Misc updates

Ok, so this post is really more about revisiting places we have already been, either with things I have forgotton, or with new information I have uncovered, new photos etc...

So this was a huge oversight on my part, though since it was meant as a teaser post till hold you over until I find the rolls and rolls of film I have shot in Bisbee, anyways, this is the Lavender Pit in Bisbee AZ, it is massive and hard to miss if you venture out of Old Bisbee on your travels, which you of course should because Warren and what is left of Lowell is so worth a visit or two.

This is one of the largest and oldest trees in the state, it is at the San Pedro House between Bisbee and Sierra Vista, while I have not done a post on this house, anyone who has an interest in biographies would do well to read "The Five Fosters" by Betty Foster Escapule, it is an interesting read about her life growing up some in the before mentioned house, as well as other places.  It was really enjoyable...

Earlier this year I did a post on the Paul Spur Mansion, I went back a few months later to show my husband, and this is what we found, cows, cows, and more cows, very frustrating.  I have yet to find anything about a cemetery in the area, and would be thrilled to learn more about that if anyone would care to share in the comments...

This photo was taken on the far side of the highway from Fairbanks, When you walk around the steamworks building, this is on the side of it, I have to say I was ashamed of the fact that I had forgotten it was there, there is also a old set of cow pens with a shed and loading area, it is being restored, there is much more in this area, between Fairbanks and Charleston, I am hoping to get out there some this winter on a few of our nicer days.  

This is more to let everyone know that I have not forgotten about the blog, life is just busy at the moment, especially with the holidays coming up and I have had to spend more time at home and less wondering throughout the local areas, hopefully after Christmas I will have more time.

If there is anywhere that someone would like to hear about please comment so I can start looking into it, and also please remember that this page is a work in progress, I suspect it will take many years before it begins to look complete in any way, and also that it is a labor of love, while I would love to be able to visit and post about a new place every week, that is just not something that is possible for me.  Until next time then I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!!!

Bisbee AZ Teaser

Ok, Bisbee is so not a ghost town, however it does have its own special feel to it, as well as lots of abandoned buildings, this is just a taste of what is there, after spending 3 hours there this afternoon, it would take a lifetime to get Bisbee properly photographed, but it will pop up at odd times here as I make visits there overtime, and as I scan the pictures that I have already taken...

These are the archways on the Library/Post Office

The Bank, with 'B' Mountain in the background

The view down Main Street from the 2nd floor of the library

One of three rather creepy angels

A shot thru the window of the Warner Hotel

Another shot, I wish I could have gotten into here

Balcony of the Warner Hotel

Down the stairs, there is really not anywhere in Bisbee you can go that does not have stairs.

View back up the same stairs

The Warner Hotel

Ghost Town Trail

The gazebo in the City Park in Tombstone AZ.

Ok, we are going to go on a tour of Southern Arizona's Ghost Town Trail.  It starts in the worlds most famous Ghost town Tombstone, and ends in Wilcox, which is not necessarily a Ghost Town but still has some awesome Abandoned and preserved buildings.  All of the towns you visit have their own histories, thier own role to play in the Old West.

Tombstone, it is famous for a gunfight, and if it was not for that gunfight, who knows, it may have ended up a real Ghost town, I am not including too many photos of Tombstone at this time, it really deserves its own post, so this is just to get you oriented I guess.

The Tombstone Courthouse

A grave at the Tombstone Cemetary

The Judges escape route from the courtroom to the ground in the case of a very unpopular verdict, or a fire I guess.

Next on our stop will be Gleeson, a mining town which has lots of ruins and a few residents.  There is a museum there now, in the old Jail, however I can never seem to find it open.  It also has a well cared for cemetery. 

The window into the bar.

The grocery store.

A look into the old Gleeson Bar, the first time I ever went to Gleeson I had a soda here, it is shocking to see how much damage can be done between the weather and neglect over 10 years.

The School

Inside the School

Another shot inside of the bar, you can barely see to the left of the picture but there is a wonderful mural painted on the wall.

In a copy of one of the Arizona Highways Ghost Town Specials there is a picture of this Arch from the '80s, and it was still intact.

From Gleeson we will be heading to Courtland, there are many ruins off the road between the two, however I would recommend not exploring them because there are many mines throughout the area so it can be quite dangerous.

This is a look into the old Jail at Courtland, it has been destroyed throughout the years, but it is still standing off the road like a watchtower.

I believe this is the only window left on the building, the rest of slow but surely wandered away.

Peirce is waiting for you at the end of this dirt road, it is also a mining town, there are sure a lot of those in the area!!!  Peirce is owned by one women, she runs a pottery store out of one of the buildings, a furniture store out of another, lives in a third and rents out the fourth, though she does open up the fourth, the mercantile a few times a year for tours to raise money for various reasons.  She also owns the jail which she sells photographs of for magnets and other such things.

A glass gas pump still stands in front of the Mercantile.

Looking through the window of the furniture store to the wall of the Mercantile.

Old Mining equipment just hangs around.

This is now a pottery studio, would love to know what it was before.

From Peirce you have a choice on how you want to finish up the Trail, you can head North to Cochise, NorthEast to Dos Cabezas, or through the mountains to Fort Bowie.  All of these will eventually put you through to I-10.  Fort Bowie through Bowie, Dos Cabezas through Wilcox, and Cochise through either Wilcox or Dragoon.  The was I prefer to go is through Dos Cabezas and Wilcox, there are museums in both places, and lots to photograph along the way. 

So Onto Dos Cabezas we go, another mining town this one actually started out as a stop on the Butterflied Stage Line, because it had a very important water source, the Ewell Springs. 

This house has drawings all over it.

Closeup off some of the drawings.

Finally we come to Wilcox, now Wilcox is not a ghost town, it was a railroad town and is now a ranching town, but the actual city is losing residents as people move out into a more rural setting, due to its location right along I-10 it still has lots of gas stations and restaurants so it like Tombstones makes for a wonderful place to either start or end your adventure, and if you are like me and you travel with the kids, then Wilcox is a good place to let them out to play in the park and feed them etc.

This was a lucky find, we were driving into town from the first I-10 exit when you are heading East from Benson and we saw this boot and other oddities in an empty field, I had to stop and investigate, and it turned out to be an old mini golf course, how awesome and who would have thought.

This thing is just a bit spooky...

Next in Wilcox that caught my eye was an old drive though with there figures.

Sadly this is more and more of a common sight as you are driving down the old main street.

The train depot

Rex Allen Memorial

Well this is The Ghost Town Trail, I hope you enjoyed it, and I will endeavor to get pics up of some of the other optional end routes that can be taken in the next few months.