Local opinion: Preservation work vital to Tucson

May is National Preservation Month, begun by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Communities all over the nation are honoring preservation efforts in the places they call home. It is also a time to remember past preservation challenges that were of such scope that without this work, their community and our country would be diminished. The theme this year is “People Saving Places,” and it is especially relevant for Tucson given all the exceptional historic preservation efforts being recognized this year. The Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission will formally recognize this work from all over the Old Pueblo at their awards ceremony this month: places like Teatro Carmen in Barrio Viejo, San Pedro Chapel in the Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood, the Fort Lowell Museum in Fort Lowell Park, San Xavier Mission, and the Casa Cordova as part of the Historic Block at the Tucson Museum of Art.

Preserving historic places and landscapes provides a level of knowledge concerning past endeavors that no other resource from the past can. One can read about the past, find a historic location with maps, see pictures, paintings, or drawings, and read first-hand accounts, but approaching and going into places such as the San Xavier Mission is the ultimate connection with the past other than a time machine. This connection allows the other resources to come together for knowledge about the past as well as its relevance in the present.

The specifics of these efforts display the varied endeavors in preservation: stabilization and restoration of the structure to reactivation and revitalization of a historic location to adaptive reuse. La Casa Cordova is an exceptional example of stabilization and preservation after it fell into serious disrepair through neglect. Upon her arrival, the current director, Norah Diedrich, identified the historic buildings on the TMA block to be of top priority, in addition to planning for the centennial of the TMA itself. The Museum received philanthropic support for the first stage of the preservation of La Casa Cordova. Norah continues the legacy of women, providing the vision and leadership for historic preservation that began in the 19th century.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon home overlooking the Potomac River might have vanished if it wasn’t for a ladies’ club championing the restoration of our first president’s home. One can travel the country and see that many early preservation efforts in communities began with women advocating, persevering, and preserving historic buildings and landscapes. Tucson aligns with this tradition with Annie Laos, Alene Smith and Alva Torres, who championed preservation in the face of ongoing urban renewal that began in 1965. They formed committees to advocate for preservation, identify historic buildings to be preserved, develop a historic preservation ordinance, and navigate the politics to establish five historic preservation zones that exist to this day. Just last year, Alva was honored for her preservation work with the plaza in the Tucson Convention Center now named the Alva Torres Plaza.

The Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission is the evolution of their work which was spelled out in the preservation ordinance. The recognition of this year’s outstanding work in preservation and the annual celebration of Tucson’s founding as a presidio are also aspects of the ordinance. The August observance celebrates not only the establishment of the Spanish fort but also the legacy of approximately 4,000 years of native people and agriculture along the Santa Cruz. Next year’s celebration is a milestone, given that this will be Tucson’s 250th commemoration. Hopefully, the celebration can be a year-long event that begins with the establishment of the presidio and continues with the UNESCO designation as a city of gastronomy. Local businesses and organizations can celebrate their history and food can be the theme for the entire year. Preservation of our Sonoran landscapes, historic sites, and traditions makes Tucson a wonderful place to call home.