HISTORIC PLACES GUIDE

National Register of Historic Places

Desert Laboratory

Desert Laboratory is a historic place in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966, and designated a National Historic Landmark. Its National Register reference number is 66000190.

Tucson, Pima County, ArizonaListed October 15, 1966NRIS #66000190★ National Historic Landmark
Photograph of Desert Laboratory
Photo: Desert Laboratory via Wikimedia Commons — see the file page for author and license. Image source
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Location 01

Desert Laboratory

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About this place

What is Desert Laboratory?

The Desert Laboratory is a historic biological research facility atop Tumamoc Hill at 1675 West Anklam Road in Tucson, Arizona. It was founded by the Carnegie Institution in 1903 to study how plants survive and thrive in the heat and aridity of deserts, and was the first such privately funded effort in the nation. Beginning in 1906, numerous long term ecological observation areas were set up by Volney Spalding & Forrest Shreve on the 860 acres (3.5 km2) scientific domain of Tumamoc Hill. Nine of these are the world's oldest permanent ecology study quadrats. The facility and staff were key contributors to what is now considered the science of ecology, including participating in the creation of the Ecological Society of America in 1915 and the Ecology journal. Led by Spalding & Shreve, they also contributed innovations in conservation.

Source: Wikipedia, text available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Listing details

Name
Desert Laboratory
City
Tucson
County
Pima County
State
Arizona
Listed on the National Register
October 15, 1966
NRIS reference number
66000190
Resource type
building
National Historic Landmark
Yes
Coordinates
32.21842, -111.01198
When was Desert Laboratory listed on the National Register?

Desert Laboratory was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.

Where is Desert Laboratory located?

Desert Laboratory is located in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona at approximately 32.21842, -111.01198. See the map above.

Is Desert Laboratory a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Desert Laboratory is designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest federal recognition for a historic place.

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