List of historic properties in Goldfield, Arizona

List of historic properties in Goldfield, Arizona

Goldfield Ghost Town with the Superstition Mountains in the background

Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona
Graves of Collins Rowes Hakes (1837–1916) and his wife Mabel Ana Morse Hakes (1840–1909)
1893 Goldfield Arizona Territory plaque

This is a list of historic properties in the mining town of Goldfield, Arizona, a ghost town. The list includes a photographic gallery of some of the town's historic structures which were either restored or rebuilt. The town was founded in 1893, after the discovery of gold in the surrounding area of the Superstition Mountains. The town was abandoned twice by its residents, after the mine veins faulted. The land where the town is located was purchased by a private investor and is now a tourist attraction. Goldfield's Superstition Narrow Gauge Railroad is the only 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railroad in operation in Arizona. Other attractions include re-enactments of gunfights on the Main Street of the town.

History

Collin Hakes, Riley Morse and Orlando and Orin Merrill were the first to discover gold in the Goldfield area of the Superstition Mountains.[1] Soon thereafter, prospectors came to the area in search of gold. In 1893, the mining town, which became known as Goldfield, was founded next to the Superstition Mountain in what was then the Arizona Territory. The town, in its heyday, reached a population of about 4000 residents. It had a hotel, general store, post office, church and school.[2] The Goldfield Post Office was established on October 7, 1893.[3] When the mine vein faulted in 1897, the grade of ore dropped leaving the miners without a job. The town began to suffer since its economy depended heavily on the earnings of the miners who moved out. It was not long before the rest of the towns residents relocated to other areas leaving Goldfield a ghost town.[4] The Goldfield post office was discontinued on November 2, 1898.[3][5]

In 1910, several mines were opened nearby with the installation of a mill and cyanide plant. A small community called Youngsberg evolved around the ghost town. The town was named after George U. Young, secretary of Arizona and acting governor at the time. Young was interested in the development of the mining industry of the area. He became President and general manager of the Madizelle Mining Company and Young Mines Company, Ltd.[6] However, the mines faulted again and by 1926, the town was once again deserted.[3][4]

Robert F. "Bob” Schoose was born in River Grove, Illinois and moved to California with his family at a young age. He heard of the old site of Goldfield and moved to the town of Mesa, Arizona. In 1984, Schoose and his wife Lou Ann, purchased the location of the Goldfield Mill and decided to rebuild and restore the buildings of the old town with the help of various friends whose names are inscribed in a plaque on the tower which leads to the town.[7] Schoose incorporated the town as the "GOLDFIELD, GHOST TOWN AND MINE TOURS, INC." He serves as President, his wife as Secretary/Treasurer and Jay Zingler as Vice-President.[8]

The town and its historic buildings were revived as a tourist attraction. The town has the only 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railroad in operation in Arizona. It also has numerous shops and buildings which include a brothel, bakery, leather works, a jail, livery, and more. There is also a reenactment of a western shootout in the Main Street of the town. The ghost town is located at 4650 N, Mammoth Mine Road within the jurisdiction of Apache Junction, Arizona.[7]

Historic structures

The following photographs are of some of the historic structures in Goldfield.

Historic Goldfield, Arizona
Entrance to the Goldfield Ghost Town.
Goldfield Ghost Town 
The 19th-century “tower” used in the Goldfield mine 
Goldfield’s Main Street 
Goldfield’s Main Street 
A different view of Goldfield’s Main Street 
Another view of Goldfield’s Main Street 
The 19th-century Railroad Station of Goldfield. Goldfield has the only 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railroad in operation in Arizona. 
Different view of the 19th-century Goldfield Railroad Station 
View from the only Narrow gauge railroad train in operation in Arizona 
Bordello 
Building 
Abandoned house 
Livery 
Goldfield Museum 
19th-century abandoned building 
19th-century Mercantile building  
Mammoth Steak House and Saloon 
Church in Goldfield 
Church at the Mount Sunday School, Nursery and Fellowship Hall 
Water tank 
Cantina-Bakery. 

The following photographs are of a gunfight reenactment by the Goldfield Gunfighters in Goldfield.

The Goldfield Gunfighters
The Goldfield Gunfighters
 
 
 
 
 

Further reading

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Goldfield Ghost Town.

Other cities and towns in Arizona with articles of their historic properties

References

  1. ↑ City of Mesa Cemetery
  2. ↑ Marshall, John (October 19, 2014). "Ghost Towns". The Post Crescent. Associated Press. p. F2.
  3. 1 2 3 Granger, Byrd H., Arizona's Names (X Marks the Place). Tucson: The Falconer Publishing Company, 1983. p.692
  4. 1 2 Granger, Byrd H., Arizona's Names (X Marks the Place). Tucson: The Falconer Publishing Company, 1983. p.691
  5. ↑ "Pinal County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  6. ↑ Goff 1988, p. 73.
  7. 1 2 Legends of America
  8. ↑ Arizona Corporation Commission
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