Commerce in Tubac, Arizona: 1804 & 2021
A Historical Perspective
Tubac, Pimería Alta, Nueva España
August 1, 1804
"We have no stores. Merchandise from Spain must be bought in Arizpe, the capital. Both military and settlers journey there for this purpose. We have no access to merchandise from Asia and China. We buy no wax or cocoa and receive no products directly from Vera Cruz, Acapulco, or San Blas, nor do we possess any smuggled goods."
- Second Ensign Manuel Leon, Presidio of Tubac
Arizpe refers to Arizpe, Sonora, Mexico the once capital of Northern New Spain (Provincias Internas) a vast territory encompassing all of today's U.S. - Mexico borderlands. The distance between Arizpe and Tubac is 160 miles.
January 29, 2021
"Today, 100-plus shops occupy the village plaza, where old adobes, Spanish courtyards and ocotillo fences blend seamlessly with a handful of newer buildings. Yet the history still feels palpable."
- The Arizona Republic
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Sources:
McCarty, Kieran. Desert Documentary. Tucson: The Arizona Historical Society, 1976.
Naylor, Roger. “Explore One of Arizona's Oldest Communities in a Day Trip: What to See, How to Get There.” azcentral. The Arizona Republic (January 29, 2021). https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/arizona/road-trips/2021/01/29/tubac-az-shopping-restaurants-things-to-do-arizona/4285936001/.
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Take the fast track to understand Tubac, Arizona in person on Borderlandia’s Tubac’s Heritage Tour.
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