St. Ann's Church

Five different structures are believed to have been raised here at the corner of Calle Iglesia and Placita de Anza in Old Town, Tubac.

The original church dates to 1691. The second was built in 1752 under the protection of the Tubac Presidio. The third church was built with grandeur in 1796. The fourth crumbled from heavy rains in 1915.

Three Tubaquenas, all named variations of Ann, set about raising funds for yet another new church - the fifth to bless the site.

Ana Maria Coenen, her daughter Anita Maldonado, and Annie Burruel, along with other women from the village, conducted dances, dinners, bake sales and even sold glasses of water for five cents each.
Eventually they raised enough money for the construction of the church now existing in Old Town Tubac today.

Completed in 1917, it is surmised that the name of the church was changed from Santa Gertrudis to St. Ann's in honor of the three Anns, who worked so hard to have it built.

It is unknown why the church's architecture is what it is. Catholic officials authorizing its design were believed to be of German and Belgium origins, perhaps accounting for the hip roof bell tower and gable roof for the church proper-architectural elements not common to the region.

St. Ann's is built of adobe brick-a mud mixture which is put into forms, released and then allowed to dry in the sun-which were probably made on site or in the vicinity as was customary for the time.

The appearance but not the organic soul of St. Ann's would change in 1930 when the exterior raw adobe walls would be stuccoed creating a façade that remains today.