Cochise College Student Papers in Geology
Geology Home Page physical geology historical geology planetary gems
Roger Weller, geology instructor
wellerr@cochise.edu
Arizona Ghost Towns
David Jimenez
Physical Geology
Spring 2006
Ghost Towns of Southeastern
Arizona
A ghost town is defined in the dictionary as, a once thriving town that has been completely abandoned. As in many of the old mining communities are ghost towns now. This idiom implies that there are no living people left in town. My friends and I often go off- roading, and when we do we often visit ghost towns and other various spots in Cochise County. One ghost town that I have been to many times is known as......
Sunnyside-
Sunnyside
Courtesy Tom McCurnin
Sunnyside's post office was established July
16, 1914 and shut down by March 15, 1934. Sunnyside was a very religious town
composed of a family known as the Donnellys, and the families followers. All of
the miners were religious and the town was devoted to singing, bible reading,
and working extremely hard every day. If a miner came to town looking for work
they would put him to work. If anyone in the town slacked off during work and
did not pull their own then the town would ask the person to leave. This is the
only town known in Arizona to be a 100% religious mining town. The town lived as
socialists, pooling all the money into the community. Each person did what their
talents enabled them to do for the enrichment of the community. played out the
community was forced to find work elsewhere.
Sunnyside
Courtesy Tom McCurnin
.
Sunnyside
Courtesy Tom McCurnin
These are some other various pics of the abandoned town, I have been to the town a total of 6 times. The town might look nice and peaceful during the day, but at night it is a lot different. One feature that sticks out more than anything, is when you first enter the town you will notice two wooden posts about 15 feet tall each sticking out of the ground. I strongly recommend visiting this town if you ever have the opportunity.
Charleston- People drive down this
road everyday, but hardly realize that there was an actual town by this
name.
Photo Courtesy Arizona Historical Society
Charleston's post office was established April 17, 1879 and was closed by
October 24, 1888. Charleston was the milltown for nearby Tombstone. When the
mines in Tombstone flooded, work stopped in Charleston. By 1899, Charleston was
already a ghost town. Charleston has been used as a battleground for war games
many times over the years. Much of the town has been destroyed through these
games. Jim Burnett, Charleston's Justice of the Peace was rumored to run his
court house "his way". He decided what fines to charge offenders with and all
proceeds went directly to his pocket. What is left of Charleston is severally
hidden among thick mesquite bushes today.
Courtesy Arizona Historical Society
Unfortunately due to the thickness of the trees, the war games, and the weather this is what the ghost town looks like today. It is very hard to see and that is why people do not even know about this town’s existence
Other various pictures of the town.
These three photos Courtesy Arizona Historical Society
Camp
Rucker- First known as Camp Supply
and housed a mounted infantry unit. The town name was later changed in 1878
after Lt. Rucker drowned in a stream nearby. It was initially built to protect
settlers in the area. In July 1880, the McLaury brothers of Tombstone stole
mules from the stable. Lt. Hurst enlisted the help of then U.S. Deputy Marshal
Virgil Earp to help him retrieve the mules from the McLaury Ranch on the
Babocomari River. With the aid of his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, the mules were
found on the McLaury Ranch with brands changed. This was one of the incidents
which later led up the the famous "Gunfight Near the O.K. Corral.
Camp Rucker
These two pictures Courtesy Harry & Ingrid McNeer
Harshaw-
Harshaw has been occupied by
Indians, Spanish padres, Mexican families, and miners in its history. The
Mexicans called it “Durazno”. It became Harshaw in the late 1870s, named after a
miner that made it big there. For two years (1879-1881), Harshaw was a boom
town. Fire and flood brought it down, and it never recovered. The Post Office
closed in 1903. My great grandfather was actually born in this town. I do not
know the exact date, but I have seen the foundation of the stone house where he
was born.
Copper
Creek- A large mining complex
located on its namesake creek. Few structures remain of the town, but there are
many mines still semi-active around the area. The highlight is definitely the
Sibley Mansion, formerly a three-story, 20-room edifice along the creek built
for mine manager Roy Sibley in 1908. This isn't a drive-up ghost town; to see
the good stuff, you'll need to hike to it. Located east of Mammoth, in Pinal
County, Arizona.
Photo Courtesy of
CLDPhoto
References:
http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/az.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~ghosttowns2/arizona/
http://www.azreporter.com/?itemid=529