Tucson, AZ --- Visitors and neighbors are invited to step back in time to get a glimpse of the rich history of Old Fort Lowell, a neighborhood that was occupied by the Hohokam from 650 C.E. to 1300 C.E. and was later the site of a cavalry fort between 1873-1891. The 44th Fort Lowell Day/La Reunión de El Fuerte will be held on Saturday, March 8, from 10 am to 4 pm. This FREE event will take place in Fort Lowell Park, 2900 N. Craycroft Rd., with a self-guided walking tour along Fort Lowell Road, and at the historic San Pedro Chapel, 5230 E. Fort Lowell Rd. Activities include:
· Self-guided walking tours of the Fort Lowell Historic District
· Free admission to the Fort Lowell Museum
· Cavalry drills and cannon demonstrations
· Musical performances by the 4th Cavalry Band, Mariachis, and Way Out West
· Public access to the hospital ruins and Officer’s Quarters
· Tours of the Adkins Parcel and archaeology of the Hardy Site
· Bookstore at the San Pedro Chapel selling books written by neighborhood residents and published by the Fort Lowell Historic District.
The event schedule can be found at www.FortLowellMuseum.com.
Beginning in February, the guided walking tours of the Fort Lowell Neighborhood will be split into two separate tours. PART 1 of the tour features the Fort Lowell area and the history of Arizona, why this location for Fort Lowell, and the entire Fort complex and efforts for preservation after the closure in 1891. PART 2 of the tour includes the development of the Mexican farming community known as El Fuerte, the artists from the Netherlands that added their unique skills for preservation, and the landmark San Pedro Chapel. The Fort Lowell area is much more than the territorial fort. If you understand the history of the area, you understand the history of Arizona. Historian and preservationist Ken Scoville leads this tour delving into the cultural layers of Tucson. Pre-registration for these tours is required at www.TucsonPresidio.com/walking-tours. The cost is $20/member, and $35/non-member for each tour. Tour dates this month are:
PART 1 TOURS:
Monday, March 10, 10 am-12 pm
PART 2 TOURS:
Monday, March 3, 10 am-12 pm
Monday, March 24, 10 am-12 pm
Fort Lowell was a military supply post active from 1873 to 1891. The museum is located in Fort Lowell Park at 2900 N. Craycroft Rd. in an 1880s reproduction adobe officers’ quarters. Visitors see displays about the purpose and history of the fort, its soldiers and their families, In addition, displays are included about the Apache of the region and the pre-history of the area seen at the nearby Hardy site. The museum is open from 10 am to 3 pm Thursdays through Saturdays. Admission to the museum is $5/person and free for those five and younger as well as Fort Lowell and Presidio Museum members.
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