Spanish Settlements in Tucson

The Spanish were the first Europeans to explore and control the Southwest. Throughout the Spanish empire, they established missions (Spanish settlements consisting mainly of Indians and some Europeans such as priests, soldiers, and craftspeople) and presidios (Spanish military posts). Tucson, AZ, has such Spanish settlement examples.
  The valley (green) was irrigated with the mission lying within it. The presidio over looked the valley for defensive reasons.     Layout of buildings inside the walled mission.
    This model shows what life might have been like in the mission.

 

   South of Tucson, near Green Valley, San Xavier mission still serves the Indians who were Christianized by the Spanish. The Indians live own the adjacent reservation. Visit them.