Arizona, New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Lonely Planet, 1st Edition) - Aaron Anderson [26]
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GEORGE WARREN
He may be credited with discovering Bisbee’s mega-rich Queen Mine, but George Warren’s tale is a hard-luck one. He was sent to investigate a promising deposit spotted by two other prospectors, and ended up filing the mining claim in his own name. So far, so good. Warren then downed a few drinks at the local pub, boasted that he could outrun a horse, bet his new mine claim on the stunt…and lost. Soon after, Queen Mine started producing a fortune. Warren’s consolation prize? Artists modeled the miner on the state seal after him.
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If you’re lucky, the person collecting admission fees that day will be LaVerne Williams, “The Hugging Mayor.” The name doesn’t lie – she really was Bisbee’s mayor at one time, and indeed gives a serious embrace to surprised out-of-towners.
To learn more about Bisbee’s unique architecture and modern-day renaissance, take the Historic Walking Tour. Led by the affable Michael London – in full gunslinger get-up – he’s one of the many former San Franciscans who moved to Bisbee in the early 1970s. With historic photographs, he shows how mining irrevocably changed the city over the years.
A high-proof taste of Bisbee’s yesteryear swirls in the glasses at the Stock Exchange Saloon. The original stock boards from 1919 still grace the walls, and these days it’s a good place to meet locals and hear live music. For a glimpse of new, sophisticated Bisbee, peek behind the steel art nouveau door at Cafe Roka. Modern American cuisine fills the plates here; reservations are essential.
Now that you’re no longer a “dandy,” or newcomer, in the slang of miners, head back to Phoenix. Take the long way (see detour box) to see what modern mining towns look like today.
Josh Krist
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TRIP INFORMATION
GETTING THERE
From Phoenix, Jerome is 110 miles northwest via I-17 and Hwy 89A. Bisbee is 210 miles southwest via I-10 and Hwy 80.
DO
Bird Cage Theater
A gaggle of ghosts haunt Tombstone’s old sin pit, now transformed into a funky museum. 520-457-3421; 517 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ; adult/child/senior $10/7/9; 8am-6pm
Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum
Bisbee’s riotous heyday comes to life through old photos and interactive exhibits. 520-432-7071; www.bisbeemuseum.org; 5 Copper Queen Plaza, Bisbee, AZ; adult/child/senior $7.50/3/6.50; 10am-4pm
Boothill Graveyard
Gunfighters’ headstones fill this old graveyard. The most poetic reads: “Here lies Lester Moore, four slugs from a 44, no less, no more.” Enter via the gift shop. 520-457-9344; Hwy 80, Tombstone, AZ; admission free; 7:30am-6pm
Historic Walking Tour
Dig deep into Bisbee’s past on this one-hour walkabout. It leaves every hour on the hour. 520-432-3554; www.discoverbisbee.com; 2 Copper Canyon Plaza, Bisbee, AZ; tour $10; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun
Lost Dutchman State Park
Search for the legendary Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. Or just hike the abundant trails; bring lots of water. 480-982-4485; 6109 N Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ; sunrise-10pm
Mine Museum
See the Colt pistol used by a local marshal to gun down vigilantes on Main St back in the day. 928-634-5477; 200 Main St, Jerome, AZ; adult/child/senior $2/free/1; 9am-4:30pm
OK Corral
Site of the famous gunfight (reenacted daily) and now the historic heart of Tombstone. 520-457-3456; www.ok-corral.com; Allen St btwn 3rd & 4th Sts, Tombstone, AZ; admission $7.50, without gunfight $5.50; 9am-5pm
Old Tucson
Built in 1939 as the set for the film Arizona, these days it’s a silly-fun family theme park. 520-883-0100; www.oldtucson.com; 201 S Kinney Rd, Tucson, AZ; adult/child 4-11 yr $17/11; 10am-4pm;
Queen Mine Tours
Dress warmly and prepare to go deep into the hillside for a clamber around the hard places miners worked. 520-432-2071; www.queenminetour.com; 119 Arizona St, Bisbee, AZ; adult/child