Posted on 05/13/2017 7:54:30 AM PDT by SandRat
BISBEE — Bisbee has joined three southern Arizona communities who ranked high in USA Today's “Best Small Towns in the Southwest.” Bisbee ranked second, behind Ajo, respectively.
USA Today 10Best editors compiled a list of 70 towns with populations less than 10,000, and narrowed those down to 20 for the vote. According to 10best.com, nominees were "travel-worthy for their beauty, culture, shopping, dining, entertainment and lodging options.”
Bisbee has a population of about 5,500 and is known for its affluent art community and preserved historic architectural heritage.
Last year, Bisbee was chosen by Sunset Magazine editors as the “Best Small Town in the West to Live” and USA Today readers voted Bisbee as the “Best Historic Small Town in America.”
The city of Bisbee was established around 1877 when a detail of U.S. Army scouts and cavalrymen were sent to the Mule Mountains to search for renegade Apaches. It resulted with signs of mineralization indicating the presence of lead, copper and possibly silver discovered by civilian tracker Jack Dunn.
Signs of the once-mining boom are still present in Bisbee with several pits, including the Lavender Pit along west Highway 80.
Did You Know?
Every year in October the city hosts a 5K race named the “Bisbee 1000” because incorporated in the 5K course are 1,000 stairs. It is billed as the “5K that feels like a 10K”.
The town was named after Judge DeWitt Bisbee, a financial banker of the Copper Queen Mine. He never visited the town.
The Bisbee Deportation of 1917 was not only a pivotal event in Arizona's history, but one that had an effect on labor activities throughout the country. The notorious anti-labor crime involved the illegal kidnapping and deportation of about 1,300 striking mine workers, their supporters, and citizen bystanders by 2,000 members of a deputized posse on July 12, 1917. This year marks its 100th anniversary.
Source: discoverbisbee.com and 3funfacts.blogspot.com
They had the states oldest barber and a decent breakfast in town.
I had to take care of all the ranges back in the day.
They had a Pizza Hut as well. Beer was allowed. I have good memories of Ajo and a key to all facilities on Childs Mtn.
WADS is still there.
Jerome is nuts. I call it “Town Falling Down”.
Cool Place.
State Lizards...
Or a Buzz Worm?
Your Army group came up and set up a single shot high power radio to Yuma.
Knocked out my video from the ranges. The IF freq was the culprit. The Army obliged. This was an AF range after all.
The Marines came in off-shore from a carrier and destroyed my glow-in-the-dark aimpoint finders. Oh well.
I would just let Langley know and go fix it.
Good Times. :^)
I’m ronery, but not that ronery.
Of Course, the GILA MONSTER
GILA MONSTER Heloderma suspectum Venomous
DESCRIPTION: A large (up to 356 mm or 14” from snout to vent) stout bodied lizard with a short, fat tail. The scales on the upper surfaces are hard, rounded, and bead-like. The tongue is dark and forked. Markings consist of a pattern of black bands or reticulations on a peach, orange, yellow, or pink background. There are usually 3 to 5 black bands on the tail. The snout and sides of face are black. Animals from the northwestern part of Arizona are usually banded. Animals from the south-central and southeastern part of Arizona usually have a reticulated or mottled pattern. Young from all parts of the state are banded.
DISTRIBUTION: The Gila Monster can be found across most of western and southern Arizona. Its range extends from the far northwestern corner of the state, down through our western deserts to Yuma, and eastward across nearly all of sub-Mogollon Rim southern Arizona. In our state it has been found at elevations ranging from just above sea level near Yuma to over 5,500’.
HABITAT: Biotic communities ranging from Arizona’s desertscrubs into the lower reaches of Great Basin Conifer Woodland and Madrean Evergreen Woodland are home to this lizard. It is most commonly found above the flats in rocky drainages and on rugged bajadas, hillsides, and mountain slopes.
BEHAVIOR: The relatively slow moving and lethargic Gila Monster spends most of its time in underground burrows. When surface active it tromps with an awkward, lumbering gait. Its total surface activity may add up to just 3 weeks per year. It is diurnal in spring and fall and nocturnal during the hot summer months. During the cold months of winter and late fall it hibernates in an underground shelter. It is not aggressive unless it is harassed or captured.
DIET: The Gila Monster is a carnivore that feeds on nestling mammals, nestling birds, the eggs of birds and reptiles, lizards, and carrion. It stores fat in its tail. Four or 5 meals may be enough to sustain the lizard for an entire year.
You misspelled “Poad”.
Is there an old railroad? Did they used to film westerns there? How the West was Won?
I know someone with a ranch in Bisbee and you are correct. She is always armed and local ranchers have been gunned down by illegals.
That’s why it’s a road trip. You don’t want to live there, but it’s nice to visit.
I worked with a guy from Bisbee. He said that in the Old Days, the illegals knocked on your door, and asked, hat in hand, "Aqua, por favor". When they started to pound on his door and demand "Dame agua!" he bailed.
It’s also the home to a series of novels by J.A. Jance with a local female sheriff (Joanna Brady) as the protagonist. I enjoy reading the series as it includes info on local features like the old mines, etc.
We took a forty foot coach through there on a Saturday! First time there, last time too!!
If you wonder what to do when you reach the fork in the poad, I recommend you read:
“The Poad Not Taken”
Two poads diverged in a yellow wood...
If you wonder what to do when you reach the fork in the poad, I recommend you read:
“The Poad Not Taken”
Two poads diverged in a yellow wood...
The early railroad to the Bisbee area was the El Paso and South Western. It was bought out by the Southern Pacific. The railroad to Ajo was the Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend. The railroad tracks were still there.
As to How The West Was Won most of the railroad scenes were filmed on D&RGW in Durango. Some was filmed on the Verdi River bridge in Arizona.
Bisbee is “quaint” but it isn’t pretty.
‘On the Poad again.’
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.