Home to Ariz's 1st newspaper gets journalism honor

PHOENIX (AP) - The home to Arizona's first newspaper in 1859 has been named a national historic site in journalism history.

The Society of Professional Journalists' Valley of the Sun chapter nominated Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, which was the home of The Weekly Arizonan. Tubac is located in Santa Cruz county.

The Washington hand press on which the newspaper was printed remains in the southern Arizona park. It's still used to print copies of the paper for visitors.

Arizona's official state historian Marshall Trimble says Tubac was founded in 1752 by Spanish soldiers.

Americans arrived in 1854 and The Weekly Arizonian was first published on March 3, 1859. Its final printing in Tubac was on Aug. 11 of its founding year.

A plaque will be placed at the location to distinguish it as a journalistic national historic site.

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