Bisbee, Arizona – Queen of the Copper Camps
Nestled ninety miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona, lies Bisbee, a town etched into the history of the American Southwest. Once the bustling heart of a mineral-rich region, it reigned as the largest city between St. Louis, Missouri, and San Francisco, California, a testament to the immense wealth extracted from its copper-laden hills. Today, Bisbee stands as a captivating blend of its storied past and a vibrant present, drawing visitors with its historic charm, artistic spirit, and the echoes of its copper mining legacy.
The genesis of Bisbee can be traced back to the autumn of 1877, when army scouts and cavalrymen, traversing the rugged terrain of the Mule Mountains’ Tombstone Canyon, stumbled upon promising mineral deposits. This discovery ignited a flurry of activity, as prospectors descended upon the area, staking their claims and laying the foundation for what would become a burgeoning mining camp. By 1880, the makeshift settlement known as Mule Gulch had transformed into a bona fide town, christened Bisbee in honor of Judge Dewitt Bisbee, a key financial benefactor of the Copper Queen Mine, the most significant mining operation at the time.
However, the early days of Bisbee were far from idyllic. The rapid influx of people and the pursuit of riches often led to lawlessness and violence. The year of its founding saw its first homicide, a tragic case of mistaken identity in a local eatery. Just two years later, a drunken outburst in a dance hall resulted in a lynching, a grim reminder of the rough-and-tumble nature of frontier life. Such incidents, though unsettling, were not uncommon as the town slowly matured.
Brewery Gulch: A Saloon-Soaked Legacy
A vital part of Bisbee‘s early history is Brewery Gulch. In 1881, German-Swiss immigrants, drawn to the promise of opportunity, established the town’s first breweries along what became known as Brewery Avenue, giving rise to the legendary Brewery Gulch. According to local historian Jim Barnett, the Gulch’s humble beginnings included a wooden schoolhouse, a cabin owned by "Coyote Bill," the Munche family home, and a brewery owned by A.B. Seiber. Seiber, a resourceful entrepreneur, also operated a small adobe saloon adjacent to his brewery, employing a large cellar vault dug into the mountainside to keep his beer cool.
After months of brewing, Seiber formally christened the area Brewery Gulch, and invited the community to enjoy complimentary samples of his beer. The invitation was enthusiastically accepted, and the night culminated in an attempted robbery of Seiber’s business, tragically resulting in the death of a partygoer named Black Jack.
The notorious John Heath, of the Castenada and Goldwater Store robbery, would later open a dance hall. Bisbee vigilantes would later hang Heath from a telegraph pole in Tombstone, claiming they wanted to correct the sentencing error of life imprisonment.
As Bisbee’s population swelled from a few hundred to several thousand, Brewery Gulch gained fame – or perhaps notoriety – for its proliferation of saloons, at one point numbering a staggering 47 establishments. This earned it the reputation as the "Hottest spot between El Paso and San Francisco." Barnett also speaks of the legends of the Gulch, women such as Crazy Horse Jill, Red Jean, Doc Holliday’s mistress, Kate Elder, Black Jack, Ma Reilley, Anita Romero, Little Irish Mag, and Clara Allen.
Brewery Gulch weathered numerous economic shifts, including the arrival of the railroad in 1889. While this facilitated the influx of cheaper beer from other breweries, ultimately leading to the closure of local brewing operations, the Gulch’s saloons continued to thrive until 1914, when Arizona implemented Prohibition, preceding the rest of the nation.
Mining, Culture, and the Bisbee Deportation
The arrival of the railroad also signaled a surge in the extraction of the abundant ore deposits that lay beneath Bisbee. The town, once known as the "Queen of the Copper Camps," ascended to become one of the world’s most prolific mineral sites. It yielded almost three million ounces of gold, over one hundred million ounces of silver, and over eight billion pounds of copper, in addition to substantial quantities of lead and zinc.
By the dawn of the 20th century, Bisbee’s population had burgeoned to approximately 25,000, and the city had blossomed into one of the most culturally refined locales in the Southwest, despite the wild reputation of Brewery Gulch. Officially incorporated in 1902, Bisbee boasted Arizona’s first community library, a popular opera house, the state’s oldest ball fields, and even its inaugural golf course. A devastating fire in 1908 ravaged the city’s commercial district, but by 1910, it had been meticulously rebuilt, preserving its architectural integrity to this day.
During Bisbee’s formative years, the Phelps Dodge Corporation emerged as the dominant mining entity, acquiring control of the Copper Queen Mine and numerous other operations. However, Phelps Dodge would later become embroiled in the infamous Bisbee Deportation. The incident transpired in July 1917, amidst efforts by Bisbee’s mining companies to suppress unionization among their workforce. With the onset of World War I, copper prices skyrocketed, fueling increased production and attracting a wave of European immigrant workers, yet without improvements to working conditions.
In June 1917, the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) presented Bisbee’s mining companies with a list of demands, including safety improvements, equal treatment of European and Mexican immigrant workers and minorities, and a flat wage to replace the sliding scale system tied to copper prices. When every mining company rejected all their demands, approximately half of the Bisbee workforce initiated a strike.
Over the subsequent weeks, tensions escalated, fueled by rumors of German infiltration within the unions. Anti-union organizations and miners loyal to the mining company united, enlisting reinforcements. Under the command of Sheriff Harry Wheeler, they initiated a roundup of over 1,000 men in the early morning hours of July 12. Many of those apprehended were neither union members nor mine workers. Those willing to wear a white armband to distinguish themselves were released.
Later that morning, the men were forcibly loaded onto boxcars and transported to Hermanas, New Mexico, where they were abandoned without shelter. U.S. troops arrived two days later and took them to Columbus, New Mexico, where many were detained for several months. The deportation prompted U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to establish the Federal Mediation Commission to investigate. The commission concluded that the mining companies were at fault, not the I.W.W. However, lacking federal jurisdiction, the matter was referred back to the state.
Ultimately, the state of Arizona declined to take action against the mining companies. Several civil suits against the railroad and copper companies were settled out of court. The only suit brought to trial against the vigilantes resulted in a "not guilty" verdict. The incident is believed to have bolstered the I.W.W.’s efforts nationwide.
Later History and Modern Day Bisbee
In 1929, Bisbee ascended to become the seat of Cochise County, wresting that honor from neighboring Tombstone.
Following World War II, a new residential suburb was constructed outside the canyon, approximately four miles from the old town. Many businesses and residents relocated there, leaving numerous historic buildings in disrepair.
The mining boom drew to a close in the 1950s, and the population dwindled to fewer than 6,000. However, during this period, the Copper Queen’s manager, Harrison Lavender, introduced open-pit mining, resulting in the vast Lavender Pit mine. Covering 300 acres and plunging a thousand feet deep, the Lavender Pit replaced what was once Sacramento Hill. Today, it remains a popular tourist attraction. The Lavender Pit is also renowned for producing some of the world’s finest turquoise, known as Bisbee Blue.
Mining operations ceased in the mid-1970s when Phelps Dodge concluded its activities. This triggered a collapse in Bisbee’s real estate market. The resulting affordable properties attracted retirees, artists, and others who embarked on a restoration of "Old Bisbee," ultimately leading to its designation as an official Historic District.
Today, Bisbee thrives as an artist’s community and a tourist destination, a testament to its citizens’ dedication to preserving its historic district. Mining experienced a minor resurgence around 2007 when Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold acquired Phelps Dodge. Bisbee‘s current population of approximately 5,200 represents a fraction of its former boom days.