Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood

The Dunbar/Spring neighborhood is a small, historic, and culturally diverse neighborhood located at the north end of downtown Tucson. The name Dunbar/Spring (not “springs”) is derived from one prominent Tucson citizen, John Spring, who was one of Tucson’s first teachers, and an African-American poet, Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Dunbar/Spring has had a strong cultural identity as the first African-American neighborhood in Tucson.

The neighborhood is home to several churches as well as several social service agencies including the Salvation Army Hospitality House. Following the decline of downtown by the turn of last century, the neighborhood suffered from crime, abandoned properties, disinvestment, and encroaching commercial development that was harming the residential fabric of the neighborhood. Thanks to the commitment and energy of an increasing number of newcomers combined with the historical wisdom and values of our long-term residents, Dunbar/Spring began to turn itself around and has once again become a vibrant community. More about Dunbar/Spring.