Tumacacori-Carmen, Arizona
Encyclopedia
In 1766, the Spanish colonists of Tumacacori discovered silver near their mission town, immediately afterward the priests had the local Opata
and Tohono O'odham
native American
s begin mining, thus establishing the Opata Mine. The natives dug a large shaft and in the back had a huge room where they stored all of their silver and practiced pagan rituals. Despite clinging to their pre-columbian
faith, they also adopted Catholic
beliefs. One day a Mayo
native princess
was traveling alone through the desert nearby which made the Opata believe she was the reincarnation
of the Virgin Mary. The Opata captured her and took the princess to their chief within the silver storage room. The Opata told the princess that she would marry their chief to produce a child savior or be sacrificed to their gods.
After refusing to marry the chief the Opata tied the woman to the silver, cut her hands and rubbed a type of poison into her wounds. The princess died and the Opata celebrated with the usual ritual of dancing and singing around a fire pit. Hearing the celebration a priest from the mission entered the mine and found the dead princess tied to the silver. Disgusted with the murder, the Spanish priests sealed the mine shaft entrance with the princess and the silver still inside. According to Spanish accounts, both the silver and her skeleton remain hidden somewhere near the Tumacacori mission. Spanish records say the Opata Mine was halfway between the Guadalupe Mine and the Pure Conception Mine. As of 2010 no one has ever found the buried treasure
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²), all of it land. The locale is in a valley cut by the Santa Cruz River.
of 2000, there were 569 people, 223 households, and 152 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 91.6 people per square mile (35.4/km²). There were 252 housing units at an average density of 40.6/sq mi (15.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 76.98% White
, 0.18% Black
or African American
, 1.05% Native American
, 1.58% Asian
, 17.57% from other races
, and 2.64% from two or more races. 58.00% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 223 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $35,938, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $26,806 versus $18,594 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $18,607. About 10.1% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 26.3% of those age 65 or over.
Opata
Opata is the collective name for three indigenous peoples native to the northern Mexican border state of Sonora. The whole of Opata territory encompasses the northeasterly and central part of the state...
and Tohono O'odham
Tohono O'odham
The Tohono O'odham are a group of Native American people who reside primarily in the Sonoran Desert of the southeastern Arizona and northwest Mexico...
native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
s begin mining, thus establishing the Opata Mine. The natives dug a large shaft and in the back had a huge room where they stored all of their silver and practiced pagan rituals. Despite clinging to their pre-columbian
Pre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
faith, they also adopted Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
beliefs. One day a Mayo
Mayo people
The Mayo are a Mexican indigenous people living in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa, originally living near the Mayo River in Sonora. In their own language they call themselves Yoreme....
native princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
was traveling alone through the desert nearby which made the Opata believe she was the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of the Virgin Mary. The Opata captured her and took the princess to their chief within the silver storage room. The Opata told the princess that she would marry their chief to produce a child savior or be sacrificed to their gods.
Buried treasure
A buried treasure is an important part of the popular beliefs surrounding pirates and Old West outlaws. According to popular conception, criminals and others often buried their stolen fortunes in remote places, intending to return for them later, often with the use of treasure maps.-Pirate...
.
Geography
Tumacacori is located at 31°33′40"N 111°2′52"W (31.561157, -111.047810).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²), all of it land. The locale is in a valley cut by the Santa Cruz River.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 569 people, 223 households, and 152 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 91.6 people per square mile (35.4/km²). There were 252 housing units at an average density of 40.6/sq mi (15.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 76.98% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.18% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.05% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.58% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 17.57% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.64% from two or more races. 58.00% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 223 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $35,938, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $26,806 versus $18,594 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $18,607. About 10.1% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 26.3% of those age 65 or over.
Further reading
- Di Peso, Charles C. The Upper Pima of San Cayetano del Tumacacori: An Archaeohistorical Reconstruction of the Ootam of Pimeria Alta, Dragoon: Amerind Foundation, 1956
- Dobyns, Henry F. Tubac Through Four Centuries: A Historical Resume and Analysis. Prepared for the Arizona State Parks Board 15 March 1959, Reformatted by Tubac Presidio State Historical Park, August 1995 and revised. Available on line at http://parentseyes.arizona.edu/tubac/index.html.
- Doyel, D. E. Excavations in the Middle Santa Cruz River Valley, Southeastern Arizona. Contribution to Highway Salvage Archaeology in Arizona, Number 44. Tucson: Arizona State Museum, U of Arizona, 1977.
- Seymour, Deni J.:
- Piman Settlement Survey in the Middle Santa Cruz River Valley, Santa Cruz County, Arizona, report submitted to Arizona State Parks in fulfillment of survey and planning grant contract requirements, 1993.
- Delicate Diplomacy on a Restless Frontier: Seventeenth-Century Sobaípuri Social And Economic Relations in Northwestern New Spain, Part I. New Mexico Historical Review, Volume 82, no. 4, 2007.
- A Syndetic Approach to Identification of the Historic Mission Site of San Cayetano del Tumacácori. International Journal of Historical Archaeology, Vol. 11(3):269-296, 2007.
- Delicate Diplomacy on a Restless Frontier: Seventeenth-Century Sobaípuri Social And Economic Relations in Northwestern New Spain, Part II. New Mexico Historical Review, Volume 83, no. 2, 2008.