Ghost Towns of Arizona
There are always new things cropping up to see and do in the Copper State - but when you have a hankering to experience what life was like in the old mining days of the Southwest, there's no better adventure than visiting an Arizona ghost town.
As you decide where you'd like to explore, you'll find that there are a variety of fantastic AzHLA-recommended lodging options to suit your needs, wherever your Arizona ghost town travels take you!
Some History...
While Arizona was the last of the contiguous states to be admitted to the Union, its history goes back much further. By the mid to late 18th century settlers were arriving by the thousands, and nearly 300 communities sprung up (especially around the area's many copper mines) to accommodate them.
At the height of the mining boom more than 275 Arizona towns formed and developed. Places like Jerome and Chloride bustled with restaurants, saloons, brothels, schools, and all sorts of businesses. When the mines eventually dried up and shut down, people moved away, causing many of the region's most popular mainstays to quietly transform into the ghost towns they are today.
According to Merriam-Webster, a ghost town is "a once flourishing town wholly or nearly deserted usually as a result of the exhaustion of some natural resource." Many old mining towns of the West have ceased to exist completely, leaving next to no trace that they ever existed. Others hint at the life that once pulsed through their city streets, be it through an abandoned mine shaft, dilapidated school house, or strips of railroad track, now leading to nowhere.
There is yet a third variety of Arizona ghost town - one in which the community's hardiest residents stayed on, eventually transforming their communities into modern-day hubs for tourism and the arts. In towns like these, such as Jerome, Oatman, and Chloride, many original structures still stand, thus preserving each town's unique chapter in the history of the new West. In addition, curious visitors have revamped these towns' economies, encouraging the growth of the arts, delicious dining, and endless opportunities for family fun!
Community Features
Featured Ghost Town: Chloride, "The Ghost Town that Never Died"
Located in Arizona's West Coast region, approximately 20 miles north of Kingman, Chloride was once a bustling mining town of over 2,000 residents. Named for the silver chloride that was discovered in the nearby Cerbat Mountains, Chloride's mining operations actually brought in a variety of metals, including gold, silver, lead, zinc, and copper, until operations trickled to a halt in the wake of World War II.
Today, Chloride's residents are no longer the miners or men and women who served them. Instead, the community of about 250 people is made up of retirees, families, artists, and business people who are committed to preserving the rich history that surrounds them.
Visitors can see the old bank vault, the two-room jail, the old Santa Fe Railroad Station (Chloride was serviced from 1898 until 1935), and an old pool hall that now serves as the post office. In addition, the remains of many of the 72 mines in Chloride still exist, as well as remnants of the old town brothel, the House of Soiled Doves.
Chloride is rich with character - much of which is due to the town's modern residents. The murals of Roy Purcell dot the surrounding granite faces, and colorful depictions of Wild West life by Walter Olds can be viewed at Yesterdays Restaurant. Mock gunfights by the Black Mountain Gunfighters and the Wild Roses take place almost every Saturday at high noon, and a large collection of tractors also exists in Chloride, including 30 antique models owned by one couple.
Featured Ghost Town: Jerome, "The Largest Ghost Town in America"
Founded in 1876 as a copper, gold, and silver mining camp, Jerome is located high on the side of Cleopatra Hill (5,200 feet) between modern-day Prescott and Flagstaff. The community was once the fifth largest town in the Arizona Territory, with a burgeoning population of over 15,000. It also was deemed the "wickedest town in the West"!
The last of the mines to go, Phelps Dodge Mine closed in 1953, and the remaining 50-100 residents hunkered down to live, work, and play in Jerome regardless. By 1967 Jerome had been designated as a National Historic District, heralding in the town's future as a thriving tourist and artist community.
Due to the 30-degree incline of the mountainside on which Jerome was founded, many of the original buildings (including the town jail!) have surrendered to gravity, toppling and sliding down the slope to their deaths. Among the many buildings that do remain are those found in the Cribs District, a back alley once famed as Jerome's "prostitution row."
Today, Jerome is home to roughly 450 residents, as well as two museums, several art galleries, and a variety of restaurants, cafes, and shops.
Post Comments
Be the first one to leave a comment, use the form below.
