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21 November 2022
Bisbee sits 15 miles north of the Mexican border, at the base of the red-clay Mule Mountains. Copper Queen Mine was once one of the most productive mines in the world at the turn of the 20th century, churning out gold, copper, zinc, and lead. But as with any mine, resources became less plentiful, and by the end of the 1970s, the mine had gone from boom to bust.
Bisbee’s story was far from over. This small town-an hour and a half drive away from the nearest city-has become a creative enclave with an eccentric old-hippie flair since the miners left. The town can sometimes feel like a fantasy of the Old West thanks to its appreciation of kitsch. Despite this, Main Street’s brick structures seem to withstand the test of time.
Tours of the mine and town are Bisbee’s best attractions. On the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour, you will go hunting for ghosts at the famous Copper Queen Hotel or do a haunted pub crawl. Or stay at The Shady Dell with some history-albeit, a bit less history than the hotels in town. One of the most popular Bisbee draws is The Shady Dell Vintage Trailer Court, a stylized trailer park. They are each 1940s-themed and can be rented for between $105 and $150 per night.
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Route 66 once symbolized the American spirit of adventure, risk, and perseverance. As the spine of the West, the 2,500-mile road carried survivors of the Dust Bowl to greener pastures and supported the communities along its edges. A half-hour west of Flagstaff, Williams is a living ode to both the storied road and the cultural high-water mark of the 1950s.
Williams is still a town with neon signs, soda fountains, and restaurants serving meat and potatoes in all their glory. Take some photos of Americana relics, or buy some cowboy leather here.
The Grand Canyon Railway also picks up passengers in Williams. You arrive at the canyon’s South Rim after a two-hour train ride. Class options include an observation dome and the budget-friendly Pullman Class.
Prescott feels a world away from Arizona’s desert climate. Prescott is a world apart from the rest of the Southwest.
In 1864, Congress and Abraham Lincoln created the town as the territorial capital of Arizona to secure the area’s natural resources for the Union. It is due to this Yankee influence that Prescott’s architecture and grass-covered front yards resemble the Victorian vibe of the wider United States rather than the typical aesthetics of the Southwest. Despite a massive fire in 1900, much of the mountain town’s old flavor remains, both culturally and architecturally.
As it was 100 years ago, Whiskey Row is the center of Prescott’s nightlife today. However, this part of the state is best appreciated outdoors. Prescott has 250 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, such as Thumb Butte and Granite Mountain Trail.
One hundred miles north of Phoenix and about 50 minutes from Prescott, Jerome shares many of Bisbee’s eccentric-artist charms and Old West history but benefits from a much cooler climate. As you might expect, it looks exactly as it did 100 years ago. In the Black Hills, Jerome’s beautiful views of red mountains dotted with green desert shrubbery evoke Mars after a good rain.
It is impossible to escape comparison between Jerome and Bisbee due to their boom-and-bust mining histories, the prevalence of artists, and their past reputations as cities of ill repute. A tour of haunted mines and hotels would be a good activity in Jerome, just as in Bisbee.
A favorite place for a bite to eat on Clark Street is the Haunted Hamburger, which is inextricably linked to Jerome’s identity. During renovations of the building, the restaurant’s name was given to a series of strange events involving disappearing tools and slamming doors.
Arcosanti describes itself as an urban laboratory based on Paolo Soleri’s theory of arcology (when architecture and ecology combine). Aimed at exploring sustainable architecture and alternatives to urban sprawl, arcology was founded in the 1970s. This is what Arizona is all about if you’re looking for something unique.
Despite Soleri’s ideas of living in harmony with the environment, the look of Arcosanti is somewhat dated, like a Jetson’s vision of the future. Nevertheless, it’s worth the drive north of Phoenix to see the Sky Suite’s high-domed apses and massive circular windows.
Arcosanti holds annual workshops that teach the community’s founding concepts. In addition, the town hosts about 35,000 tourists annually who tour the buildings, consider the concepts of arcology, stay the night, and purchase the famous bronze and ceramic wind bells that are the community’s economic lifeblood.
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Water sports make the town’s dot on the map despite its unmistakably arid climate, made possible by the Parker Dam on the Colorado River, which creates the massive reservoir that bears its name. Can you find beaches, boating, and fishing in any other landlocked desert town?
Lake Havasu City was created to provide you with good times. Thousands descend on the lake each year for one of the rowdiest Spring Break events north of the border. Any other week of the year, it’s a great place to take the family, get out on the water, and, of course, see how meticulously the London Bridge has been rebuilt (with original masonry that was purchased, tagged, and shipped to town after the bridge was renovated in 1960).
Despite being practically unknown, Patagonia is becoming quite famous. Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains shade the town, which lies 20 miles north of Mexico in the Coronado National Forest. At an elevation of just over 4,000 feet, its cooler climate attracts grassland birdwatchers and, more recently, gravel cyclers.
It’s the wine that draws most people to Patagonia, however. Dr. Gordon Dutt, a soil scientist, discovered in the 1970s that the red earth around town matched that of Burgundy, France’s Côte-d’Or. Since then, nearly a dozen vineyards have opened, and the region has been designated a unique wine-producing area by the federal government.
As soon as you’ve got a little color on your cheeks, you can visit the nearby ghost towns of Harshaw, Duquesne, and Lochiel. Travelers praise the Stage Stop Inn’s value and decor. In addition, Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary is a favorite of glamping enthusiasts.
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