Tubac, a small town on the Santa Cruz River in Southern Arizona, has played a large part in shaping the history of the American West.

This little city has a long tradition of abandonment and reclamation, stretching back hundreds of years. The community of Tubac continuesthis practice of reclamation with their determined andsuccessful efforts to save the Tubac Presidio Historic StatePark.

Saving the Tubac Presidio, or How Some Very Determined People Kept Three Hundred Years of History Alive

Tubac Presidio was slated to be closed.In 2009, the Arizona legislature announced they were

cutting funding to run and maintain state parks. Among the parks to be closed was Tubac Presidio State HistoricPark, the oldest designated park in Arizona.

The Presidio is a tangible piece of the turbulent history of the American Southwest. It stretches back overthree hundred years, and encompasses an array of cul-tures, both new and old. It stands as a symbol of thestruggle that defined the early years of the AmericanWest.

“Most people who visit Tubac don’t know that Tubacis where Arizona began, says Gary Brasher, a local business owner. “The first paper, the first school, theywere right here.”

Brasher continues: “The Park is the heart of the com-munity, and when the State announced they were goingto close it, it really resonated with people. We realizedthat it wasn’t just important to us-to the local people wholived here-but to school-kids, to the general public, toeveryone. This is where Arizona started! That shouldmean something. This is something worth preserving,something worth fighting for. So we said ‘We’ve got todo something!’”

=e people of Tubac rise to the challenge.The people of Tubac responded to the threat of yet

another abandonment of the Presidio, and looked forways to reclaim it, as did the generations of settlers before them.

The community was determined to save the Presidio,and decided to take over the running of the park. Within 14 days, over $20,000 in private funds had been donated for park operations expenses.

Red tape gets in the way.The State Attorney General told the Tubac Historical

Society that because Tubac lacked a government agencyto partner with the State Government, they could nottake control of the park.

The community refused to accept this as a final answer, and continued to look for ways to allow the Presidio to survive. The Tubac Historical Society eventually partnered with Santa Cruz County, so they

TUBACHISTORY AND

INFORMATION

FALL2010

Saving the TubacPresidio:An incredible story of one community’s fight to preserve their local history

Without Tubac, there would be no Arizona as we know it today.By Sarah Bankoff — from the Tubac Visitors Guide 2010-2011

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Inside the Old School House Located in the Presidio Grounds - photo by Shaw Kinsley0e Last Image of the Last Presidio after it Burned Down - photo by Tubac Historical Society

If you haven’t recently fre-quented Plaza De Anza, locatedjust south of the entrance to theVillage of Tubac, you may nothave noticed the exciting changes

that have taken place. The Anza Market Placehas been transformed into the Tubac Market– a local grocery store that packs a lot of greatfood in a relatively small space. Paul andChristi Cisek have been operating the storesince October of 2009 and have been steadilytransforming it to more completely meet theneeds of the Tubac Community.

Paul, with his family, is the former ownerof the historic Rincon Market located in theheart of Tucson near the University of Arizona. Established in 1926 and taken overby the Cisek clan in 1975, the Rincon Marketis a full service grocery and cafe with extensivecatering services and Tucson’s busiest fishmonger. The Market was sold in 2008 to Ronand Kelly Abbott after 33 years of operationby Paul and his family.

What do you do after running a marketlike the Rincon for 30 years? The Tubac Market seems to be a perfect fit for both theCiseks and the Tubac Community. “Christiand I love the eclectic mix of art, history andsmall town values that make Tubac such aunique place to live and work,” Paul said.“The Tubacans have really made us feel athome and have responded well to the changeswe have made,” he added.

Those changes have been extensive andare ongoing. Fresh meat, deli and bakery havebeen expanded as well as the addition of organic produce and fresh fish offerings rem-iniscent of the Rincon Market. Christi, who

has an extensive retail food background, hasexpanded the grocery offerings to includegourmet and natural groceries as well as a surprisingly complete selection of everydaystaples as well. “Tubac has a diverse andeclectic appetite,” Christi observed. “It hasbeen both exciting and rewarding filling theneeds of everyone from fancy cheese lovers to‘gluten intolerant’ shoppers.”

The Ciseks have not finished their overhaul quite yet. A new salad bar has beenordered and will arrive in a few weeks. Cafeseating will be added both inside and outwith the emphasis on a covered patio concept.“We believe the salad bar and casual seatingwill help make the market a great place tocome and have a nutritious and deliciousmeal when you are not inclined to go to arestaurant,” Paul points out. “There are lotsof great places to eat in the area and we feelour offerings and format will offer a complementary alternative for our residentsand visitors.”

�Tubac Marketcould be eligible to take over the running and maintenance of the park and

the Presidio. Brasher says, “Tubac’s effort to save the Presidio Historic Park is a great

example of working outside the box. It shows how the private sector canwork cooperatively with the municipal-level government, if people are willing to really commit to a cause.”

The Tubac Historical Society brought a proposal to the Santa CruzCounty Board of Supervisors. The Board understood the importance ofkeeping the Park open, both for Tubac’s economy, and for the irreparableloss of history and culture that would result from closing the park. Losinggeneral access to the Presidio would effectively destroy a historical monument to more then three hundred years of Western history.

Saved! Just days before the scheduled shut-down.Just five days before the Park was scheduled to close, the Board of

Supervisors nominated the County Manager to negotiate with Arizona StateParks, and created an arrangement to allow the Tubac Presidio Historic State Park to remain open to the public, under the management ofthe Tubac Historical Society.

The Society, Santa Cruz County and the Parks Department held a signing ceremony in Otero Hall to commemorate the signing of this agree-ment, marking another recovery for the Presidio from the latest in a longseries of abandonments.

The ceremony included adults and children dressed in authentic historiccostumes, personifying the many time periods encompassed by the lifetimeof the Tubac Presidio. The agreement ensured that the Presidio, which hadalready seen so much history and had stood through so much turmoil, wouldcontinue longer still.

“I was in the room when the agreement was signed, and it was packed,standing room only, and these were all just regular, nice, local people,” saidlocal gallery owner Ann Groves.

“As a business owner, and a landowner in Tubac, looking out over thecrowd as the Park was signed over, I could have just burst,” Groves said. “I was so proud of my community, this group of people who worked together to save this incredible historic park. They got it. They understoodhow important it was to the history of Arizona and to our local history, tosave this Park, and they stepped up and did it.”

This public-private arrangement between the state, the county, and thelocal community, is unprecedented in the more than 300 years of the TubacPresidio’s life.

Saving the Tubac Presidio... �

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continued on page 7

2 T H E A R I Z O N I A N | F A L L 2 0 1 0

=e Tubac Market is located at 10 Avenida Goya which is on the east frontage road at Exit 34 on I-19.

Currently, the hours of operation are 8am – 8pm seven days a week.

Model of the Old Presidio - photo provided by Tubac Historical Society

MayYou LiveinInterestingTimes!

T H E A R I Z O N I A N | F A L L 2 0 1 0 3

Indeed we have “lived in interest-ing times” these last couple ofyears. In the real estate industryspecifically we have seen valuesdrop and formerly stalwart mort-

gage owners walk away from properties.Many properties were overvalued. Appraisals,using distressed sales as comparables, havecome in low, invalidating sales contracts forotherwise qualified buyers, adding to thedownward spiral.It has been tough out there for sure!

However, for a qualified buyer, there hasnever been a better time to buy real estate.Because of the large inventory of bank ownedproperties or “short sales”, a buyer today hasthe opportunity to purchase quality propertiesfor a fraction of prices of a few years ago. Interest rates are at an all-time low and buyershave a large selection of loan products! Onlyuntil much of this bank owned and distressedproperty inventory is absorbed will the market return to stability. My opinion is that,in the near future, our market will not returnto the status of 2005 when we were at an un-natural high. But maybe we can get “back tocenter” in the next year or so, which is wherewe should be!

Brasher Real Estate prides itself on beingone of few independently owned real estatebrokerages in Southern, AZ. Our sales teamis comprised of seasoned agents that havebeen in the area for many years with the addition of a few younger and “tech savvy”agents that are helping us all keep current inthe changing tech world.

Our commitment to community is some-thing that sets us apart! Brasher Real Estateagents have a long history of participation ina variety of volunteer positions that benefitour local communities of Sahuarita, Green

Valley, Amado, Tubac, Rio Rico and Nogalesas well as the State of Arizona including:

• Arizona/Mexico Commission • Governor’s Real Estate Advisory Board• Santa Cruz Valley Citizen Council • Tubac Center for the Arts• Santa Cruz Humane Society• American Legion Post #131 –

Green Valley• Greater Nogales Santa Cruz

County Port Authority• Community Advisory Board of

AZ Public Media• AZ Tourism and Border Alliance• Director/President-Elect of GV/SAH

Association of Realtors• St. Andrews Children’s Clinic• Tubac Valley CC Homeowners

Association• VP Tubac Chamber of Commerce• Cerro Pelon HOA, Architectural

CommitteeBrasher Real Estate, Inc. has been in

Southern AZ since 1991 and is a full servicereal estate brokerage. We specialize in residential sales, land, ranches, commercial,industrial/warehouses and development. Ifone of our agents does not have an answer toyour question, we have someone in-housewho does . . . or we know where to find theanswer! With our depth of experience in thisarea, one of our sales team will take care ofyour real estate needs! Please think of us whenyou make one of your major life decisions,purchasing real estate!

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“Ancient Chinese proverb”

AN EMPLOYEE REVIEWS

THE ITALIAN PEASANTIt seems as though Autumn 2010 has been very good to Tubac and our surrounding commu-

nities! It has seen the opening of The Italian Peasant at 50 Avenida Goya next to The Tubac Marketin Tubac, AZ. The success and overall impact of this 2 month old “pizza place” has been nothing short of phenomenal! From the moment Dom Puglisi and his wife, Kim Roccoopened the doors, The Italian Peasant has been serving dinners by reservation and is already expanding hours, its menu and its seating capacity into the adjoining former Presidio Café.

The Italian Peasant will be open at 5 am for Breakfast beginning Friday, October 15th! Thereare plans to have “Swing Music”, music from the 30’s for dancing, and a new addition from a local furniture store, a 12’ wooden gondola that will hang from the ceiling above The GondolaBar for nighttime merriment. Domestic and Italian Beers as well as a variety of Italian wines areoffered and paired with meal choices. The Italian Peasant’s warmth and personal staffing, as wellas the fare, is a welcome addition to our growing arts and community of culinary excellence.

The menu, though not large, is varied and offers something freshly made, highly creative andthere are mega-delicious options for everyone. There are sensational vegetarian offerings and thepizza is second to none, made New York style! As with traditional Italian dining, The Italian Peasant offers fantastic starters, varied first courses, both traditional and newly invented, and Italian delicacies for dessert. The portions are generous and simply amazing. The Italian Peasant already glows in the wild success of it’s Saturday Night Surf n Turf dining and more inventive meals are in the works on a daily basis.

The ambiance is understated “comfy elegance” and it’s rare not to find customers and staff interacting as old friends. This has been the hope of owners, Don and Kim, this atmosphereof genuine warmth and a family vibe, much like a New York sidewalk cafe. The lighting is dim, thearomas are mouth-watering, the joyous, sometimes bustling conversation is infectious and in-demand. Those wishing to enjoy a drink at the bar sit on tall bar stools will soon be sitting at the Gondola Bar.

One thing stands above even the exceptional family recipes and friendly, competent staff...en-tering the Italian Peasant any time of day or night transports you to a place of nurturing warmththat should not be missed. Hours are every day of the week 5am to 9pm. There is party and cater-ing available, delivery coming soon! Keep an eye on our growth, come by and share the joy! Callin an order, Call for a reservation, Call just to say “Hello” call 520 398 2668.

�By Jacque Brasher

1082 E. Cave Canyon Place,Green Valley $795,000

Call Jacque Brasher – 398-2506or Kim Mazura (Coldwell Banker)

591-1830

#2 Tubac Road, Tubac 85646(520) 398-2506

www.BrasherRealEstate.com

1082 Rio Hondo, Green Valley$369,000

Call Kathleen Mapelsden360-4577

67 Via Campestre, Tubac$967,000

Call Carey Daniel – 631-3058 or Bob Prigmore – 204-5667

70 Via Campestre, Tubac$395,000

Call Mindy Maddock – 247-8177

79 Palmas Court, Tubac$472,000

Call Fred Johnson – 275-7050

113 Powell Court, Tubac$300,000

Call Gary Brasher – 398-2506 or Penny Bernal – 730-7026

132 Calle Barrio De Tubac, Tubac$264,000

Call Gary Brasher – 398-2506 or Penny Bernal – 730-7026

135 Calle Frida Kahlo, Tubac$274,900

Call Bob Prigmore – 204-5667 or Carey Daniel – 631-3058

661 W. Cholla Crest Drive Green Valley$169,000

Call Susan Picot – 260-9149

2550 E. Alger Drive, Green Valley$439,900

Call Marilyn Childs – 603-5563

Let Brasher Be Your Guide

13 Circulo Figueroa, Tubac $498,900

Call Penny Bernal – 730-7026

We are pleased to announce our newestupcoming project “The Bungalows at Barriode Tubac!”

The Bungalows is a wonderful conceptwhere art, history and a carefree lifestylecome together in one of America’s mostunique settings. Dorn Homes, an awardwinning builder in Southern Arizona, and isknown for their attention to detail are offer-ing 2bd/2ba and 3bd/2ba town homes withprices starting at $139,900. Each bungalowhas its own private patio as well as an op-tional covered rooftop sky deck where sur-rounding views are spectacular and outdoorliving is at its finest. This is a perfect optionfor the second home buyer and those personswho wish to down-size into a smaller, more service oriented setting. The Bungalows, lo-cated in the Barrio de Tubac is a masterplanned community comprised of a variety

of intimate neighborhoods and truly offerssomething for everyone at affordable prices.Just to touch on some of the optional ameni-ties that are available are the sparkling pooland spa, a community barbecue and picnicarea, exercise facilities located in the Governor’s Mansion and much more.

Is it lifestyle you are looking for? The un-beatable weather in Southern Arizona, hasattracted many and offers the opportunityfor the active outdoor enthusiasts, culturalinterests among the artisan and historic community of Tubac, golfers, hikers, andbirders just to cite a few. Enjoy the highdesert scenery mixed with a lush ripariancottonwood forest that runs along the SantaCruz River and the historic Anza Trail justadjacent to the community. The Barrio allows you to be away from the hustle bustleof traffic yet close to city conveniences.

Who says you can’t have it all? With interest rates at historic lows, a variety of intimate neighborhoods, and a number ofaward winning innovative floors plans thatwill meet or exceed your expectations, wetruly offer something for everyone.

As Exclusive Marketing Agent for theBungalows, Brasher Real Estate is excited towork with Dorn Homes on this spectacularnew community.

Please call 520-398-9670 for your personal tour of Tubac offering the lifestyleyou deserve at an affordable price.

Welcome Home!!!

Marketed byDeveloped by

TUBAC’S NEWEST NEIGHBORHOOD

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By David Grounds and Penny Bernal

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In February 2011 Tubac Fitness Center will celebrateone year at our current 3,000sq. ft. location at the Plaza deAnza. We have been blessed

with great success, being able to providemembers and clients with more afford-able rates and a more convenient loca-tion. Visitors are welcome to stop bybetween the hours of 6am-6pm Mon-Fri,8am-4pm Saturday, and Sunday 10am-2pm to check out the new digs. Member-ships start as low as $36 per month and include unlimited access to the facilitiesand most classes. We offer a variety ofworkout equipment and styles. If an independent membership is not enoughwe have a great staff of personal trainersready to guide you through the perfectworkout individualized to your needs.Tubac Fitness Center now offers abroader selection of group fitness classes;

Zumba, Yoga, Indoor Cycling, Core, Balland Stretch classes and more classes are in the making such as Foam Roller,Outdoor Cycling, Better Balance, andPump it Up. Stop by, and give us yourideas on the classes you would like tohave in the community of Tubac. ThisSummer we chilled out at the Embar-cadero pool with SPLASH, a water train-ing class that combines resistance andcardio exercises for the perfect way tostay cool and stay fit. With 20+ classesper week, 5 personal trainers and 50 different types of equipment Tubac Fitness Center will help you reach yourpersonal fitness goals. Whether your goalis lowering body fat, shaping a new body,relief from low back, knee and hip pain oroverall rejuvenation our dynamite teamwill give you intergraded options and afull service gym approach.

6 T H E A R I Z O N I A N | F A L L 2 0 1 0

Tubac Fitness Center

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20 Avenida Goya • Tubac, AZ 85646877-491-0438 (toll free) 520-398-8700 (o<ce)www.anzadetubac.com (website)carol@anzadetubac.com (email)

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Left to right: Colleen, Carol, and Sandy of Anza de Tubac, L.L.C. Property Management

Anza de Tubac, L.L.C. Property Management�

T H E A R I Z O N I A N | F A L L 2 0 1 0 7

Saving the Tubac Presidio...Commitment and tenacity, Arizona style.

That the agreement came about at all, is due entirely tothe astonishing commitment and efforts of a resourcefuland dedicated group of individuals, who acted in the spiritof Tubac’s long, historical tradition of overcoming obstaclesand rebuilding against all odds.

Thanks to the tenacious and committed community ofTubac, especially the efforts of Greg Lucero, Sam Chilcote,Shaw Kinsley, and Carol Cullen, the Tubac Presidio Historic State Park remains open and accessible to the pub-lic, allowing everyone the chance to explore Tubac’s vitalcontribution to settling the American West.

The Tubac Presidio is a testament to the beginnings ofEuropean settlement and culture in Arizona; a tangiblemonument to the early roots of modern Arizona.

The Park TodayEntirely staffed by volunteers, the Park continues to

thrive, drawing people from all over the country, as well as

international visitors, looking to appreciate the richness ofArizona’s past.

Despite the community’s success in saving the Presidiofrom extinction, the Tubac Presidio’s future is still not completely secure. There is a constant need for financial assistance, volunteers and visitors to keep the Presidiogoing.

The Tubac Historical Society hopes the community andthe public will continue to help them maintain and pre-serve the Tubac Presidio Park as a public space. As AnnGroves said, “Now comes the hard part. We have to getpeople to keep coming to the park so we can keep it going.”

What can you do to help keep the Presidio alive? First and foremost, come visit! One of the most impor-

tant ways you can help is to experience the Tubac Presidiofor yourself and walk through tangible remnants of the OldWest:

• Explore the first schoolhouse in Arizona.

• Visit the buildings of the Old Presidio and view partsof the original walls, floor and foundations of the 18th

century Commander’s Quarters. • Check out the museum’s collection of unique arti-

facts from the Presidio, dating back through hundredsof years of its compelling history.

Looking for more ways to help save the Tubac Presidio?

Do the wild roots of Arizona’s past fascinate you? Whiledonations are always welcome, think about donating yourtime! The Presidio and the community of volunteers whomaintain it, are always grateful for a helping hand.

Are you good with your hands? Come help the dedi-cated volunteers who maintain the buildings and grounds.

All that’s required to make a huge difference at theTubac Presidio Historic Park, is a cheerful smile, some donate your free time to learn more, and be willing to bepart of an astonishing history.

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Associated Realty of the Americas (AREA) is ahighly unusual organization. Basically, it is made upof individual members (as opposed to companies)who have been “hand-selected” by the organization

to participate. There are no fees to join and the only time money exchangeshands is when a deal closes. The agents, themselves, are extraordinary, repre-senting geographical locations such as San Diego, Palm Springs, Beverly Hills,Carmel, Tahoe, Portland, Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver, the Okanagan Valley(British Columbia), Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Boston, Washington, D.C. downto Miami, throughout Texas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Arizona includingJackson Hole and Sun Valley, Idaho. There are over 100 affiliates.

This was an “unconventional event”. The majority of the time was spenton “social networking” as well as the introduction and use of two new websitesdesigned to provide our members some very useful tools. There was a timewhen we all sat in a round table discussion, and the members shared their in-dividual marketing secrets. That was simply amazing.

Christophe Choo is a member of AREA and sells real estate in Beverly Hills.He gave a presentation entitled “What I Do”, which was absolutely fascinatingas he discussed how he uses social networking, fashion, charitable works andpower lunches at Spago to stay in the mainstream. He will be coming to Tubacin a few weeks to look at some of our high end products as he is aware thatHollywood knows about us and he could be of help.

And, this brings me to the real question: What is the advan-tage of being involved? It boils down to one thing: Reach! Brashernow has extraordinarily strong affiliates throughout all of NorthAmerica and we are on a first name basis and interact on a con-

sistent time table, keeping abreast of trends, needs and making referrals.For example, the convention was attended by Hans Hansson, a

commercial broker in San Francisco, who is a mover and a shaker within theAREA community.

This is an excerpt from an email Hans sent us on October first:

“Had dinner last night with our Mexican affiliate at TCN. He is good friends with Jay West from AREA . He is also a candidate to find a buyerfor your major listings in Tubac and Nogales. We can discuss that on Tuesdayand I will make that connection for you.”

In these times, we are doing our very best to find opportunities for ourclients. AREA is a key to that effort. If you have an exceptional property thatyou would like to sell, drop by for a chat. We just might be able to help.

Brasher Real Estate Involved in Global Marketing Effort

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Brasher Real Estate Thanks Local Volunteers

By Gary Brasher

I would like to take a few moments to remind everyone to thanka volunteer! We all know them and maybe we “are them”. As I reflect on our community and all the wonderful elements thatcontribute to the quality and texture of our lives, I am amazed by

what volunteers contribute to our overall experience.I won’t try to mention individuals because I will forget too many who

work so hard. However think about the Chamber Board and all they doto promote our community, the Arts Center and the wonderful programsthey sponsor, the Santa Cruz Citizens Council, and what our communitywould look like (or not look like) without their volunteer efforts, the TubacHistorical Society and their monumental effort to keep the Park openwhen the state could no longer afford it. Consider all the food banks, humane societies, care programs, school enrichment programs . . .I could go on, but you get the idea.

One thing all of these organizations have in common is they are primarily run by, or promoted by a volunteer base! So if you enjoy yourquality of life here in the Santa Cruz Valley and the opportunities that existhere . . . turn to your right or left and I bet if you thank both of those people, you will be thanking a volunteer.

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You Make Our Community Great!