Virtual Tucson Magazine Circa 2002 -2003
The Virtual Tucson Magazine covered just about everything you needed to know about Tucson from restaurants, to scared places, to the best places to hike, bike, or explore.
This was their website.
Content is from the site's 2003 -2004 archived pages.
From the editor: Welcome to Virtual Tucson Magazine. The site is growing everyday providing information on Tucson to thousands of visitors every month. Having grown up in the Tucson Valley, I have lived in Tucson for more than 30 years. Working as a Tucson based photographer for the past 20 years I developed this idea a few years ago after working on photographs for the Fodor's Arizona Travel guide.
Our goal at VTM to create a site that provides information on Tucson in a very cool yet simple form. Take a look around and hopefully you will find something to keep you entertained.
Part of the original concept of Virtual Tucson Magazine is to editorially advertise local Tucson business, so let us know if you are interested in having a page in our site. We do have one national advertiser whose ads will start next month. They're a large firm and we're proud to show off their wares - starting with their paper towels. The owner is a fan of Tucson, and our mag. My new agent Alamy.com markets my stock photographs online, click on the Alamy link to see the images I have available 24/7. I also have two other web sites Lightningsmtihs.com, the lightning site, and Passionjunkie.com, the book web site. So click and go!
Thanks for stopping by A.T. Willett
Map of the Tucson Valley
This aerial map of the Tucson Valley will allow you travel across Tucson with the click of your mouse. Click on the map and go! Or click on the images bellow.
Virtual Tucson Magazine will take you to Tucson from any computer in the world. Take a Hike to Seven Falls, bike the trails of Starr Pass. Travel across Tucson from the Airplane Graveyard to the San Xavier Del Bac Mission. Meet local artists, musicians, professionals and the other unusual local characters. The Virtual Part of this experience will come from Arizona's Finest Quick Time Virtual Reality Panoramas and coming soon Quick Time Video.
Your first time Visiting Tucson?
If this is your first trip to Tucson, this web site will help you decide where to go, what to do, where to stay and what to eat. If your a Local we provide information on the coolest places to see, places to eat and places to find shelter from the heat wind or cold depending what time year. We will guide you to the best of Tucson.
Virtual Tucson Site Development |
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Virtual Tucson Magazine Sacred Places
Sacred for thousand of years: There are places in the Tucson Valley which have been considered sacred for thousands of years. Some of the oldest sacred places are those left behind by the ancient Hohokam Indians who vanished from this area 700 years ago. Where did they go and what happened to their entire culture, religion and history? Unanswered questions to this day. All that remains of their thriving civilizations are Petraglyph rock drawings and a few small artifacts found at a several sites around the Valley. Signal Hill is a place where you can stand on a rock and try to interpret the messages of this long vanished tribe. This will probably create more questions than answers, but take pleasure that someone who lived in this Valley a thousand years ago is making you think today. |
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Spanish Mission architecture: The spread of Christianity followed on the heels of the arrival of Spanish Conquistadors who were in this region by the late 1500's. An early Spanish account of the Tucson area was written in 1699. A few years later Father Eusebio Kino was marking the foundation plans for Mission San Xavier del Bac. This mission and many others were part of aggressive efforts by the Spanish, to convert the native inhabitants to Christianity. The mission, which was completed about 1798, is an excellent example of Spanish Mission architecture. The White Dove of the Desert, as it is often called, seems to glow at dusk against the fading desert sky. |
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A tiny shrine with a huge heart: One of the most mysterious Sacred Places is the El Tiradito Shrine. The myth, or true story of how a tragic love affair in the late 1800's led to the creation of the so-called "Wishing Shrine" located in South Tucson. This shrine is on the National Historic Places Registry and the mythology of El Tiradito is well known in Hispanic culture. Even today, the shrine is a popular place for people to pray or ask for a little bit of help now and then. You never know what will happen if you light a candle down there and ask for something. It’s a very beautiful quiet place, the secrets of the people connected to this shrine will always be a mystery. |
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An artists idea: One of the newer sacred places is the DeGrazia Chapel built by local Tucson Artist Ted DeGrazia. Even though this chapel is less than 40 years old it is a beautiful hand built chapel which came directly from the heart and mind of Ted DeGrazia. Inside this tiny chapel there are beautiful angels painted by DeGrazia and a small shrine in the back of the chapel where many people leave a momento with their prayer or offering. |
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San Augustine Mission: San Augustine Cathedral, or in the English pronunciation, Saint Augustine, was originally built in 1897, with the imposing adobe and stone facade added in 1928. In the late sixties, the structure was deemed too small for the needs of the parishioners, and the entire church, except for the towers and facade, was razed and rebuilt. The designation of Cathedral, means that San Augustine is the seat for the Bishop of the Tucson Diocese. |
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Where does love go?: This roadside shrine for Matthew Preston who was Killed in bicycle accident Ocotober, 3rd 2001 is located on Tucson Blvd. at Lester Street. His freinds, family and girlfriend have kept fresh flowers and candles burning every day since that tragic day ten months ago. Matt was a University of Arizona Student who graduated from the University of Arizona last May with a degree in molecular and cellular biology, he was studying toward a doctorate in genetics and working as a research technician in a biochemistry and molecular biophysics lab. |
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San Pedro Chaple:
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To see additional photographs and learn about Tucson's Sacred Places click on the images above or the links below to go to the sacred places which are summarized above.
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Something to think about: When you set foot into Tucson's Sacred Places think about the people who built these buildings with their hands in the hot desert sun, think about the people that have worshiped in these places over the years and think about the future. What will these areas look like 200 years in the future? What are your Sacred Places? |
Adventure around every corner: Whatever brings you to Tucson, adventure can be found around almost every corner. There are vast trail systems throughout the desert valley, canyons and mountains. Visitors from across the globe come to hike Tucson's trails. Tucson is Number two in the country for "The best places to ride a bicycle" according to Bicycling Magazine. Mountain biking in Tucson offers many different types of terrain. The lower desert fields of cacti at Starr Pass offer great cross country style riding. The rolling hills and canyons of Redington Pass are a good place to practice your balance, rock climbing and stream crossing skills. The steep dropoffs of the Mt. Lemmon trails are a great place to practice your fearless downhill techniques in the cool pine trees. Road biking in Tucson offers many options, a few favorites are the early morning Sabino Canyon ride, the Saguaro National Monument East and West rides and the Colossal Cave Loop ride. Whether you are hiking biking or exploring Tucson, the Old Pueblo’s mild winter temperatures and brilliant blue sky make outdoor activities a vacation in paradise. Many local resorts/spas offer guided tours and there are several biking and hiking tour companies located in the Tucson area.
Giant Saguaros: Tucson tourists come to see the wild desert landscape of the Sonoran Desert. Saguaro National Monument East and West offer visitors a chance to feel the desert. Ouch! Don't forget to bring your tweezers. The steep rocky Santa Catalina Mountains offer a serious challenge to visiting rock climbers. Winter visitors come to escape the cold back home to play game golf while wearing shorts on a 75 degree day in January. In the springtime dealers and curious shoppers come from all over the world for the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show about that same time of year Spring Training baseball games take to the field. As a child I dreamed about going to the real Wild Wild West of Old Tucson Studios to see the shooting location of my favorite TV show "High Chaparral". If your coming to Tucson or already here, the pages bellow will provide information on having fun in Tucson.
An image in spring, shows the Seven Falls trail filled with wildflowers.
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