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All the United States Arizona Tucson Tucson's Retro Airport Control Tower

Tucson's Retro Airport Control Tower

This iconic 1958 tower welcomes air travelers to Tucson with neon-lit letters and architectural style.

Tucson, Arizona

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Rick Brown
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A view of the control tower at the Tucson airport.   olekinderhook/cc by 3.0
The control tower at night with the neon sign lit.   rickbbiking / Atlas Obscura User
Tucson’s iconic 1958 airport control tower.   rickbbiking / Atlas Obscura User
The back of the tower.   Eric Salard/cc by-sa 2.0
  IgFan / Atlas Obscura User
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Opened in October 1958, this handsome air traffic control tower at Tucson International Airport has greeted travelers, visitors, and residents returning to this scenic Sonoran Desert city for more than 50 years.

Standing 123 feet tall, the tower's most iconic feature is the 10-foot, blue and white letters that vertically spell out “TUCSON” on two sides of the structure, illuminating in neon orange at night, as well as the pinkish-red stripes that decorate the four sides of the structure.

In September 2016, after being in service for nearly 58 years, the stylish midcentury tower was retired from air traffic services and replaced by a new, 252-foot-tall control tower situated elsewhere on the airport property. But the original tower remains standing, now a beloved local landmark.

Today, the iconic tower, along with the similarly styled midcentury hotel that stands adjacent to it, has been preserved for offices and other uses, and is clearly visible from many parts of the terminal building. To anyone visiting Tucson by air, the historic airport control tower is a treasured and admired architectural landmark.

Related Tags

Towers Local History Signs Airports

Know Before You Go

The tower can be seen from the Tucson International Airport terminal. As with any airport property, please heed and abide by all security and no trespassing signs.

Community Contributors

Added By

rickbbiking

Edited By

Meg, IgFan

  • Meg
  • IgFan

Published

March 4, 2019

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Sources
  • https://pointsixtyfive.com/files/welcome_guides/TUS.pdf
  • https://www.flytucson.com/taa/about/history/
  • https://tucson.com/news/retrotucson/photos-tucson-international-airport-history-in-photos/collection_69af6dfa-faec-57cd-a38c-f89d70a95f70.html#9
  • https://tucson.com/business/tucson/tucson-airport-dedicates-new-control-tower/article_ef3285b8-0340-5e94-a518-e689bffe334f.html
  • https://www.ssinstruction.com/new-tower-wont-mean-demise-of-airport-icon.php
  • https://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/news/faa-looks-at-retiring-iconic-tucson-airport-control-tower/article_1c1d0d96-726e-5772-9e5d-180c736c52d4.html
  • https://www.flytucson.com/
  • https://tucson.com/news/retrotucson/then-and-now-photos-from-tucson-area/collection_cfd7a3c0-1041-11e7-ae93-7f1fdd2e9d92.html#6
  • https://www.flytucson.com/listings/rontel-office-building/
  • https://tucson.com/then-and-now-tucson-airport-rontel-hotel/image_ba1346da-1040-11e7-a336-93e0b3849bec.html
  • https://www.hippostcard.com/listing/tucson-airport-authority-rontel-tucson-arizona/2247667
  • https://books.google.com/books?id=yk-e7GrGplcC&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7&dq=tucson+airport+RONtel&source=bl&ots=Y9d1aGFzXL&sig=ACfU3U3USoq4IdTCAojWHYNkUt5W-c1iLQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiRk7Ovk8vgAhVPsZ4KHZG6C804ChDoATAFegQIBBAB#v=onepage&q=tucson%20airport%20RONtel&f=false
Tucson's Retro Airport Control Tower
7081 S Plumer Ave
Tucson, Arizona
United States
32.122928, -110.942095
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