El Tiradito Shrine is one of Tucson's most known and loved places, especially by the locals. It's packed with legend, dating from the 1870s, but no one can agree on which
of three stories is the real one. All three conclude with the death of someone on the (original) spot where the shrine is located. And in all three legends, that person was a sinner- an El Tiradito, a castaway - the victim of a love triangle gone wrong. No matter which is true, the shrine is the only one on the National Register of Historic Places dedicated to the soul of a sinner.

How it got to be on the Registy is a story in itself: An Urban Renewal project in Tucson in the 1960s had planned to build an expressway that would have demolised both El Tiradito and theBarrio Viejo in which it's located. Citizens, outraged, formed the El Tiradito Foundation and lobbied for the shrine to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, knowing that once the location was placed on the register, it could not be destroyed.

Today, it still stands, rustic and informal, pretty only in the eyes of those who respect its history and purpose. Many call the small corner on E. Main Street a Wishing Shrine. They say if you make a wish and light a candle, and your candle stays lit overnight, your wish will come true.

Above, left: Walkway of Tucson's courthouse

Above, center: It seems no matter where you are in Arizona, you'll find prickly pear cactus in some form or another

Above: The El Charro Cafe is the oldest continuously family operated Mexican eating establishment in the United States. It was established in 1922 and is occupied in a home built in the 1890s and on the National Register of Historic Places.

Left: Teatro Carmen is also in the Barrio Viejo. Built in 1915, it staged theatrical performances in Spanish.

Below: Typical houses with unique water spouts in Barrio Viejo, Tucson's historic district.