Go back in time and learn the history of downtown Tucsonβs Congress Street on a new summer walking tour.
The evening tour, which will be offered three Thursdays this month by Presidio San Agustin del Tucson Museum, goes back to how the arrival of the railroad brought development to Congress.
The corridor as we now know it, bustling with businesses and activity much like what was seen in the 1940s and 50s, would later decline with the introduction of suburban malls and strip malls, resulting in boarded up storefronts, including the Fox Theatre.
The rebirth began in the late 1980s with the preservation of historic buildings to revitalize downtown, a news release said.
The tours, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on June 6, 13 and 20, will be led by Ken Scoville who was directly involved in helping to redevelop downtown and Congress street from 1985 to present day.
The cost is $30 through tucsonpresidio.com/walking-tours. Pre-registration is required.
Tucson Landmarks: Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., opened in 1919 as a luxurious mainstay for visitors arriving in the Old Pueblo.
The downtown landmark has kept much of its history alive in the past century, while also bringing modern amenities to Tucson natives and tourists.
Video by Riley Brown / For the Arizona Daily Star
