Historic tours of Tucson and Southern Arizona by Kruse Arizona
Phone: (520) 881-1638
 

Kruse Arizona Tours
Home Background Tour List Photo Gallery Contact Us

Kruse Arizona Tour List

If you have questions, wish more details or want to make a reservation about any of these tours, please call me at (520) 625-8365 or email me at info@krusearizona.com.

Featured Talks

Fred Harvey, the Harvey Girls and the Santa Fe Railroad

Fred Harvey was an entrepreneur who developed the Harvey House restaurants and hotels which served rail passengers on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway starting in the late 1800s.  He was also a leader in promoting tourism in the American Southwest with his “Indian Detours.”  We will take a look at this man along with his girls.

Monday, Feb 6, 10:00 – 11:30 am at OASIS- #135;  $10  plus $12 processing fee.

                        Call them at 322-5627 or sign up online at www.oasisnet.org

Wednesday, March 7, 2012, Noon to 1:00 pm and 2:00 – 3:00 pm at Western National Parks Association (12880 N. Vistoso Village Dr); please call 622-6014 during business hours: Mon-Fri, 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, beginning one week prior to the event for reservations.  Free

 

Not Just a Pretty Face and a Pompadour: Teen Idols of the 1950s

Tuesday, Feb 21st, 10:00 – 12:30 pm at OASIS- #238;  $10  plus $12 processing fee.

This is the seventh talk in a series on the history of popular music.  In the early days of rock ‘n’ roll, a number of attractive performers were known as teen idols.  We will take a look at the musical careers of a number of them including Ricky Nelson, Paul Anka, Ersel Hickey, Tommy Sands, and Sal Mineo.  The 2 ½ hour presentation will be a PowerPoint with videos of early performances and lots of music. 

 

Featured Tour

City Tour of Tucson

Saturday, January 21st and Saturday, March 17th; $33

9:00 am to about 1:00 pm 

This 4 hour tour will be a combination of the old (history, archeology, and architecture) and the present (Rio Nuevo, restorations, and recommendations).  We will start at the Arizona Historical Society Museum.  After refreshments, we’ll board our  coach and head downtown which has an abundance of stories – Wyatt Earp, John Dillinger, arrival of the railroad in 1880, Hotel Congress, the new 4th Avenue underpass, the trolley, recent development, the Fox Theatre, Pioneer Hotel, site of St. Augustin’s Church and convent, Pancho Villa’s statue, Daniel’s Clock, and the old Valley Bank. 

Next we are off to the top of “A” Mountain and stories of early U of A football and Pop McKale. On our way back to town, we will pass by the site of the Convento (1770), the Gardens, and Warner’s Mill on Mission Road.  Then it’s off to the Barrio Viejo with its El Tiradito shrine, adobe homes, Lalo Guerrero, and the Hernandez murders.  El Presidio neighborhood with homes of early Tucson residents Fish, Hereford, Franklin, Hughes, Stevens, Herring, and Steinfeld as well as Old Town Artisans (our one restroom break) and El Charro is next. Our route takes us to  Miracle Mile and the Ghost Ranch Lodge before heading to Armory Park with the Charles Blenman home, Carnegie Free Library, Scottish Rite Cathedral, Safford School, and the Temple of Music and Art. The University of Arizona’s historic section  including the old Library, the State Museum, Centennial Hall, and Old Main will be our last stop.  .

Tours

Organ Stop Pizza and the Dutton Family in Mesa AZ

Saturday, February 4, 2012   SOLD OUT

Walking Tour of the Mission San Xavier del Bac

Thursday, February 9th and Monday, March 12th ; 9:00 – 11:00 am; $18

March 12th Tour SOLD OUT

To get to the Mission, take exit 92 off of I-19 and follow the signs.  At the stop sign in front of the Mission, turn left and then take an immediate right into the gravel parking lot.  Meet at the tree in the middle.  After coffee and coffeecake, I’ll talk about Father Kino, the history of the church including the 1887 earthquake, the Jesuits, and the Franciscans.  Next we will look at the façade, the interior art and symbolism, and the restoration.  We’ll finish with a tour of the grounds, the museum, and the adjacent hill and grotto.  Each tour limited to 20 people.   Reservations required, but pay when you get there. Cost includes a $3 donation to the Mission. You may want to allow time afterwards for the gift shop, the adjacent gallery, the 30 minute video, and lunch.

 

Florence Historic Home Tour

Saturday, February 11, 2012; $78

Today we have the opportunity of hearing the stories and actually going inside a number of historic homes and buildings in Florence.  Lunch will be at Mount Athos Cafe.  In the afternoon we'll visit the Pinal County Historical Society Museum and hear a talk by Jim Turner.

Downtown Heritage District Walking Tours

Part I: Tuesday, February 14th, 10:00 am to 12:30; $15

We’ll start at the 1907 Southern Pacific Railroad Depot on Toole just north of the Hotel Congress.  After hearing about Tucson’s early train history and what the Earps were doing on this site, we are off to the newly-completed 4th Avenue Underpass.  No tour of Congress street would be complete without a stop at the Hotel Congress to hear their ghost stories and the role the Hotel played in the Dillinger capture (No, John never stayed here) and then on to our next stop across the street at the Rialto Theatre.  Stops at the 1929 U. S. Federal Court House, the new Unisource Building (site of the demolished Santa Rita Hotel), and the new Scott Avenue restoration including the Griffin will complete the tour.

Part II: Wednesday, March 14th, 10:00 am to 12:30; $18

The main highlight of this tour will be the docent-led tour of the Fox Tucson Theatre. 

Another highlight will be the 1929Consolidated Bank Building (better known as the Valley National Bank and now as Chase Bank)   The interior is amazing.  Other buildings or sites we will visit include the Congress Street School, the original San Agustin’s Church, the Palace Saloon Shoot-out, Daniel’s Clock, and the statue of Pancho Villa.  On our return via Pennington Street , we’ll visit the Pioneer Hotel (scene of Tucson ’s worst disaster).and the sites of the Heney-Handy gunfight and Steinfeld’s and Jacome’s department stores.

 

Frank Lloyd Wright - Taliesin West, Arizona Biltmore, &PAM – Feb 25

The Tohono O’odham Nation - TBA

 

Arizona Opry and Shamrock Dairy – March 10, 2012

 

La Cage aux Folles – May 19, 2012

Santa Fe Opera & Folk Art Market – July 12-16, 2012

 

Laguna Beach Pageant of the Masters & Catalina Island – Aug 1-5, 2012

 

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta & Acoma Pueblo – Oct 10-15, 2012