The Founding: August 20, 1775
Tucson’s origins as a modern city are military in nature, tied to the northern expansion of New Spain.
- The Presidio: On August 20, 1775, Hugo O’Conor, an Irish mercenary serving the Spanish crown, selected a site for a new military fort. He named it the Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón.
- The Purpose: The fort was built to protect the mission at nearby San Xavier del Bac and to defend settlers from Apache raids. A massive adobe wall was constructed to enclose the garrison and the families living there, forming the nucleus of what is now downtown Tucson.
Indigenous Roots
While 1775 marks the…..