Photos of what life was like in Tucson in the early 1950s
From Old Tucson to the Tucson Inn, here's a look at Tucson in the 1950s.
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Old Tucson
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From the Dec. 8, 1952, Tucson Citizen: In case you think the "good old days" are gone forever you had better visit Old Tucson this evening and tomorrow when the rip-roarin' wild West will live again with street shootings, hangings, Indian attacks and bank robberies. And if that isn't enough to liven things up there will be Can Can dancers like those pictured above. The annual "Old Tucson Daze" celebration is sponsored by the Tucson Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Barrio Viejo
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Barrio Viejo in Tucson, Ariz., at the intersection of Sabino Avenue and McCormick Street in 1953.Β
St. Mary's Rodeo Parade
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The St. Mary's wagon in the 1953 Tucson Rodeo Parade
Kolb Road namesake
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Richard Earl Kolb, for which Kolb Road is named, eating lunch in 1953 in a Pima County office. He worked for the Pima County Assessor's Office for 34 years.Β
Consumers building in downtown Tucson
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TheΒ Consumers building in downtown Tucson, 1953.Β
Tucson Recreation Department
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Downtown Tucson Recreation Department building in 1953.Β
Tucson Boys Chorus
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The Tucson Boys Chorus heading for a performance on June 17, 1952, at the Kiwanis International Convention in Seattle, Washington, attended by 15,000 delegates.Β
Downtown buildings
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Stein's Clothing, Leed's Shoes and Southern Arizona Bank and Trust in 1953.Β
Tucson City Annex building
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Downtown Tucson City Annex building, just south of City Hall taken July 8, 1953.Β
Rudy Castro
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Rudy Castro of Tucson High School baseball in 1952.
Bisbee Fourth of July Parade
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Soldiers march along in the parade held in Bisbee, Arizona on the 4th of July 1952
Mt. Lemmon prison camp
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A Citizen photo of the dam and pump house for the Tucson Federal Prison Camp.
City Hall Annex building
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From the Tucson Citizen in 1953: The Pennington Street entrance of the block-deep city hall annex building scheduled for demolition as soon as its occupants can be moved to new quarters. The two-story adobe building was under condemnation when the city acquired it several years ago. The city council Monday ordered the building torn down in line with new policy of keeping a close eye on substandard buildings.
76 gas station
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A 76 gas station in downtown Tucson
Park Avenue railroad crossing
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The Park Avenue railroad crossing in 1952.
Tucson bus service
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A Tucson Rapid Transit bus in 1953
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
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Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on Jan. 17, 1953, the day a new 11,500-feet runway was dedicated to handle the jet age. Propeller-driven Boeing B-50 bombers site on the flightline. The base received new SAC B-47 bombers for the 303rd Bombardment Group that March.Β
Ted DeGrazia
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In 1952, Ted DeGrazia built the Mission in the Sun as the first building constructed on the property in memory of Padre Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit priest, and dedicated the mission to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Following his own building plans, DeGrazia and his friends carefully handcrafted the adobe constructed building. In 2006, the Mission in the Sun was registered as a National Historic landmark.
State Theater, downtown
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The State Theater at 51 E. Congress St. in 1953. It was also known as the Tucson Opera House. It was closed in Sept. 22, 1953.
Tucson from A Mountain
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The City of Tucson as seen from A Mountain at dawn on Jan. 1, 1953.Β
Rillito Raceway
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The Rillito Raceway in 1953.
Rillito Raceway
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The Rillito Raceway in 1953.Β
Virginia Mittendorf
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Virginia Mittendorf was the first Tucson woman to appear on a television screen in Tucson in 1953.Β
Cleveland Indians
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Cleveland Indians play at Hi-Corbett Field in March, 1952Β
Indians vs New York Giants
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Cleveland Indians vs the N.Y Giants at Hi-Corbett Field, March 8, 1953
Marana Air Base
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Dinner is served (looks like steak!) in the mess hall at Marana Air Base in 1953.
Marana Air Base
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Piper L-21 trainers at Marana Air Base in 1953.
Marana Air Base
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Turkish airmen training at Marana Air Base in 1953 are "fascinated by the strange beauties of the desert," according the Tucson Citizen.
Old Tucson Studios gunfighters take a break
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Old Tucson Studios' gunfighting stuntmen take a break between shows in November of 1953.Β
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
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Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in 1953.Β
The birth of San Manuel
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From a 1953 edition of the Tucson Citizen: Barber Tommy Blank may have some time on his hands right now, but wait until future San Manuelites commence moving into all those new houses come next week.Β
The article was about the creation of the town of San Manuel.Β
Tucson Inn
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The Tucson Inn under construction in November, 1952. Tucson had 150 hotels at that time. "The motor-hotel business in Tucson is one of the resort town's thriving activities," according to the Tucson Citizen.
Tucson Inn
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Opening of the Tucson Inn in January, 1953. Tie optional.
Tucson Inn
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Opening of the Tucson Inn in January, 1953. A little chilly to be poolside.
Tommy "Thunder" Bolt
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Tommy "Thunder" Bolt during the 1953 Tucson Open at Randolph, which he won that year. Bolt was a WWII vet who joined the tour later in life, but won 15 Tour titles.
Ft. Lowell Road
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The remains of the Fort Lowell Park hospital were partially covered from above on June 17, 1953, but the walls were exposed allowing people to scratch their names on the adobe walls.
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