Last updated: April 10, 2024
Place
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
Tubac Presidio State Park
Quick Facts
Location:
Tubac, Arizona
Significance:
Spanish Colonial Historic Site
Designation:
Arizona State Park and Anza Trail Certified Interpretive Site
MANAGED BY:
Amenities
13 listed
Accessible Rooms, Accessible Sites, Benches/Seating, Cellular Signal, Gifts/Souvenirs/Books, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Information - Maps Available, Parking - Auto, Picnic Shelter/Pavilion, Picnic Table, Restroom, Trailhead
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park preserves the ruins of the oldest Spanish Presidio site in Arizona, San Ignacio de Tubac. The Tubac Presidio was established in 1752 to protect the Spanish colonists from the Apache (Ndee and Chiricahua) and Seri (Comca’ac), to intimidate and control the O'odham people and to further expand Spanish colonial power in what is now the Southwest United States.
Juan Bautista de Anza was the second commander of the presidio. He led the expedition to California that resulted in the founding of the city of San Francisco in 1776. The expedition included 240 colonists orginally from Sinaloa and Sonora, 63 of whom were living in Tubac. The colonists gathered over 1,000 head of livestock--cattle, horses, and mules--at Tubac for the expedition. The group departed from the presidio on October 23, 1775.
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park is managed by Arizona State Parks with generous support from volunteers and the Friends of Tubac Presidio and Museum. The park includes a visitor center, museum, gardens, historic interpretation, gift shop, picnic area, and trailhead access to recreational trail that follows the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. An official Juan Bautista de Anza NHT Passport Stamp is available in the visitor center. This is passport stamp #4 along the Anza Trail (list of Anza Trail passport stamp locations).
For operating hours and information contact Tubac Presidio State Historic Park.