March 13,2012

SAN FRACISCO TO TUCSON

I caught an early morning Southwest Airlines flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas and on to Tucson, arriving in Tucson about 11:30 a.m. I rented a car at the airport and had lunch downtown.

This afternoon I did a 5K hike in Downtown Tucson sponsored by the Tucson Volksspport Walking Klub.

Here are some of the highlights:

The hike began and ended at the Hotel Arizona on West Broadway Blvd.

El Presidio Park - In 1775 the Royal Spanish Army selected the site for a new frontier presidio. The park has many fountains, sculptures and plaques and is nicely landsacaped with palm trees and cacti.

The El Presidio Historic District is listed in National Register of Historic Places.

This is a momument to the Mormon Battalion of 1846.

There are several mansions in the blocks bounded by Alameda, Main, Franklin & Washington Streets.

Steinfeld House - Built in 1900 of brick stucco in Spanish mission style, it is a good example of an affluent Tucson resident of the turn of the 19th century.

The Owl's Club Mansion - This once grand gentlemen's club building was built in 1901 by architect Henry Trost & is listed in National Register of Historic Places.

This modern Catholic Diocese of Tucson building in the downtown area I found quite fascinating.

This recently restored train station is where in 1881 Wyatt Earp shot one of the Clanton gang (the gang shot Wyatt's brother, Morgan, after the Gunfight At The OK Corral.)

Rialto Theatre

Just down the street from the Rialto Theatre there's Vaudville!

My niece, Kelsey, would just love this window.

Temple of Music & Art - Arizona Theatre Company

These are photos from the Barrio Historic District.

The area was once called Barrio Libre (free neighborhood), because it was not subject to city controls.  The district is the last remaining area of an original, larger barrio where about 150 adobes have survived since the middle and late 1800s.

Here's a photo of the Tucson Convention Center.

And that end's my hike for the day - I'm tired.

Tomorrow I'm heading for Scottsdale to see the Giants play the Indians at spring training.