Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate

The Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate is a former Spanish military presidio (fortress), located southwest of the town of Tombstone, Arizona in the United States of America.

History

The presidio was established very near a river bed, known today as the San Pedro River, by the Irish mercenary, Hugh O'Connor in 1776, for the King of Spain (Carlos III).The site marked the most intact site of similar presidios that extended north from the New Spain into what would later become Arizona.The presidio would never be completed to the specifications due to the attacks of the Apache, administrative greed, corruption and poor moral.The failure of an organized presidial help, and numerous problems like the lack of crops, robs on the horse herds, surprise attacks on the mule trains carrying supplies, and the continuous attacks by Apache, contributed to the abandonment of the garrison in 1781.The Apache successfully continued to dominate the territory for 75 years.

In 1951, Charles DiPeso, excavated the site and reported that he believed that the evidence found on site, indicated that O'Connor had located the presidio over an abandoned Sobaipuri Indian village of Quiburi.Many Archaeologists support a counter theory that states that the structures found at the site correspond to the quarters of the soldiers and families of the presidio.

There is evidence of prehistoric Hohokam occupation: shards scattered on the surface and eroding out of the adobe walls for the later Spanish Presidio.