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Green
Valley City
Guide
Located
25 miles
south of
Tucson in
the Sonoran
desert,
the retirement
community
of Green
Valley sits
in the Santa
Cruz River
Valley near
the Santa
Rita Mountains.
Spanish
Conquistadors
marching
north camped
throughout
the Green
Valley area.
After receiving
a land grant
from the
Spanish
government
in 1821,
the brothers
Tomas and
Ignacio
Ortiz became
the area's
first permanent
settlers.
Green Valley
was the
scene of
major cattle
drives (some
led by Bill
Kirkland,
one of Arizona's
best known
pioneers)
and debilitating
Apache raids.
The nearby
Canoa Ranch,
originally
owned by
the Ortiz
brothers,
was until
recently
a working
cattle ranch
and provides
a link to
Green Valley's
history.
Green Valley
began modestly
in 1962
after 3,000
acres were
developed
as a small
retirement
community.
For many
years, residents
did without
stores,
restaurants
and most
other services,
including
a post office.
Some folks
still remember
the epic
shopping
"expeditions"
to Tucson,
an all-day
event that
had to be
meticulously
planned
because
if you forgot
the eggs,
it was another
dusty, 50-mile
round trip
back up
Old Nogales
Highway.
Today, the
8-mile long
community
is populated
by 25,000
residents.
Golf is
a big attraction
and the
town boasts
seven courses.
ATTRACTIONS
- Mount
Hopkins
Observatory.
A world
renowned
facility
located
atop the
second
highest
peak in
the Santa
Rita Mountain
range.
Its Multiple
Mirror
Telescope
(MMT)
is the
third
largest
in the
world.
(928)
670-5707.
- Madera
Canyon.
A bird
and bird
watching
paradise
that is
permanent
or temporary
home to
more than
200 species
of birds.
The area
is about
10 minutes,
as the
crow flies,
from Green
Valley.
(928)
670-4597
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