HOME

From a buyer:

"The purpose of this letter is to extend our compliments to the staff at Dorn, and especially to our coordinator, Lea Peterson, for the excellent job in building our home to our specifications from 2,500 miles away..."

~ Rev. & Mrs. Wayne A. Pohl
Dorn homeowners

 

Arizona Luxury Homes in Tubac  –
The Art and Soul of Arizona

“America top 10 place for executives to retire”
– Fortune Small Business

“The Sedona of Southern Arizona”
– The New York Times

“One of the absolutely coolest, high energy places in the entire world!” 
Dave Grounds, President and CEO of Dorn Homes

Dorn Homes is proud to be the builder of five current Tubac real estate communities for Arizona luxury homes: Sanctuary at Tubac Golf Resort, Santiago, Trails Head, Embarcadero, and Sentinel Hill at Barrio de Tubac.

The reputation and quality of Dorn Homes is locally known as a “Dorn built home.” Over the past 17 years, Dorn has built over 2,200 homes in 20 luxury communities, and three of these charming neighborhoods are in Tubac: Cielito Lindo, The Bosque, and The Gallery Collection at Tubac Golf Resort. In addition, Dorn is also the # 1 “build on your lot builder” in Southern Arizona!  Dorn will build their models in Green Valley, Tubac and Rio Rico, and on your own homesite. Consider Dorn Homes for Tubac real estate.
 
Tubac, Arizona is a community known for its unique relationship to its historic roots, its most famous resident — Explorer Juan Bautista de Anza, and for being a haven for nationally-known artists. It was from Tubac, in 1775-76, that Anza departed and led a contingent of 300 soldiers, artisans and their families to found the Presidio on the San Francisco Bay. With such a storied history, it’s no surprise that Tubac real estate is a valued commodity and much sought-after. And it’s also no surprise that Dorn’s Arizona luxury homes fit perfectly into this historic and exciting locale.

A Brief Tubac History

Six flags have flown over Tubac: Spain, Mexico, New Mexico Territory of Arizona under the Confederacy, Territory of Arizona under the United States, Arizona and the United States of America.

Long before Tubac real estate became a hot commodity, Jesuit missionary Father Francisco Eusebio Kino entered the Santa Cruz Valley in 1691 — converting the natives (Pima Indians), building missions and establishing ranches and farms. History first mentions Tubac in 1726, when Father Agustin de Campos baptized children here.

In 1751, after 50 years of forced labor in mines and on ranches, the Pima Indians rebelled. Luis Oacpicagigua, a Pima Leader, promised his followers wealth and possessions belonging to the Europeans. Spanish settlements were reduced to ashes; miners, priests and farmers were killed. It took four months to quash the rebellion. Finally, Pima warriors were cornered in the Santa Catalina Mountains, just north of Tucson and were defeated.

In 1752, due to these repeated Indian uprisings, Tubac became a Presidio, or Fort, to protect the northern frontier of Spain’s New World colonies. A 50-man garrison was established. Soon women and children arrived in Tubac, becoming the first European Settlement in Arizona.

A different kind of Tubac real estate: model of the historic Tumacacori Mission along the Santa Cruz River

For the next 24 years, the soldiers at the Presidio would fight another fierce tribe, the Apaches. In 1760, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza arrived to command the Presidio de San Ignacio de Tubac. During his tenure in Tubac (1760-1776), Anza built the chapel of Santa Gertrudis, the foundations of which lie beneath St. Ann’s church. On October 23, 1775, he and priest explorer, Fray Francisco Garces, along with approximately 300 colonists, left from Tubac and traveled the Gila Trail to Yuma. From there they set out to the Pacific Coast and traveled north where they founded the colony of San Francisco.

The very next year, in 1776, the Presidio was moved to Tucson. Tubac was left defenseless against the Apache attacks until another garrison of soldiers arrived in 1787. This brought relative peace to the area, but not for long.

Independence from Spain in 1821 brought Tubac under Mexican rule. The United States- Mexico War (1846-1848) had little effect on Tubac until the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Land north of the Gila River was ceded to the United States forming the New Mexico Territory. This did not include Tubac. Forty-niners passing Tubac enroute to California enticed away residents.

A ghost town when the United States took possession after the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, Tubac returned to life in 1856. Charles Poston and others established the Sonora Exploring and Mining Company in the old presidio ruins. Soon the population topped 1000 with new businesses, the Butterfield Overland Express and The Weekly Arizonian newspaper, which attracted the elite to Tubac.

By 1860, the mining boom had faded, the Civil War recalled federal troops and Apache raiding intensified. On August 1, 1861, Confederate troops seized Arizona, only to lose it to the Union a few months later. President Lincoln declared Arizona a Territory on February 20, 1863. T. Lillie Mercer, Sabino Otero and others established the Tubac town site in 1882, built the Tubac School in 1885 and organized the Tubac Scouts in 1886 to fight the Apaches. Geronimo’s surrender in September of 1886 brought peace to Tubac at long last.

Tubac Today – Charm, Culture &
Arizona Luxury Homes

Small town atmosphere, big-town amenities!

Tubac is a place where you can follow your dream, not the crowd: where you can enjoy big city amenities and luxury in a charmingly serene small-town. Where else can you have easy access to farmers’ markets, fine dining, gourmet markets, award-winning neighborhoods, outdoor movies, and concert under the stars in the town square? Where else can you find breathtaking mountain views, the nation’s largest cottonwood forest, and the historic Anza National Trail, as well as championship golf courses. Where else can one discover the Arizona luxury homes they’ve always been seeking? Tubac!

Tubac, Arizona is 40 miles south of Tucson, Arizona. It lies in the Santa Cruz River Valley and is bordered by the Santa Rita, Tumacacori and San Cayetano Mountains. Its motto, "Where Art & History Meet," can be found throughout the community.

Today, Tubac is an artist's haven. The village of Tubac boasts more than ninety businesses lining the quaint, meandering streets, and a full day can be enjoyed wandering through the numerous art galleries, working studios, book stores, restaurants, coffee shops and gift shops. The Tubac Center for the Arts provides a full season of exhibitions that are not to be missed. The Tubac Festival of the Arts, an annual four-day event that attracts over 100,000 visitors, is held the latter part of February and is host to over 400 vendors from around the world. One can enjoy a stroll on the historic Anza National Historical Trail which runs parallel to the flowing Santa Cruz River.

Tubac offers a broad range of community facilities, including the Tubac Golf Resort, County Public Library, and two museums located at the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and the Tumacacori National Historic Park (3 miles south of Tubac). Tubac is home to numerous fine restaurants, a farmers market, the Tubac Culinary School and the city hosts an annual Jazz and Blues Festival. For all these reasons and many more, Tubac real estate is not just an investment in property — it’s an investment in a wonderful living experience. As long-time residents of the area, Dorn Homes is honored to contribute culturally to Tubac with our fine Arizona luxury homes dotting the land.