Once Southern Arizona became part of the United States in 1854, Tucson was the largest settlement in the region until statehood in 1912. During those 58 years, Tucson was part of three territories as well the site of many unusual events. A giant sea serpent visited in the 1890s as did a few round-the-world bicyclists, including a woman rider. At the same time, the community’s population was diversifying as Chinese, African-Americans, and Yaquis joined the Tohono O’odham, Mexican Americans, and European Americans who already resided in the community. Author David Devine will provide an overview of the territorial period and include stories both serious and light-hearted.

A 1975 graduate of the University of Arizona with an M.S. in Urban Planning, David Devine has written about Tucson and Southern Arizona since 1995. He authored three books, seven monographs, and numerous newspaper stories about the history of the area during that time. After working as an urban planner as well as in local politics, in 1995 he began writing for the Tucson Weekly until retiring in 2011.

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