Exploring Arizona’s National Historic Landmarks

National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) are historic places that commemorate or illustrate the history of the United States. There are over 2,600 NHLs across the country. Join us for a look at Arizona’s 46 National Historic Landmarks with a spotlight on Tucson’s Mission San Xavier del Bac.

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Table of Contents

What are National Historic Landmarks?

The previous post focused on visiting Arizona’s National Monuments in Spring. Let’s keep it going and look at National Historic Landmarks while we’re there.

So, what exactly are NHLs?

National Historic Landmarks are historic places of value that commemorate or illustrate the history of the United States. Across the country, there are close to 2,600 NHLs. Of course NHLs are not all the same. They are buildings, sites, structures, objects, or districts.

Most NHLs are not owned by the federal government. In fact, private citizens, organizations, corporations, tribal entities, state and local governments own around 84% of all American NHLs. Even so, NHLs and national park units sometimes overlap. For example, there are seven National Historic Landmarks within Grand Canyon National Park alone.

In order to receive designation, according the NPS National Historic Landmarks, a site must fit one of the following criteria:

First, it is a location with the strongest association with a turning point or significant event in American history.
Secondly, it could be the best location to tell the story of an individual who played a significant role in U.S. history.
Thirdly, it is an exceptional representation of a particular building or engineering method, technique, or building type in the country.
And finally, it offers potential for future archaeological studies to provide new and innovative information about the past.

It’s important to note from the outset that even though a site may be a designated National Historic Landmark, it may not be open to the public. Property owners have the right to decide whether or not people can visit the site.

Red brick historic building with white trim in background with red coach with painted yellow wooden wheels pulled by two horses in front on street. — The historic Tombstone Courthouse is just one of the buildings that make up the oft-visited Tombstone Historic District (Photo: Megan Kopp)

How Many National Historic Landmarks in Arizona?

There are 46 National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) in Arizona. Who knew? I certainly didn’t before diving into research for future historic sites to visit. Forty-six! This includes the Hoover Dam which spans from Nevada into Arizona. It also includes Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites which overlap into California.

Arizona’s NHLs by Year of Designation

1960

San Xavier del Bac Mission

Hubbell Trading Post

Fort Bowie and Apache Pass

1961

Double Adobe Site

Tombstone Historic District

1964

Ventana Cave

Snaketown

Awatovi Ruins Casa Malpais Site

Gatlin Site

Kinishba Ruins

Old Oraibi

Point of Pines Sites

Pueblo Grande Ruin and Irrigation Sites

San Bernardino Ranch

Sierra Bonita Ranch

Winona Site

1965

Desert Laboratory

Lowell Observatory

Merriam, C. Hart, Base Camp Site

1966

Jerome Historic District

Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites (also in California)

1967

Lehner Mammoth-Kill Site

1976

Fort Huachuca

1982

Taliesin West

1983

Phelps Dodge General Office Building

1985

Hoover Dam (also in Nevada)

1987

Colter, Mary Jane, Buildings

The Grand Canyon Depot

Grand Canyon Lodge

G.C. Park Operations Building

Grand Canyon Power House

Painted Desert Inn

El Tovar

Tumacacori Museum

1990

Mission Los Santos Angeles de Guevavi

San Cayetano de Calabazas

1994

Air Force Facility Missile Site 8 (Titan II ICBM Site 571-7)

1997

Grand Canyon Village

2004

Navajo Nation Council Chamber

2009

Sage Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, Ganado Mission

2012

Fort Apache and Theodore Roosevelt School

Murray Springs Clovis Site

Poston Elementary School, Unit 1, Colorado River Relocation Center

2014

1956 Grand Canyon TWA-United Airlines Aviation Accident Site

2016

Painted Desert Community Complex

Are NHL Designations Ever Withdrawn?

Yes. Sometimes changes are made to a property. The can completely alter its character. When a designated site is changed so much that it no longer has national significance, its status is removed. Changes through alteration, addition or demolition are the most common reasons for withdrawal of Landmark designation.

Arizona’s Roosevelt Dam was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963. It was the world’s highest masonry dam when it was completed in 1911. In 1984, modifications were approved to meet current safety and flood control standards. As a result, the original rubble-masonry gravity arch dam was covered with a new concrete block structure. This increased the dam’s height and length. Because it no longer had the same design, same material and overall feeling, the Landmark designation of Roosevelt Dam was withdrawn in 1999.

Spotlight on Arizona’s 1st National Historic Landmark

San Xavier del Bac – it glows like a beacon shimmering in the dry heat of the desert. I haven’t discovered nearly as many of Arizona’s NHLs as I have Arizona’s National Historic Monuments. Yet. At this point though, San Xavier del Bac is my favourite.

Oddly enough, “del Bac” means where the water meets the land. You’d never guess it today, but a river flowed through this parched landscape in the 1600s. Native communities grew corn, beans, squash and cotton. Ground mesquite pods were ground into flour.

Father Kino was a Jesuit priest who founded many missions in northern Mexico. In 1692, he arrived in the Tucson area and founded Mission San Xavier del Bac. Eight years later, he began to build a foundation for a church. It was never finished. In 1756, a church was finally built at the mission. Construction on the current church we see today began in 1783.

White church with one finished and one unfinished bell tower. — The church at Mission San Xavier is also known as the White Dove of the Desert. Note the unfinished east tower; why it was never completed is the subject of great speculation.. (Photo: Megan Kopp)

Touring San Xavier del Bac

You’re free to wander around the church and grounds on your own – like we did the first time we visited. It provides a good overview. However, if you really want to understand the iconography and stories behind this mission, take a free guided tour.

I arrived and went into the reception desk and asked for a tour. The woman asked me to wait out in the courtyard for Susan. Two other people showed up and stood nearby. Our guide, Susan, came out and introduced herself. She began with an overview of the mission’s history. Missionaries introduce citrus trees, pomegranates and winter wheat. They bring sheep, horses and cows. Kilns fire building bricks. Prickly pear juice in mortar draws out moisture. These historic tidbits aren’t visible when you tour on your own – and yet they provide such a wealth of understanding.

Looking Beyond the Obvious

With Susan’s guidance we saw the influence of Islamic architecture in the design. We learned that the entrance faces south because this is where the majority of people come from. Learned that the lions are symbols of Spain. Of course, the main door is mesquite wood. Appreciated the fact that the handles on that same door were added in the 1930s. The snake motif of those handles is symbolic. Snakes lead people to water.

Lion statue on pedestal overlooking white washed mission building beneath blue sky. — A pair of cast iron lion statues were in 1908 on Grotto Hill above Mission San Javier del Bac (Photo: Megan Kopp)

The rainbow painted above the door comes after summer thunderstorms replenish the desert. Of course, the Baroque architecture relies on balance. Because a door couldn’t be added, one was painted. We also looked closely are the milagros – little charms, bracelets and tokens left behind by those asking or saying thanks for miracles from the saints. Milagro means “miracle” in Spanish.

But it’s no miracle that this beacon in the desert became the first designated national historical landmark in the state on October 9^th, 1960. It is one of the oldest standing European structures in the country. San Javier del Bac has a special story worth getting to know.

Special note: As a result of the Pandemic, be sure to visit the Mission San Javier del Bac website for current information on any related COVID-19 closures and/or tour cancellations.