A historic downtown duplex built in 1907, that once housed an unlicensed fortune teller, has been renovated for its new life as a restaurant and candle shop.
Known as The Duplex, the 1,400-square-foot building at 198 and 200 N. Court Ave., has been vacant for years.
Its last resident, Jose Lee, left the home to the Tucson Heritage Foundation in 1976, stating in his will:
“The property must be retained as a historical site.”
Built in 1907, the historic Tucson duplex has sat vacant for years.
It was bought by the Rio Nuevo district in 2001 for an improvement project.
Because of the state of the building and the then-newly formed Rio Nuevo still in flux, it sat empty.
Last year, renovation began with the support of Rio Nuevo, the Presidio San Agustin del Tucson Museum and the Southwestern Foundation for Education and Historical Preservation.
Amy Hartmann-Gordon, executive director of the Presidio Museum, said after the museum opened in 2008, talk turned to what would become of “this little leftover piece.”
A 115-year-old former residence in downtown Tucson is being renovated and will open a restaurant and candle shop.
“We had a lot of community conversations,” she said. “Because it’s within the Rio Nuevo district we were trying to find a way to generate tax revenue in a way that blended with cultural heritage.”
The restaurant will be operated by the Schneider family, who own La Cocina restaurant (or LaCo) at 201 N. Court Ave. The family plans to expand its Ceres Pasta concept in the new location.
Among the previous residents of the 115-year-old former duplex in downtown Tucson was an unlicensed fortune teller who was fined by the city.
The retail portion will be Candle with a Cure, a local shop selling handmade candles and soaps that include CBD products.
The shop will also offer classes on making candles.
“This ties back to what we do at the museum,” said Hartmann-Gordon. “We like to offer demonstrations.”
The plan is to open both businesses in September.
A 115-year-old former residence in downtown Tucson is being renovated and will open a restaurant and candle shop.
Storied history
The Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum is on the northeast corner of the original Presidio at 196 N. Court Ave., and is a reconstruction of the original Tucson Presidio built in 1775. Tours give visitors a glimpse of what life in the Presidio was like for soldiers and other residents.
The Duplex, according to the 1910 Census, was occupied by R.D. Walters, a 35-year-old Missouri native who worked for the railroad as a brakeman and his 31-year-old wife, Maude Walters, a native of Canada. Nell Terrant, 34, a widow from Wisconsin, also lived in the home and turned hair combings into switches as a hobby.
A 115-year-old former residence in downtown Tucson is being renovated and will open a restaurant and candle shop.
Many residents would come to occupy the home, including a decorator at Steinfeld’s Department Store, a postal carrier, and a fortune teller, Sara Valencia, who, in 1961, was fined $200 by the city of Tucson for telling fortunes without a city license. She was sentenced to 20 days in jail.
A 115-year-old former residence in downtown Tucson is being renovated and will open a restaurant and candle shop.
Here's what life in Tucson looked like in 1966 and 1967
Jake's Quick Lunch
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Jake's Quick Lunch at 78 W Congress St, left, was situated next to landmark Legal Tender as well as other businesses near Church Avenue on June 26, 1966. All the buildings were demolished to make way for the Urban Renewal project of the 1960s and 70s. Photo by Mark Godfrey / Tucson Citizen
Cine El Dorado
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Cine El Dorado at 5909 E. Broadway Road, across from Park Mall, on opening night, June 14, 1967. The first film shown was "El Dorado," starring John Wayne (and filmed at Old Tucson). The theater boasted it was the only one equipped to show all types of films, including wide screen, Cinemascope and Vista Vision. It had 724 seats. It was expanded in 1975 for a second screen. In 1986, new theater owner Cineplex Odeon announced plans to increase the number of its movie screens in Tucson from seven to 21. As part of that expansion, the twinplex El Dorado Theatre at 5909 E. Broadway was torn down and on March 3, 1988, a new sixplex was under construction on the site. In 2002, the theater was closed and the building converted into a Linens 'n' Things. It's now a Peter Piper Pizza. Photo by Bruce Hopkins/Tucson Citizen 1967
Ted DeGrazia
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Artist Ted DeGrazia in his studio in August, 1966.
Centennial Saguaro
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The Century Saguaro was planted in front of the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center in 1966 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Park Service. The Park on March 1, is celebrating the NPS 100th anniversary and the park's 83rd birthday.
Spanish Trail Motel
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Spanish Trail Motel, circa 1967.
Father Eusebio Kino
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An archaeological expert from the University of Mexico examines the skull of Father Eusebio Kino in July, 1966.
North Highland Avenue
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A view of North Highland Avenue looking north toward the University of Arizona's Administration building on September 11, 1966. Mark Godfrey / Tucson Citizen
The University of Arizona Mall
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The University of Arizona Mall off East Third Street (left) and North Cherry Avenue on September 21, 1966. Note the baseball field on the left of the photo. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
Space Sciences Center
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The brand-spanking new Space Sciences Center at the University of Arizona was complete by September 11, 1966. Note that North Warren Avenue went all the way through to Third Street and the UA Mall. Mark Godfrey / Tucson Citizen
Graduation
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University of Arizona students listen to a commencement speaker during ceremonies at Arizona Stadium on June 1, 1966.
'Pistolero' filming
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This is Glenn Ford at Old Tucson. October 1966. Tucson Citizen file photo. This photo spread appeared in the Citizen on Oct. 29, 1966. Headline was "Pistolero" Caption: Tucson provided the background last week for another big screen western. This time is was MGM's "Pistolero," produced by Howard Strickling, directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Glenn Ford and Angie Dickinson. Upper Sabino Canyon and Old Tucson were the location sites for the story which has to do with the most deadly handgun in the West, way back in 1877, when a gun was man's best friend. Hie is in love with the beautiful gal who runs the twon saloon. He also knows what it is to gun down a foe and savor the victory — and he saw the folly of this while spending 10 years in prison. When a brash young gunfighter shows up, intent upon having it out with the older draw and becoming the new champion, the old man wants out but realizes the younger one will force the duel. In the end, the girl shoots the young man to save the older one, but loses him by her action. Ad so ends another western that you will be seeing in the local movie theaters sometime next year.
Nogales, Arizona border station
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The Nogales, Arizona, border station in 1966.
West Congress Street
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A group marches in a parade along West Congress on June 26, 1966. All the buildings were demolished on both sides of the road to make way for the county government buildings as part of the Urban Renewal project of the 1960s and 70s. Photo by Mark Godfrey / Tucson Citizen
Food Giant
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Fire consumes the Food Giant grocery store on 1830 S Alvernon Way after an Air Force F4D fighter-bomber from Davis Monthan Air Force Base crashed into the store and nearby building killing four people on December 19, 1967.
Don Jones gas station
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The Don Jones gas station was located on the southeast corner of Church and Alameda in this January 12, 1967 photograph. The Pima County courthouse is in the background. The Joel Valdez Main Library is located on this property.
YMCA building on West Congress Street
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Workers continue demolishing the former YMCA building on West Congress Street to make way for the new Pima County adminstration and courthouse buildings on October 13, 1966. Photo by Bill Hopkins / Tucson Citizen
Summer swimming
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People started filtering in on opening day for the brand-new Fort Lowell Park pool at North Craycroft Road on Saturday, August 12, 1967. The $123,000 facility was L-shaped which allowed for a diving area that measured 12-feet deep, 50-feet wide and 75 feet long. Off to the side was a wading pool, lounge and snack bar. Admission was 20-cents for children under 16 and 40-cents for adults.
Spring training
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Hi Corbett field during Cleveland Indians (now the Cleveland Guardians) spring training game, March 13, 1966. Photo by ©Jack Sheaffer / The Arizona Daily Star.
University of Arizona Homecoming
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A real bobcat inside the mascot cage at the 1966 UA Homecoming game at Arizona Stadium.
Urban renewal
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Children walk through a neighborhood in the downtown area that may have been included in the urban renewal project on February 1966.
Paraphernalia boutique
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A model dances on a table during opening night at Paraphernalia boutique in Broadway Village, Tucson, on Feb. 1, 1967.
Drive-in congregation
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The Rev. John Coatsworth preaches at 8:45am on a Sunday in Oct. 1966 to drive-in congregation at South Park Ave. and E. Ohio St.
Pima County Fairgrounds
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Pima County fairgrounds under construction in March, 1967.
Truly Nolen extermination
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Charles Miller, with Truly Nolen, dusts a junk pile at 213 S El Paso Ave., on October 9, 1967. The company was given the task of exterminating the living and nesting areas for rats, cockroaches and all other pests in the new urban renewal area before demolition of the buildings. The home was once the residence of Winston English according to the 1967 Tucson City Directory. A company by the name of Young and Devoe Demolition Co. was given the contract to tear down the 37 structures in the area which would now be in the around the Tucson Community Center, according to the Tucson Citizen.
Large billboards
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Large billboards used to line the area along Interstate 10 (South Freeway) between West 22nd and West Congress Streets on May 5, 1966. Photo by Dan Tortorell / Tucson Citizen
The Starlite Tavern
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The Starlite Tavern, at 31 N Sixth Avenue adjacent to the Arizona Hotel, had fallen on hard times along with many businesses in the area on May 3, 1967. Times were tough for other sections of East Congress and other downtown businesses as well.
Snow in Tucson
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Snowmen starting to thin out as the temperature warms up after a snowstorm in Tucson on Dec. 17, 1967.
The State Bar
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The State Bar was located on the corner of West Congress and Pennington Streets on February 1966. It was in the downtown area that made way for the urban renewal project.. Photos by Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
The New Triple T in 1966
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Cleaning those bugs off truck windshields is no easy task at the TTT Truck Terminal at Craycroft Road and Benson Highway in Tucson in June, 1966.
The New Triple T in 1966
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Looking the part: A trucker in a T-shirt eats a sandwich in the restaurant at the TTT Truck Terminal at Craycroft Road and Benson Highway in Tucson in June, 1966.
Anti-draft demonstrators
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Anti-draft demonstrators temporarily defied the takeoff of a busload of inductees from a downtown Scott Avenue departure point afternoon but the bus and a swarm of city policemen won out. Violence during the demostration stopped short of bloodshed. December 5, 1967.
Dow Chemical
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University of Arizona Chief of Police, Doug Paxton, speaks to protestors against Dow Chemical. November 2, 1967.
Catalina Foothills High School
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Kids play on a Noah's Ark art sculpture created by public artist Charles Clement at the Catalina Foothills School, Sept. 7, 1966.
Daily Star strike
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Picketers Howard Ross, bottom left, and Bill Quesenberg walk in front of the Arizona Daily Star while Steve Emerine, Bill Kimmey, Dick Casey and Ed Jordan watch from above during the opening hours of an ITU strike on November 28, 1966.
Winterhaven Festival of Lights
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Winterhaven Festival of Lights in Tucson in December, 1966.
Wilmot branch library
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Little ones pay rapt attention during story time at the brand new Wilmot Branch Library in 1966.
The Ying On Club
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The Ying On Club on 101 S. Main Ave., as it appeared on February 1966. The building and the ones adjacent were torn down in the downtown area making way for the urban renewal project.
