History
Spain's presence in Southern Arizona began in 1539 when Fray Marcos de Niza crossed the present Arizona border at Lochiel although historians still argue about whether the history of Pima County began with Cabeza de Vaca's trek from 1527 to 1536.
The Spanish settlement began in Pima County in 1691 when Father Kino entered Arizona. He built a temporary mission at San Xavier del Bac (still in use as a church for the Tohono O'odham Nation). The Spaniards named the area Pimeria Alta, meaning "Upper Land of the Pimas", today called Pima County.
Language
The presence of the Spanish language in the western United States began with the arrival of the first explorers, a fact that is reflected in the name of current geographical places, local plants and animals, and local idiomatic terms.
The religious orders of the Franciscans and the Jesuits, aside from spreading the Catholic religion, were responsible for teaching the Spanish language to the local residents.
Thirty percent of the population of Pima County is of Hispanic origin. The University of Humanities is one of the largest and most renown in the country with close to 5,000 students.
Architecture
Royal buildings - El Presidio - Established by the Royal Spanish Army in 1775, the abode walled fort protected the area settlers. The original wall extended from what is now Main Street To Church Avenue, and from Washington Avenue to Pennington Street, enclosing about 11 and one half acres.
Religious buildings - Iglesia de San Augustín - The facade and towers have remained from the original building built in 1896; inspired by the Queretaro Church in Mexico. The Spanish brought with them the town planning style of central main plazas and the mission style of churches. Their public buildings and private homes incorporated interior courtyards and portals, or porches, surrounded by single-story flat roofed buildings. The combination of elements from Spanish and Indian cultures resulted in the "Spanish-Pueblo" architectural style. Some architecture styles found in Pima County today are Spanish Hacienda, Santa Fe, and Mission style. |
