Monthly Neighborhood Board Meeting:

The Monthly meeting of theSam Hughes Neighborhood Associationwill be held January 19, 2009 at 6:30 PM at the Sam Hughes Elementary School. Everyone is urged to attend.

Look for minutes of recent meetings on theMinutes/Agendaspage.


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Sam Hughes

February 08th, 2010

Sam Hughes Neighborhood Association
Tucson Arizona


How did Himmel Park (and the library) get its Name?

By Carolyn Classen

Himmel Park is named after a pioneer Tucsonan Alvina Himmel Edmondson and her family.

Alvina Himmel Edmondson and husband Charles S. Edmondson came from New Orleans, LA to Tucson in 1897 and homesteaded on 160 acres bounded by E. Speedway and Tucson Blvd.  They had 4 daughters: Catherine, Grace, Alvina, and Frances. The couple divorced in 1927 (and Charles later died in 1942 in Phoenix.) Alvina Himmel sold part of their homestead to the City of Tucson in 1934 or 1935 with the stipulation that the site be named after the Himmel family, in memory of her parents Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Himmel.

Alvina Himmel Edmondson died at age 78 on Jan. 11, 1948 at her redwood home, 2625 E. 1st Street (no longer there) on the land she had homesteaded for 51 years.  She was buried at the South Lawn Memorial Park according to her obituary at the Arizona Historical Society, 949 E. 2nd St. Tucson.  Her daughter Catherine (died 5/18/73) lived in that same homestead home in Sam Hughes till the early 70's.

By the way, Himmel is the German word for "heaven."

Himmel Park time line:  1934/35 part of Himmel Edmondson homestead land sold to City of Tucson, 1936 pool built by WPA -Works Progress Administration, 1944 City Council purchased more land (3 more blocks) to expand Himmel Park, and start planning for a library, which was finally built in 1961 under Mayor Don Hummel.

See "history" link from Himmel Park branch library site: http://www.library.pima.gov/locations/himmel/about.php#history

Information obtained from research I did at Arizona Historical Society, from Sam Hughes Neighborhood file at Himmel Park branch library, and the Himmel library website. I also checked the Tucson Citizen and Arizona Daily Star archives, and found a copy of a 1942 Tucson Citizen photo of this pioneer woman and her original home in the Sam Hughes Neighborhood.



Quality of Life Survey

by Gabriela Head and Tania Capin.

Crime reduction, prevention efforts, and connecting with neighbors are just some of the things that Sam Hughes residents perceive as important in maintaining a good quality of life in our neighborhood, according to data reported in the Sam Hughes Neighborhood Quality of Life Survey.

Click here PDFto read the 46-page report compiled by two Sam Hughes residents which outlines research findings, a situation analysis and recommendations on how to foster more social connectedness within the neighborhood. Click here PDF for a summary and survey facts.

(Editor's note: There was a presentation of the survey on October 28, 2009 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Hardesty Midtown Conference Room. Click here for more information.)



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Development of the Former Don Mackey Site

Ground was broken in October 2009 for an elderly housing complex at the city owned site of the old Don Mackey dealership at Broadway and Plumer. Completion is anticipated in eight to fourteen months. Lizard Rock Designs, project architects, have provided this updated project description PDF along with a site plan PDF.

Warning- Site Plan may load slowly!



NEW - Special Offers for SHNA Members!

by Rick Bell

SHNA Membership Committee is actively working with merchants and businesses to make available Money Saving Deals and Discounts for Association Members. For a current list of participating merchants/businesses and program information click here for "Deals & Discounts".

You will need your Certificate of Membership to take advantage of these special offers.

Certificates of Membership: By now our paid members should have received their Certificate of Membership (blue postcards) recently mailed. If you would like us to verify or update our records, please send written notification to SHNA, c/o Membership, PO Box 42931, Tucson, AZ, 85733.

Don't miss out on these special offers... Become a SHNA Member by completing the membership form (available in our newsletter or click here for a membership form) and mail it with your payment to the PO Box listed on the form. You will receive a Certificate of Membership postcard and can start saving $$$$ by taking advantage of these special offers.More special offers are coming soon.



The New Sam Hughes Community Action Committee

The SHCAC Community is an open social network for the Sam Hughes Neighborhood allowing you to post pictures, leave comments and much more. Take a look at http://samhughescac.ning.com.



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Neighborhood Watch News

All Block Captains south of 6th Street now report to Coordinator Virginia Hewgley (tnv1991@hotmail.com). Those north of 6th Street report to Amy Bosco (afbosco@yahoo.com).

Click here for minutes of the November 10, 2008 meeting on Sam Hughes Neighborhood crime issues. For a comparison of security systems click here.



Supporters of Rubaga Friends

by Jorgen Mortenson

To Supporters of Rubaga Friends, click here for the latest Rubaga News posted on our web-site, www.rubagafriends.org. Send us an e-mail at rubagafriends@gmail.com with your comments or questions.

You can also contact Rubaga Friends at phone #520-887-2372 or #1-877-782-2423. Leave your message and your phone number or e-mail address, and we'll come back to you a.s.a.p.

Our postal address is:

Rubaga Friends
c/o Jorgen Mortensen
521 N. Country Club Rd. #66
Tucson, AZ 85716



Survey Results

By Frank Soltys

The "results" are in...Read all about it!



U of A Leads Mission to Mars

The University of Arizona is the first public university to lead a mission to Mars. The Phoenix Mars Mission landed on May 25, 2008. Events were held from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at Kuiper Space Sciences Building, Sonett Space Sciences Building, and Flandrau UA Science Center on the U of A Mall. For more information visit http://mars.arizona.edu. Follow the Phoenix mission at http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu.



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Military Community Relations Committee

by Carolyn Classen

The Sam Hughes Neighborhood Association board voted on 9/18/07 to be a member...See the article here!



Memo to Student Renters...and all the rest of us... Read all about it!




Pine Float Over Tthe UofA Campus Mall

By Frank Soltys

Four large Aleppo Pines literally floated ...Read the story!!



Reorganization of Sam Hughes Cares for Seniors Program...

Call us at 561-0113 Read the whole story!


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Starting a Neighborhood Watch on Your Block

Click here for information on getting started.






Who is Sam Hughes?

By Frank Soltys

Click here to read the story!



Land Use Code Changes

Go to Zoning Info for news about possible changes in the Land Use Code.



Development at 6th and Campbell

Click here to read the story



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National Historic District Designation (and what it means to you) Click here for useful information!



Arizona Archives

The Museum of the Arizona Historical Society is always seeking information and materials for its archives. If you have materials that may be of interest to the museum, contact (520) 628-5774 or 617-1185.



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