Tucson Arizona was originally an Indian village called “Stook-Zone,” meaning water at the foot of black mountain a volcanic mountain adjacent to the village. Tucson is sometimes referred to as “The Old Pueblo” or The Sunshine Factory. It is also one of the oldest towns in the United States. Recent archaeological excavations near the Santa Cruz River have located a village in Tucson dating from 4,000 years ago. It wasn’t until 1854 that Tucson officially became part of the United States.