from about 1870 to 1935.
[Caption]
The Cosmopolitan Hotel in the 1880s, looking towards the northeast.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1998.

Location. 32° 13.346′ N, 110° 58.51′ W. Marker is in Tucson, Arizona, in Pima County. It is in Downtown. It can be reached from West Pennington Street. Marker is near the southwest corner of the Tucson City Hall building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 255 W Alameda St, Tucson AZ 85701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arizona’s Sky Islands,

in the Sonoran Desert,

and in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also the Gadsden Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Presidio Wall Camino Real (within shouting distance of this marker); Arizona's First Public School (within

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

shouting distance of this marker); Padre-Eusebio-Francisco-Kino, S.J. (within shouting distance of this marker); Alameda Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Tucson Old Walled City (within shouting distance of this marker); Main Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); Edward Nye Fish House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Main Gate (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tucson.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 8, 2012

2. Southwest Corner of the Presidio Marker

Marker is on old section of adobe wall.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 8, 2012

3. Southwest Corner of the Presidio Marker

Marker is on section of old adobe wall.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 8, 2012

4. Southwest Corner of the Presidio Marker

Marker is on old section of adobe wall, near the tree.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on January 10, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 836 times since then and 29 times this year. Last updated on May 13, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 10, 2012, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.