HISTORIC LANDMARK SIGNS IN THE NEWS...
Stories include:

• Pima Community College approved plans to install four renovated neon signs on the Downtown Campus, near Drachman/Stone.  
• A new tourism concept includes Tucson's Neon Legacy, depicted on a new map funded by the Arizona Humanities Council. 
• Local business fights to keep it's old sign. 

The Historic Landmark Signs Preservation Program wins state award. 
At the Thursday, September 29, 2011, annual awards luncheon of the American Planning Association, Arizona Chapter, the City of Tucson and the Historic Landmark Signs Subcommittee were awarded first place in the category of "Best Ordinance/ Legislation/ Policy/ Regulation".  

The Historic Landmark Signs Preservation Program was adopted by the Mayor and City Council on June 28, 2011. Learn more on the program's web page.

Complete your form and submit pictures of your historic home to enroll today! 

Tucson welcomes a new historic district!  In May, 2012, Jefferson Park was listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.  Click here to read more about the districts, and to access the registration documentation.

The archaeological   report for Centro Parking Garage, located on the northeast corner of Congress and 4th Avenue, provides details regarding the various building foundations, outhouse pits, and ore waste pits that archaeologists uncovered during their Fall 2009 exploration of Historic Block 95.  Information recovered allowed research questions to be explored on railroad architecture, changing Tucson lifeways in the late nineteenth century, sanitation, diet, and ore assaying. 
(Learn more about the Centro Parking Garage.)

A Guide to Tucson's Historic Neighborhoods provides an overview of Tucson's development over time as represented by the architecture in our local historic neighborhoods.  Descriptions and depictions of 23 exemplary architectural styles, as well as brief histories of 27 historic neighborhoods, are included and the map provides users the ability to tour the areas on their own.

To obtain print copies, please contact the Blenman-Elm Neighborhood Association Guide Distribution Committee at (520) 326-1632 or BENAGuide@gmail.com.

UNIQUELY TUCSON

Explore Tucson's locally owned businesses, heritage destinations, and historic buildings along the future Modern Streetcar route.

http://www.santacruzheritage.org/UniquelyTucson

Do you own a historic property?  You may qualify for Federal and State financial incentives for preservation of your property. Read more about the requirements as described in these Arizona State Historic Preservation Office web pages:
Tax Incentives and Grant Programs Overview
State Historic Property Tax Program

Not sure if you own a historic property?  Or perhaps you are looking for information on Tucson's historic districts?  Use the following resources to obtain documentation, maps, and property inventory forms:

Web page with a list of Tucson's National Register Historic Districts and their documentation, as well as a map of Tucson’s National Register Historic Districts, both existing and pending.

An interactive online map with multiple layers of information, including district boundaries, building footprints, and links to historic documentation. 
NOTE:  Turn on the historic preservation layers (see example here) and zoom in and out to view building footprints, and use the 'i' tool to get links and date for each building footprint.
City of Tucson GIS Maps Library

Jefferson Park Historic District
Listed May, 2012

The Jefferson Park Historic District is unique as a rare surviving example of an unplanned rural neighborhood that was slowly built out, one lot at a time, over a period of 60 years, and incorporated into the fabric of the city. The district is characterized by early to mid-20th century construction of distinctive southwestern architectural styles, including Craftsman Bungalow, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Pueblo Revival. Today the district encompasses, 272-acres and 788 properties. Learn more about this historic district with the following documents:

Historic District Map (2.78 MB)

Complete National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (9.58 MB): This is the nomination form for the district and includes a full history of the district, pictures, maps and other supporting information.

Rillito Racetrack Historic District
Listed February, 2012

Founded in 1943, Rillito Race Track is the birthplace of many technological innovations in Quarter Horse racing and the racing industry at large; including track modifications designed to accommodate Quarter Horses, introduction of the photo finish device, and the establishment of the American Quarter Racing Association. This historic district contains 16 contributing buildings and structures built between 1943 and 1960. Learn more about this historic district with the following documents:

Historic District Map (210 kB)

Complete National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (338 kB): This is the nomination form for the district and includes a full history of the district, pictures, maps and other supporting information.

Rillito Racetrack Chute
Listed June, 1986 – Amended February, 2012

The Rillito Racetrack Chute is an integral structural component of the extensive Rillito Racetrack. Considered the birthplace of Quarter Horse racing, the Rillito Racetrack chute is a 3/8-mile straight stretch of prepared dirt track, measuring 45-feet wide. The Chute was a significant innovation in Quarter Horse racing, and was the model for similar track modifications at other Quarter Horse racetracks. Learn more about this historic structure with the following documents:

Historic District Map (381 kB)

Complete National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (12.8 MB): This is the nomination form for the district and includes a full history of the district, pictures, maps and other supporting information.

THPO Resources

Tucson Post World War II Residential Subdivision Development Report (1945-1973)

Tucson's population boom after World War II was accompanied by new architectural styles and construction techniques which now represent a significant portion of our community's historic fabric.  This report, completed in 2007, summarizes these trends and includes typologies of Tucson's post-War residential architecture and landscaping.

Report (4.5 MB)

Maps (2.2 MB)