Cascabel, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cascabel, Arizona
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 Cascabel, Arizona
Location in Arizona
Cascabel, Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Cochise |
| Elevation | 3,195 ft (974 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (no DST)) |
Cascabel is a fascinating ghost town located in Cochise County, Arizona, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, leaving behind empty buildings and a quiet history.
Where is Cascabel?
Cascabel is found in the southeastern part of Arizona. It sits right on the banks of the San Pedro River. This river is an important natural feature in the area. The town is located east of a larger city called Tucson. It is also about 37 kilometers (23 miles) north-northwest of Benson.
How Cascabel Got Its Name
The name Cascabel has a very interesting story! It comes from the Spanish word for "rattle." This name was chosen because an early settler had an encounter with a large rattlesnake in the area.
The Post Office Story
Cascabel started as a small community where people farmed the land. In 1916, a man named Alex Herron opened a post office there. He owned a small ranch and a store. When it was time to name the new post office, Herron was on his way to Benson. He met a Mexican man who had a dead rattlesnake. Herron asked what the snake was called. The man replied, "Cascabel." That's how Alex Herron decided to name the post office. The Cascabel post office served the community until 1936. After that, fewer people lived there, and it slowly became the ghost town it is today.
