TAM Educators Resource Guide - Tumacacori National Historic Park

	Tumacácori National Historical Park 1891 Frontage Road P.O. Box 67 Tumacácori, Arizona 85640 Phone: (520) 398-2341, ext 0 www.nps.gov/tuma
Tumacácori National Historical Park tells the story of the first Europeans who came to southern Arizona and of the native people who lived here then. It is a dramatic story from any perspective. Visitors appreciate this special place for the opportunity to tour the mission church, cemetery and outlying structures and grounds in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere reminiscent of the period in which they were established. Photographers especially enjoy the earth colors and shadows of the mission buildings. The mission courtyard and garden just off the visitor center provide a peaceful, quiet place to relax and reflect. Many bird species are seen at the mission due to its proximity to the Santa Cruz River. A short, quarter-mile hike to the river will enhance a visit greatly.
Location:	Take Interstate 19 south from Tucson 45 miles to exit 29 and follow the signs. The park is 18 miles north of the Mexican border and Nogales, Arizona.
Parking:	Free parking is available at the Visitor Center.
Hours of operation:	Open daily, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Christmas Day and Thanksgiving Day.
Admission fees:	General entrance fee is $3.00 per person for ages 17 and above. Free admission with National Park Service Golden Passports. Fee waivers offered for pre-arranged educational programs.
Membership:	Volunteer opportunities are available and encouraged.
Handicapped access:	Yes
Lunch facilities:	Picnic tables available on-site. Restaurants within walking distance and in nearby Tubac, three miles distance.
Gift shop:	Southwest Parks and Monuments Association (SPMA) has an excellent bookstore in the visitor center. Book topics are constrained to the cultural and natural resources of the general area, but range from the prehistoric period to the present day.
Curriculum relevance:	Cultural history of the Southwest, from pre-Colonial to present day.
Contact person:	398-2341, ext. 0, or Roy Simpson, Education Coordinator at ext. 28.
Arranging a Visit:	Self-guided tours and the Junior Ranger Treasure Hunt are available year-round to visitors. Ranger or docent-led tours are given daily during the winter months and by request year-round. Living history tours and other educational programs are given with advanced scheduling only, based on staff availability.
Tour description:	Pre-arranged Tours and Programs: Living history presentations depicting life during the Franciscan mission era, can be offered most Wednesdays, September through April, and by request year-round based on staff availability. River-related activities and tours available on a limited basis to local schools* Interactive hands-on River slide show presentations are available for local schools,* second and fourth grades. Informational talks/slide shows are also available for adult groups. Kino-O'odham Costume Program is offered at local schools* or on-site at the park. After viewing the puppet show, students dress-up to reenact the 1691 historical encounter between Father Kino and the O'odham Indians. Father Kino puppet show, as part of the costume program or by request. Tours of the Guevavi and Calabazas Mission sites are offered monthly on a first-come, first served basis. Please call for details. * Indicates programs that are only offered to schools in the Santa Cruz Valley, Green Valley, and Sahuarita School Districts.
Other resources:	Programs offered without prior arrangement: Self Guided tours available during open hours. Guidebooks available for a nominal fee. Ranger- and docent-led tours or orientations are offered daily in the winter and by request, depending on staff availability, throughout the year. Junior Ranger Treasure Hunt is available upon request in the Visitor Center. Access to, and information about, the Santa Cruz River and the Juan Bautista National Historic Trail are available without charge. "Encounters" teachers' resource boxes are available at local schools and selected Tucson Libraries. Teachers' guides and curriculum relating to the history and the environment are available for a nominal fee or may be downloaded from the website listed above.
Special Events: La Fiesta de Tumacácori takes place each year on the first weekend December, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is a festival celebrating all the cultures of the Santa Cruz Valley including a craft and food fair, stage entertainment, river walks, kid's corner, and hourly mission tours. High Mass -Visitors can participant in a reenactment of a mission period Historical High Mass. Reservations are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and costumes are required. Fall Mass will be October 21, 2001, and Spring Mass has to be announced.
page last updated November 08, 2001 09:48 AM

Tumacácori National Historical Park