Halloween morning, Maryjane and I headed southwest to Bisbee, AZ. Bisbee was once known as the "Queen of the Copper Camps". I.n 1877, a detail of army scouts and cavalrymen were sent to the Mule Mountains in search of renegade Apaches. Instead of Apaches, Lieutenant John Rucker and civilian tracker Jack Dunn found signs of copper. The first mining claim was staked in what later became the town of Bisbee. Between this claim and a multitude of others filed by George Warren had prospectors hurrying to the Mule Mountains in hopes of striking it rich. The new city was named after Judge DeWitt Bisbee from San Francisco, a major financial backer of the mine. It was a fitting start to our visit that we went to the Bisbee Visitor Center located at the Queen Mine.
The mine is located on the side of a hill across from downtown Bisbee.
We decided against taking the mine tour as we had only so much time but we toured the museum. During the mining boom in Bisbee, the Cousin Jacks from Cornwall, England brought their 2000-year mining expertise to the city. As a sidenote, they also brought legend of little people known as "Tommy Knockers" who were said to warn miners of danger by knocking on rocks. Bisbee also had a reputation as a rough and tumble mining camp. Brewery Gulch, the famed red-light district boasted nearly 50 saloons and almost as many brothels. Once considered the wildest street in North America, it was home to Crazy Horse Lil, Irish Mag, Katie Elder, and Red Jean who offered their charms to miners, gamblers, and a string of millionaire investors.
The museum had all kinds of interesting fossils found in the mines. Yes, fish.
There were also displays of what the insides of a mine look like.
Although the Bisbee mines closed in the 1970's, Bisbee has once again reinvented itself. It is a National Registered Historic District that chronicles the Old West. But it is more than that. Bisbee's creative spirit is alive and well. It's a forward looking town with a very well preserved past. It is full of extraordinary historic architecture, as well as a vital, living breathing art and music scene....all in a setting of rugged natural beauty. Bisbee is quirky and fun.
Interesting architecture abounds.
Houses cling to hillsides. You can see the famous Bisbee 1000 Step Climb stairs.
A gulch meanders from one side of the road to the other requiring bridges to streets......
And even bridges necessary to get into garages.
Grocery store or workshop and studio?
Bisbee is very colorful.
A pedestrian bridge to a home.
A house that looks like a church.
More bridges.....
And more color.....
We were in Bisbee on a weekday so it was a little quiet.
We had coffee here at this great coffee shop.
Unique sculpture.
This is the Copper Queen Hotel. More on this later.
This is one of the two museums we visited. The other one was free and interesting. This one had a small charge. It is unique because they partnered with the Smithsonian to create a unique presentation of Bisbee's mining past.
There were life size representations of activity in the mines.
After we finished up at the museum, we walked up stairs through a small park to the Copper Queen Hotel. This is part of the lobby.
A Halloween or Harvest tree.
The Copper Queen is the oldest continually operating hotel in Arizona.
Check in here for a unique experience.
This little guy joined us on the patio for lunch.
Visiting Bisbee was a unique and fun experience.
I think this was in use as someone's home.
This is Rose's Place.....a guesthouse.
We saw lots of evidence that you really can "Be Yourself in Bisbee". It's a popular place in the summer, not only because it is fun but also because it is a mile high in the scenic Mule Mountains and it's a lot cooler here....anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees cooler than Arizona's urban centers. I definitely want to visit again.
