Sosa-Carrillo-Fremont House is one of Tucson's oldest adobe houses, built around 1880 and home of the Carrillo family for over 90 years. Located on the grounds of the Tucson Convention Center downtown, the house has been restored using period furniture of the 1880s, featuring exhibits of Tucson lifestyles in the 19th century. Admission is free, but reservations are required for walking tours, which are only offered on Saturdays.
Built in 1900 and bought by Tucson department store owner Abert Steinfeld in an upscale downtown district formerly known as Snob Hollow, this amazing mansion is a fine example of architect Henry Trosts's passion for the Mission Revival style. Note the arched portico and tiled roof, features reminiscent of the Spanish missions of Northern Mexico and the American Southwest, and take a minute to rest in the cool, shaded courtyard. Access is free. Today, the building houses several private offices, which limits your visit to the outside view.
This house is a fine example of 19th century Tucson architecture. The Fish House, named after a prominent Tucson businessman, is made from adobe, which is essentially dried mud and bricks, materials that have for centuries provided excellent insulation in the either cold or extremely hot climates of the Southwest. As is common in this style of architecture, the ceiling is laced with saguaro cactus ribs. The building presently houses the Tucson Museum of Art's Western Art collection.
Built in 1929, this building has the distinction of being Tucson's first skyscraper, towering high over the one-level houses that gave Tucson its distinct Western town character. From 1935 well into the 1990s, it was known as the Valley National Bank Building until another, bigger corporation took over. Today, higher structures dominate the Tucson skyline, but this particular building, apart from its historic impact, still derives some charm from the tree-shaded brick patio on its south side, which is always welcome in the brutal Tucson summer. Visitors may enjoy free access to the lobby during business hours.
