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Seven Wonders of Southern Arizona

It's a wonder-full area

By Doug Kreutz

Arizona Daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.08.2007

We asked readers to vote in an online poll to pick the Seven Wonders of Southern Arizona, and it appears you were dedicated to your mission — in a quite literal sense.

The No. 1 vote-getter in the poll was the famed Mission San Xavier del Bac, southwest of Tucson.

Our Southern Arizona wonders — like the list of the new Seven Wonders of the World announced this weekend — are human creations rather than natural wonders.

Others in the top seven selected in our poll include an archaeological site, a Downtown landmark and a scenic road. – Doug Kreutz

When we learned that a list of the new Seven Wonders of the World would be announced this weekend, we — ahem — got to wondering:

What are the Seven Wonders of Southern Arizona?

We asked you to answer that question by voting in an online poll. You cast about 3,770 votes — choosing your favorites from a list of 20 sites posted on our poll Web site. Many additional votes were cast by readers taking advantage of a write-in option — which allowed you to nominate sites that weren't on the list of 20.

The top vote-getter was the venerable, much-loved, painstakingly preserved Mission San Xavier del Bac southwest of Tucson.

Like sites on the worldwide list, the mission and our other favorite local wonders are things built by people rather than the forces of nature.

Rounding out the Southern Arizona top seven are:

2. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

3. Kitt Peak National Observatory.

4. A tie between Tumacácori Mission and Picture Rocks Petroglyphs.

6. Catalina Highway to Mount Lemmon.

7. Old Pima County Courthouse.

Among your write-in favorites were the Fox Theatre and Tohono Chul Park.

Learn about the new Seven Wonders of the World.

● Contact reporter Doug Kreutz at dkreutz@azstarnet.com or at 573-4192.

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