Santa Cruz de Terrenate

Dr. Deni Seymour will lead us on a tour of Santa Cruz de Terrenate, the best-preserved example of three presidios (forts) established in what is now the southern Arizona by the Spanish colonial government. The objective was to provide the missions, settlers, and Christianized Native Americans of New Spain military protection from Apaches and other mobile Natives by forming a line of presidios along the frontier, so as to enclose the area under Spanish control. Santa Cruz presidio was founded on a steep bluff overlooking the San Pedro River on December 10, 1775 and was abandoned in March of 1780. The only other settlement on the river at the time was a Sobaipuri O’odham village called Quiburi that had moved far to the north from its Kino-period placement near where the presidio was later built. The presidio housed soldiers, civilians, Ópata scouts, O’odham laborers, and domestic servants of a variety of origins. Originally excavated by Charles Di Peso, more recently, Dr. Seymour, carried out a multi-year field research program including excavations there revealing quite a bit of new information about the Spanish occupation, the earlier Sobaipuri O’odham village, and the nature of life at this remote outpost. As usual, with the addition of new data, her findings build on and revise many of the established truths of this frontier region.

The trip is limited to 20 AAHS members.  Attendees will be responsible for their own transportation to the site which is approximately 70 miles south of Tucson. Access to the site involves an easy one mile each way walk. There is no handicap access.

To register contact Chris Sugnet