Page 12 - April-May 2025

TRAILERTALK

NTDA Convention: Tucson Fun Facts

Did You Know That Tucson…

• Was founded Aug. 20, 1775 by the Spanish.
• Was derived from the O’odham word Cuk Son, meaning “at the base of the black hill.”

• Is nicknamed, “The Old Pueblo.”
• Is home to more than 540,000 people, making it the second-largest city in Arizona after Phoenix.

• Mandates low-light ordinances to reduce light pollution for stargazing.

• Has neon sign preservation ordinances to keep its vintage Southwest charm alive.
• Is located in the Sonoran Desert, Tucson is surrounded by five mountain ranges.

• Is home to Saguaro National Park, protecting the nation’s largest cacti.
• Boasts an average 300+ sunny days a year!

• Is home of the University of Arizona, established in 1885 — the first university in the Arizona

Territory.
• Is near Mount Lemmon and Kitt Peak that host large observatories.

• Is home to Old Tucson Studios, just west of the city, which was a filming location for classic

Westerns like Rio Bravo, El Dorado, Tombstone, and Three Amigos.
• Was designated as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy — the first in the U.S.

• Is one of the few places in the U.S. where saguaros grow naturally — those iconic cacti with arms

can live for over 150 years!
• Locals swear by the smell of creosote bushes after rain — it’s the scent of the desert.

• Is home to javelina (a desert pig-like mammal) — they’re common around town. Javelinas have
poor eyesight but a good sense of smell. Making noise, like talking loudly, clapping, or jingling car

keys can alert them to your presence and help them avoid you.

• Is home to the Sonoran Desert Toad that secretes a substance that is psychoactive…and
federally controlled.

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