Tag Archives: Urban renewal photographs

Tucson: Growth, Change, Memories / Exhibition, August 17, 2015-January21, 2016.

A row of homes in Barrio Viejo

This exhibition was held in celebration of the anniversary of the “founding” of Tucson in 1775 by Spanish colonizers, and was centered around a collection of photographs I had found in Special Collections that consisted of photos of all of the buildings in the oldest part of town that had been demolished during Tucson’s urban renewal rampage, which took place in the latter part of the 1960s. Some beautiful houses and many historically significant buildings were lost in the old barrio, or “Barrio Viejo” to to make way for the building of the Tucson Community Center. My friend Richard’s father, Mr. Albert Elias, had mentioned to me that they existed, so I looked and looked until I found them. I was frankly quite shocked that these photos never got much attention before I pushed to have them digitized for use in this exhibition. The events I planned included a lecture by Tom Sheridan, assessing the present state of the Mexican community in Tucson and a panel discussion on growing up in Tucson that featured Katya Peterson, Molly McKasson, Lydia Otero and Ernesto Portillo, Jr. This was one of my best efforts. The programs were both well attended and the exhibition drew many visitors.

Click here to see the entire collection of urban renewal photographs held by Special Collections at the University of Arizona Libraries.

Photos of various buildings torn down to make way for the Tucson Community Center
15-19 Jackson St.
Tucson Memorabilia
More buildings that were destroyed during urban renewal
The Tucson Army Surplus building.
A selection of memorabilia and photos from the Santa Rita Hotel.

Click here to read Tucson Weekly writer Margaret Regan’s article “Bulldozing the Barrio: Photos and Film at UA Special Collections Document the Neighborhood Lost to Urban Renewal”.

Apartments, 32 W. Corral, near S. Convent.
More Tucson memorabilia
36-44 W. McCormick.
Memorabilia from the El Conquistador Hotel
Ying On Club, 101 S. Main Ave.
More Tucson memorabilia from various Tucson businesses.
El Teatro Royal at 320 S. Meyer Ave.
Special Collections is home to a number of books focusing on life in Tucson’s barrios.
The Otero House, corner of S. Main and McCormick.
Shopping bags, calendars, photos and more.
Building at corner of S. Convent and Ochoa.
Tourism brochures
Flores Nacional, a downtown pharmacy.