TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tumamoc Hill is best known for its popular walking path. It is also home to the University of Arizona's Desert Laboratory.
But Tumamoc Hill is really where it all began for Tucson more than 4,000 years ago.
"This area is the location of the longest continuously [inhabited] and lived-in area in North America," University Of Arizona Professor Elise Gornish said.
Gornish is describing the remarkable history of the area around Tumamoc Hill.
Today, the 860-acre ecological preserve serves as a lab for Gornish and many other researchers.
But the base of Tumamoc Hill is quite literally where Tucson began.
Carbon dating shows maize was cultivated 4,100 years ago at the base of Tumamoc Hill, along the banks of the Santa Cruz River, making this the oldest continuously cultivated soil in the country.
"There's evidence of people who have been living here for a very long time all over this hill," said Gornish.
A village was built on top of Tumamoc Hill about 2,500 years ago, making it the earliest known architecture in Arizona.
The O'odham people call Tumamoc Hill and Sentinel Peak twin mountains. But they are actually quite different -- starting with the underlying rocks.
"That's why you have differences in how many saguaros are actually over there," explained Gornish. "We have a lot more saguaros here."
And all those saguaros on Tumamoc Hill are one of the reasons Andrew Carnegie decided to fund research here nearly 125 years ago.
"He was looking for a place to start a laboratory where people could study desert plants and understand adaptations," said Gornish. "Tucson had just gotten a train station. So, he was like Tucson, Arizona let's go there."
Carnegie funded the Desert Botanical Laboratory on Tumamoc. It opened in October of 1903.
"Some fundamental properties and knowledge of how desert plants...survive stress started here," Gornish said.
The University of Arizona took over the Desert Laboratory in 1956.
Today, university researchers still use the original buildings as they follow two of the longest-running plant studies in the world -- including the study of Tumamoc's 4,000 saguaros.
"We've learned a lot," said Gornish. "We've learned that desert plants are really resilient. They have to be, right."
Gornish and U of A researchers are monitoring the effects of climate change on the saguaros, as well as the negative effects of non-native plants like buffelgrass.
"We try to get rid of the buffelgrass here," Gornish said. "We know that when we pay attention to buffelgrass and target it, we can remove it."
As important as the research, is the sense of community you get when you hike Tumamoc Hill.
"We get almost a thousand people a day walking this hill," said Gornish.
Walking up Tumamoc's 1.5-mile paved path is really good for your health. But Gornish says it's not just the 700-foot rise in elevation that's good for you.
"There's a bunch of research that has shown that just being near plants, being near green, actually reduces your stress, reduces your heart rate," Gornish said. "So it's really healthy for people."
Those saguaros and prickly pear cacti also come along with some stunning views of the Tucson Mountains and the city of Tucson below.
Tumamoc Hill is its own small sky island in the Sonoran Desert.
Gornish says she never takes the amazing scenery for granted and she's glad to see Tucsonans don't either.
"The community is really invested in Tumamoc and keeping it a clean, safe, active place," said Gornish. "And I love that."
The University of Arizona routinely holds Tumamoc Talks to help the community learn more about the history and the science going on right now on Tumamoc Hill.
MORE ABSOLUTELY ARIZONA | The history of "A" Mountain
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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
