Downtown Tucsonan - July/August 2008 - (Page 29) Historic Downtown Alexander Levin, 1834-1891 by Mike Speelman Levin was unceasing in his efforts to improve the park. He planted cottonwoods, eucalyptus, weeping willows, and even fruit and nut trees, laying out shady gravel walks with benches. the grounds were noted for beautiful flowers that grew abundantly everywhere; he also planted an extensive vegetable garden and a plot of Kentucky bluegrass. taking place. In 1878, Levin constructed a 400-seat opera house, where over time, La Fiesta became a three-week long, rowdy, pritraveling companies from national circuits performed oplexander and a ze marily secular bacchanal lasting through Mexican eras, plays, musicals, and concerts. among the no na Independence day on september 16. after camp other amusements Levin offered at times were a le Lowell moved to the Rillito River area in 1873, La Fibilliard hall, a ten-pin or bowling alley, an open-air vi pavilion for concerts and dances, stables, a bullesta was held in Military Plaza (armory Park), as the church withdrew from the public festival. ring, croquet grounds, a roller skating rink, and citizen complaints abounded concerning the a shooting gallery. He built a bathhouse over excesses of drinking and gambling, urging an the canal, offering free baths for men. end to the revel. La Fiesta had always proven Levin also operated a soda and sarsaprofitable for city coffers, through the sale of parilla factory and an ice cream saloon. concession rights on the Plaza, but officials In late 1878, he acquired an ice-making ultimately yielded to public pressure. By machine to keep beer cold. 1879, alexander Levin, known affectionLevin wanted to create a resort ately as “Boss,” offered to hold the event suitable for all tucsonans. Many fashat his Levin’s Park, a tree-shaded resort ionable balls and large dinner parat the west end of Pennington street ties were held on the grounds, as near the santa cruz River, outside the well as holiday celebrations, such city limits. as May day, the Fourth of July, and alexander Levin, a well-fed, amiable new Year’s Eve. an ad in the 1881 man and local brewer, had spent the city directory proclaimed, “Best last decade working to provide tucof order kept, and families need sonans with a retreat from the heat. have no hesitancy in coming here Born in Bahn, Prussia, on March 19, for a few hours.” 1834, Levin traveled quite a distance despite this claim, La Fiesta reto reach arizona. It is not known when mained an unruly event, casting a or why he left Prussia, but in 1856, he long shadow over the park. Levin had relocated to Lafayette, Missiswould lease and reclaim the brewsippi, where he became a naturalized ery and the grounds over the years, u. s. citizen. By 1863, after time spent in but the park’s reputation suffered california and Mexico, he was working as when others were in charge. In 1891, a brewer in La Paz, a mining boomtown the territorial Legislature passed a law along the colorado River in the arizona banning gambling wherever women and territory. when he arrived in tucson about children were present. a steep decline 1865, Levin found a community that lacked in attendance followed and the event was the kind of parks and entertainment centers eventually discontinued around 1900. La he had known in Europe. Fiesta was revived in the 1980s and is now with Frank Hodges, Levin opened the Pioneer held yearly at the st. augustine cathedral and Brewery, which moved a number of times before armory Park, without the previous excesses. settling into a three-acre parcel that became known Running unsuccessfully for the Legislature in as Levin’s Park. Buying out Hodges, he then teamed 1878, Levin did serve at least one term on the with Joseph Goldtree; parting company with him in common council in the early 1880s. 1870, Levin next entered into an association with s. w. Hopkins. alexander Levin married Zenona Molina, of Hermosillo, In october 1869, $3,000 worth of new brewing equipment from sonora. Zenona participated in Levin’s business and maintained san Francisco replaced what had probably been a basic copper kettleher own, separate interests. the couple had four sons and three type setup. He built a saloon and restaurant for the park and, in 1870, opened daughters. Levin died september 29, 1891, of heart disease. Zenona Levin, the short-lived Levin’s Hotel on Main street, offering rooms, meals, and a bar featuring born June 23, 1846, died on november 6, 1902. Levin’s own lager beer. He had partial interests over time in various saloons, such as the Gem and the Mint, which served as “depots” for his beer. D uring the 19th century, La Fiesta de san agustín occurred annually for ten days beginning august 28 to memorialize tucson’s patron saint, saint augustine of Hippo. the saint’s wooden icon was carried around church Plaza and a High Mass was celebrated. a feast, dancing, games, and other entertainments followed with many marriages and baptisms also n, ah s# 69 july/august.08. downtown tucsonan 29 49 ona historical s of ariz ociet y tesy , tu our cso -c n 7-
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.