Art shops in historic downtown Tucson

Old Town Artisans is located on the site of El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson, the fort built by the Spanish in 1775 to stake claim to the northern frontier of New Spain. Our block was the stables area, and our north wall is the location of the fort’s north wall from which Apache attacks were repelled. Construction of the adobe buildings was begun in the 1850’s.

The 1882 Tucson Directory lists a variety of early residents, including assayers, clerks, a ladies’ nurse and a grocery store. In 1888 Julius Goldbaum, a liquor merchant, bought the property for use as a distillery and his family’s residence. Stroll through the shops and you will see original ceilings made of saguaro cactus ribs, packing crates, and whiskey barrel staves with remnants of imported wallpaper and gold-leaf mouldings.