37 historic photos of the Santa Cruz River through Tucson
The Santa Cruz River was the lifeblood of Tucson for early Native Americans, the Spanish Conquistadores and early American settlers. It languished for years and became dry most of the year as the water table dropped. It also became a neglected trench and trash heap. City leaders envisioned something better. By the early 1970s, the Army Corps of Engineers was studying the feasibility of channeling the river and creating a park. In 1977, work began. It is now a lush part of downtown and an integral part of The Loop bicycle and pedestrian trails.
Santa Cruz River
Waterfalls on the Santa Cruz River in 1889 near Sentinel Peak in Tucson.
Santa Cruz River
Girls in Santa Cruz River,1889-1890.
Santa Cruz River
A bridge over the Santa Cruz River near Sentinel Peak in Tucson washed out during flooding in 1915.
Santa Cruz River
Santa Cruz River at St. Mary's Road bridge in 1931.
Santa Cruz River
The Santa Cruz River flows north as seen from Sentinel Peak in Tucson in the early 1900's.
Santa Cruz River
El Convento along the Santa Cruz River, ca. 1910.
Santa Cruz River
Flooding of the Santa Cruz River, Tucson, in September, 1926, from “Letters from Tucson, 1925-1927” by Ethel Stiffler.
Santa Cruz River
Flooding of the Santa Cruz River, Tucson, in September, 1926, from “Letters from Tucson, 1925-1927” by Ethel Stiffler.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
Aerial view of the Santa Cruz River as it winds its way through Pima County north of Cortaro Road in 1953. The county was considering a bridge at several locations, but had to contend with the ever-changing course of the river.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
The Tucson Citizen wrote in 1970, "The Santa Cruz River is a garbage dump" and "even marijuana grows in it." City leaders were pushing to upgrade and beautify the channel. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was studying the possibility.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
The Santa Cruz River flowing under the Congress Street bridge in August, 1952. The Garden of Gesthemane is in the background.
Santa Cruz River
By July 24, 1970 the old bridge on West Congress over the Santa Cruz River had to go and be replaced by a new bridge.
Garden of Gethsemane
By July 24, 1970 the figures from Felix Lucero's Last Supper had been on the west side of the Santa Cruz River for more than 20 years. City authorities had decided to leave it in place while a new bridge on West Congress Street was to be replaced.
Garden of Gethsemane, 1964
Volunteers from the Tucson Jaycees and Junior Chamber of Commerce finish restoration of the statues and grounds of the Garden of Gethsemane along the Santa Cruz River in May, 1964. The statues were ravaged by vandals and weather. The city parks and recreation department worked with the volunteers. Artist Felix Lucero began sculpture project in 1938 and finished it nine years later.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
Drought in June, 1974, turned the Santa Cruz riverbed into crunchy chunks of dried mud.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
The Santa Cruz River flowing under Silverlake Road in August, 1970.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
Children play in the Santa Cruz River near Speedway Blvd in August, 1970.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
The Santa Cruz riverbed at Congress Street in November, 1967.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
After years of waiting, crews began clearing debris and channeling the Santa Cruz River in November, 1977, and constructing what would become a 14-mile river park. The Speedway Blvd. bridge is in the background.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
After years of waiting, crews began clearing debris and channeling the Santa Cruz River in November, 1977, and constructing what would become a 14-mile river park.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
The Santa Cruz River looks peaceful flowing underneath Speedway Road after days of flooding in October, 1977.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
Adalberto Ballesteros rides along the Santa Cruz River west of downtown Tucson in 1980.
Santa Cruz River
The Santa Cruz River looking north from Valencia Road in July, 1974.
Santa Cruz River
Junked cars and trash spill into the Santa Cruz River, looking south, just south of Grant Road in July, 1974.
Santa Cruz River in Tucson
Road graders scrape the Santa Cruz River channel between Speedway and Grant roads during bank stabilization construction in May, 1991.
Santa Cruz River
Flooding in Marana after the Santa Cruz River overflowed its banks in Oct. 1983.
Santa Cruz River
A bridge on the Santa Cruz River northwest of Tucson washed out during flooding in October 1983.
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Residents watch the surging Santa Cruz River rush past West St. Mary's Road on January 19, 1993.
Santa Cruz River
Tucson firefighters are standing by and waiting for two kids floating in the Santa Cruz River on some type of object during flooding in July, 1996.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
Rick Wiley is the photo editor of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson. From 1995-2004, he was director of photography at the East Valley Tribune in Mesa. From 1988-94 he was a photographer at the Tucson Citizen. He is a graduate of ASU (yes, that ASU).
Tucson Water officials experiment with the releases of reclaimed effluent into the river.
Releases of reclaimed water into the river through Tucson's south side and downtown were shut down for up to three weeks for some mechanical upgrades.
The river is carrying year-round water for the first time in 70 years on the San Xavier Indian Reservation south of Tucson.
But scientists don't agree on whether an enormous mesquite bosque that died out along the Santa Cruz River 60 years ago will return on the same scale.
The river once again runs dry through most of downtown Tucson. The cutback may last a few months.
The renewed stream is drawing cattails, dragonflies and egrets, after Tucson kept the river dry since spring for sediment removal and other projects.
It's unclear if water releases for the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project will again attain the levels they reached when the project started in June 2019.
A dispute over whether to serve a Catalina Foothills home with Tucson water is a test of a newly toughened city attitude about trading water for possible future annexation, far from current city limits.
The river actually benefits from dry weather, which causes algae to bloom in parts of it. That blocks infiltration of the city's reclaimed water into the aquifer, letting it flow farther downriver even though Tucson Water isn't releasing any more water than before.
Her homemade cooking, like red chile con carne, attracted locals and tourists alike.
About $900,000 in federal funds will be used to bring water to the tribe’s lands for irrigation.
Coach Lute Olson will be honored with a statue on the north side of McKale Center, facing the UA mall.
A Tucson police officer who shot and killed a suspected armed robber Monday was identified Tuesday as the same officer who has killed three ot…
King Yates is facing first-degree murder charges in the two separate killings.
In emotional meeting, Auggie Romero was told this is his last year as head of the school on Tucson's south side.
The two-car crash occurred shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday on South Mission Road and West Irvington Place.
DNA evidence allegedly linked him to the case, police said.
The spring signing period for college basketball begins Wednesday, and Sean Miller still has six open roster spots to play with.
"We're meeting with the decision makers'' instead, the governor said, meaning school superintendents, as teachers protest low pay.
The National Guard troops could help a bit stopping illegal entries, but the reason for the deployment is purely political.
The south side food court ran out of food after serving 5,100 people.
Here are some of the unsolved cold cases in and around the Tucson area.
Sixteen eating establishments failed March inspections by the Pima County Health Department.
I.K. Bruto and Neto talk about a pair of radio interviews about the proposed velodrome on Tucson's birthplace, at the foot of "A" Mountain.
Water doesn’t seem terribly dramatic.
PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday ordered that flags on state buildings be lowered to half-staff to honor a U.S. Marine from Arizona who …
Some off-duty officers helped save a man who was having a massive heart attack on Interstate 10 on Oct. 17, according to officials.
A Tucson man was arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs worth nearly $793,000 at the Port of Lukeville, officials say.
Check out the photos of some smuggling failures at Arizona's border.
Tucson Water will start releasing reclaimed water into the river Monday afternoon at 29th Street.
Growing up in downtown Tucson and the south side, Bertha Sanchez was an irregular visitor to the Santa Cruz River in the days that it carried …
Monday afternoon, a short stretch of the Santa Cruz River will live again, when Tucson Water releases reclaimed water into the channel at 29th…
Silver Lake played host to a flour mill, a hotel, ducks, boats, swimmers and fish until floods did it in.
Arizonans who contend they were wrongfully convicted could get a new way of trying to exonerate themselves, under a bill approved by the state Senate and headed to the full House.
Arizonans with loved ones in nursing homes and similar facilities could soon be allowed to visit them again, the state's top health official said Friday. She also gave updates about COVID vaccination and "herd immunity" goals.
Arizona GOP lawmakers proposing up to $1 billion in tax breaks without having to forfeit the identical amount in federal aid.