Bellevue, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bellevue, Arizona
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 Bellevue, Arizona
Location in Arizona
Bellevue, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Gila |
| Founded: | c. 1906 |
| Abandoned: | c. 1927 |
| Elevation | 4,692 ft (1,430 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (no DST)) |
| Post Office Opened: | July 30, 1906 |
| Post Office Closed: | April 7, 1927 |
Bellevue is a ghost town located in Gila County, Arizona. It's about five miles (8.1 km) southwest of Miami. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and it's now mostly empty.
Contents
The Story of Bellevue
How Bellevue Began
Bellevue started as a mining camp around 1906. A mining camp is a settlement built near a mine to house workers. A post office was opened there on July 30, 1906. We don't know who founded the town. However, it was built to support the Gibson Cooper Mine.
Life in the Mining Town
Life in Bellevue was busy. The Bellevue-Miami Stagecoach company had a stop there. This stagecoach helped people travel between Bellevue and Miami. The town had a boarding house, a general store, and many other homes. Its population grew to about 300 people.
Why Bellevue Became a Ghost Town
Bellevue's time as a busy town ended around 1927. The post office closed on April 7, 1927. When the mine's activity slowed down, people started to leave. This is how Bellevue became a ghost town. In 1920, the town had 123 residents.
What Remains Today
Even though it's a ghost town, some parts of Bellevue still stand. You can find the concrete structure of the Gibson Cooper mill. There is also some old metal mining equipment. Piles of ore, which is rock containing valuable minerals, could also be found. Sadly, in 2021, much of what remained was damaged by a wildfire called the Telegraph Fire.
