Pima County
History/Websites/Sites to See/Cities/Books
"In the days of Spanish missions in Arizona, Pima County was part of an area known as Pimeria Alta (Spanish:"Upper Pima land"). Fr. Eusebio Kino in May 1704, suggested that another name to be give to the region, and that it be called thereafeter New Phillipines. Later, when the United States annexed the huge region then known as New Mexico, southern Arizona was included in Dona Ana county, which stretched all the way from the Colorado River eastward to the present day New Mexican border. Then came the War between the States, and Sylvester Mowry (Mowry Mine, Santa Cruz) proposed on his map of Arizona in 1860 that the name Ewell County be give to what is now Pima and Santa Cruz counties. The name was that of Capt. Richard S. Ewell (see Fort Buchanan, Santa Cruz) None of the early names, however, was destined to take hold.

On November 8, 1864, the first territorial legislature for Arizona created four counties, of which Pima was one. the name was given because the county was the home of the Pima Indians. The Pima Indians are a peaceful agricultural tribe. Their name came from a nickname given them by the Spaniards because these Indians used the word pim to indicate negation. The descendants of the Pima Indians of Pimeria Alta now have the Pima and San Xavier Indian Reservations, and their cousins have the Papago Reservation.

As originally constituted, Pima County included all land south of the Gila River and east of Yuma (roughly all that part of the United States acquired from Mexico in the Gadsen Purchase). Gradually the huge county diminished as other counties were carved from it. Parts were cut off in forming Maricopa, Pinal, and Cochise Counties, and more was lost when Graham County was formed. Currently Pima County has 5,914,240 acres. Its county sent has always been Tucson. Whatever industries are found in other Arizona counties will be found in Pima County, with the possible exception of extensive lumbering, although at one time (in the 1870s) lumber was hauled from the Santa Rita Mountains."

Barnes, Will C.; Granger, Byrd (ed.). Arizona Place Names. University of Arizona Press. 1960
p. 256
 

"Originally called Ewell county, after Captain R.S. Ewell. On Mowry's map, 1860, which showed only four counties. Was called Pima in Act of First Legislative Session, 1864, which created four counties, Pima, Yuma, Mohave, Yavapai."

Barnes, Will C. Arizona Place Names. University of Arizona Press. 1997
p. 332

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Websites

County Profile-Arizona Department of Commerce
http://www.commerce.state.az.us/pdf/county/pima.pdf

Local Government Website
http://www.co.pima.az.us/

Arizonan.com-Pima County
http://arizonan.com/PimaCounty

Museums in Pima County-Tucson area
http://www.cityspin.com/tucson/sights/sights.htm
 

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Cities of County

Ajo
Amado
Arivaca
Avra Valley
Casas Adobes
Catalina
Corona de Tucson
Marana
Oro Valley
Sahuarita
Sonoita
South Tucson
Tucson-County Seat
Tubac

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Sites to See

Tucson-Pima Public Library District
http://www.lib.ci.tucson.az.us/

Ajo Historical Society
160 S Mission Rd.
Ajo 85321-2601

Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society
Arizona State Museum
1013 E. University Boulevard
University of Arizona P.O. Box 210026
Tucson, AZ 85721-0026
http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/aahs/aahs.shtml

Arizona Historical Society-- Southern Division/Tucson
949 E. Second Street, Tucson, Arizona 85719
(520) 628-5774
http://w3.arizona.edu/~azhist/

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2021 N. Kinney Rd. Tucson, AZ 85473-8918
(520) 883-1380
http://www.desertmuseum.org/

Center for Creative Photogaphy
The University of Arizona ·
Tucson, Arizona · 520-621-7968
http://www.library.arizona.edu/branches/ccp/ccphome.html

Fort Lowell

John C. Fremont House
151 S. Granada Ave., Tucson, AZ
(602) 622-0956

The Old Pueblo Museum
in the Foothills Mall at Ina and La Cholla (602 - 742-2355)

Pima Air and Space Museum
Tucson Air Museum Foundation of Pima County
6000 East Valencia Road  Tucson, AZ 85706
(520) 574-0462
http://www.pimaair.org/

The Postal History Foundation
920 N. First Avenue Tucson, AZ  85719
(520) 623-6652

Western National Parks Association
12880 North Vistoso Village Dr. Tucson, AZ 85737
520-622-1999
http://www.wnpa.org/default_html.asp

Titan Missile Museum
1580 W. Duval Mine Rd., Sahuarita, Arizona
520.625.7736
http://www.pimaair.org/titan_01.htm

Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum
(520) 294-1280
http://www.tucsonrodeoparade.com/
 

Books/Manuscripts found in the ASU Library Catalog

Archaeological excavations at the Arivaca Wash Cemetery, AZ DD:7:26 (ASM), Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge / J. Homer Thiel, Penny Dufoe Minturn, Lorrie Lincoln-Babb ; contributions by Lisa Huckell.
F817 .P5 T55x 1995

Fort Lowell historic district portfolio / designed & issued by the Fort Lowell Historic District Board.
F819 .F63 F67x

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