Tucson's Most Walkable Neighborhood Is A Quirky, Historic, Arizona Gem Brimming With Americana Vibes

Among Tucson's historic neighborhoods is a small area just next to the hip entertainment hub of the Historic Fourth Avenue, whose name belies its history: Iron Horse. Known as Tucson's "most walkable neighborhood" with a Walk Score of 87, Iron Horse is like a dynamic time capsule that captures the days when the Southern Pacific Railroad first ran through Tucson in 1880 and transformed the city (iron horse is slang for a locomotive, per Merriam-Webster's definition). 

Different demographics — creatives, young people, and long-term residents — intermingle in this quirky neighborhood filled with 19th- and 20th-century buildings, according to a guide of Tucson's neighborhoods. Step into the '30s with a visit to Tucson's oldest bar, grab some snacks at an iconic Americana-style market that hasn't changed since the 1960s, or spot the vintage Southern Pacific caboose parked outside a resident's house next to the train tracks. Iron Horse was developed in 1890 to house train workers, as Southern Pacific had a stipulation that workers had to live within a mile of the railroad in order to hear the whistle calling them to work in this pre-telephone era. The tracks still run through the neighborhood, and the sound of the train remains an integral part of Iron Horse. 

Since the neighborhood was geared towards transient workers, rental units were built, and the historic styles can still be seen today, including Sonoran, Territorial, Craftsman, and Queen Anne Revival. Iron Horse is special because all these styles were built for rentals, and they have a no-frills, minimal external decoration that appealed to the function-focused railroad workers who once occupied them. Luckily, many of these buildings have been maintained, allowing Iron Horse to keep its historic appeal.

While you can find early and mid-20th-century buildings all around Iron Horse, like the 1929 Don Martin Apartments and the renovated 1928 Coronado Hotel Apartments, one of the most iconic and must-visit locations is New Empire Food Market, a neighborhood institution. Although it opened in the 1930s, New Empire began to establish itself as an essential part of Iron Horse in 1959, when Tun Lim Lee and his wife Anne took over the market. 

Recognizable by its vintage neon sign out front, New Empire is known as one of the best examples of Americana in the country. While some cruise Route 66 looking for neon nostalgia and kitschy Americana, a stop at this market can make you feel like you're in mid-century America, where modern-day fare rests on vintage shelves. Tun Lim and Anne became beloved figures in the community, offering candy and sweets to kids and even organizing group fishing trips. 

Tun Lim died in 2017, but his son now runs the market. One visitor on Google says, "What a great piece of history to have in Tucson ... The place is so amazing and has an awesome vibe. The racks and the floors to the signage is so cool. Stop by and enjoy this treasure." It's hard not to see Iron Horse's qualities encapsulated in the New Empire Food Market, as a Reddit user writes, "Truly an amazing place to be, so much is so easily accessible and the neighborhood itself has a tremendous amount of history, art, diversity, and character." 

One of the best ways to explore Iron Horse is to walk it — after all, it doesn't have a high walkability rating for nothing. Its most popular locations are close to each other, like Buffet Bar, which is next door to New Empire. Open since 1934, the Buffet is the oldest bar that is still in its original location in Tucson. With its neon sign, customer signatures on the walls, pool table, and a tap that once only served Coors Lite, it's no wonder why people love the Buffet. 

If you're more in the mood for caffeine instead of Jell-O shots, grab a cup of joe at Presta Coffee Roasters, which many consider to be the best coffee in Tucson. Known for its out-there seasonal drinks, like the desert sage latte, the Iron Horse Presta location currently has a 4.8-star rating on Google, with one user saying it's "the only coffee shop worth going to in Tucson."

It's easy to get to Iron Horse. The Sun Tran street car has a stop directly on the border of Iron Horse at Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street, and this transit option is free to ride. Downtown is just a five-minute walk away if you want to check out the restaurants that have made Tucson a UNESCO city of culinary excellence. Alternatively, considering Iron Horse's bike score of 99, you could easily get there on two wheels.