Globe, Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Globe
City
Gila Valley Bank and Trust Building, built in 1909
Flag
Motto(s):  "City of Hospitality"
Location of Globe in Gila County, Arizona
Globe, Arizona Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Globe, Arizona Location in the United States Show map of the United States Globe, Arizona Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Gila
Founded	c. 1875
Incorporated	1907
Area
• Total	18.21 sq mi (47.17 km2)
• Land	18.20 sq mi (47.14 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	3,510 ft (1,070 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,249
• Density	398.27/sq mi (153.77/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (MST (no DST))
ZIP codes	85501-85502
Area code(s)	928
FIPS code	04-28030
GNIS feature ID	29342

Globe (which means "Place of Metal" in the Apache language) is a city in Arizona, United States. It is the main city, or county seat, of Gila County.

In 2020, about 7,249 people lived in Globe. The city started around 1875 as a place where people dug for valuable metals, called a mining camp. Today, mining is still important, but so are tourism, government jobs, and people who have retired and moved there.

The historic downtown area of Globe was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This means it's a special place with important old buildings.

Where is Globe Located?

Globe is in the southern part of Gila County. It sits in a valley near Pinal Creek, which flows into the Salt River.

Major roads like U.S. Route 60 and U.S. Route 70 pass through Globe. These roads connect Globe to other cities like Phoenix and Safford.

The city of Globe covers about 18.2 square miles (47.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. The nearby town of Miami is about 6 miles west. Globe, Miami, and other small areas nearby are often called "Globe-Miami" because they are so close.

How to Get Around Globe

Globe has a railway called the Arizona Eastern Railway. For a few years, there were special train rides called Copper Spike that took people from Globe to a casino near San Carlos. These rides stopped in 2011.

The San Carlos Apache Airport is a small airport used for private planes. It's located about 7 miles southeast of the city center.

Local bus services are available in Globe and Miami, run by the Town of Miami. There are also buses that connect Globe to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation and Safford. For longer trips, Greyhound Lines buses stop in nearby Miami, connecting Globe to cities like Phoenix and El Paso.

What is Globe's Climate Like?

Globe has a semi-arid climate, which means it's usually dry. Summers are hot, and winters are mild to warm. Because Globe is higher up, its weather is a bit cooler and gets a little more rain than places like Phoenix.

In summer, daytime temperatures are often between 90°F (32°C) and 100°F (38°C). Sometimes, it can even get hotter than 100°F (38°C) in July and August. At night, summer temperatures are usually around 65°F (18°C).

In winter, daytime temperatures are typically between 55°F (13°C) and 65°F (18°C). Nighttime temperatures are usually around or just above freezing (32°F/0°C).

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Globe was 111°F (44°C) in 1990 and 1995. The coldest was 12°F (−11°C) in 1990.

Population of Globe

In 2000, there were about 7,486 people living in Globe. The city had 2,814 households. About 30.8% of these households had children under 18 living with them.

The people in Globe come from many different backgrounds. About 77.6% were White, 3.1% were Native American, and 14.6% were from other races. About 32.7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Globe was 38 years old. About 25.8% of the population was under 18.

What is Globe's Economy Like?

Globe's economy has always been linked to mining. In 1875, people found silver in the area, including a unique globe-shaped silver nugget. This discovery led to the founding of the city.

After only four years, the silver started to run out. But then, large amounts of copper were found. In the early 1900s, the Old Dominion Copper Company in Globe became one of the richest copper mines in the world.

The Old Dominion mine closed in 1931. Today, most mining operations have moved to nearby Miami. Globe's economy still relies on the service industry and mining. As of 2008, Globe was home to one of the few working copper smelters in the United States. A smelter is a place where metal is separated from its ore using heat.

Major employers in Globe include the Gila County government, the Arizona State Prison Complex – Florence, and local schools and colleges.

History of Globe

Long before Globe was founded, the Salado people lived in the area. Their ancient village, called Besh-Ba-Gowah, was located about a mile south of where Globe is today. They lived there between 1225 AD and 1400 AD.

In 1875, silver was found on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. Because of this, a mining camp nearby moved to the spot that became Globe. The city of Globe was officially planned in July 1876. It quickly grew, with stores, banks, and its first newspaper starting in 1878. By 1881, Globe became the county seat for Gila County. A stagecoach line soon connected Globe to Silver City, New Mexico.

Because Globe was far from other big towns and close to the San Carlos Apache reservation, it remained a frontier town for a long time.

The Old Dominion Copper Mine

The Old Dominion Mining Company started in 1880. It had its ups and downs for about 20 years. In 1894, the mine was sold to the Lewisohn Brothers from New York. When the railroad arrived in 1898, it became much cheaper to ship copper.

In 1904, a company called Phelps-Dodge bought the mine. They spent a lot of money to make the mine bigger and more modern. As the mine grew, so did the city of Globe. During World War I, there was a high demand for copper, which made the mine and the town very successful.

However, after the war, the Old Dominion mine faced problems. It needed repairs, the copper ore was harder to find, and water flooded the underground tunnels. The mine closed for a short time in 1921–22 and then permanently in 1931.

During its 50 years of operation, the Old Dominion mine produced a huge amount of copper. It was the main source of jobs and money for Globe for most of this time. In 1941, the mine property was sold to another company to be used as a water source. It still provides water to the Globe area today.

Historic Buildings in Globe

Globe has many old and interesting buildings that tell its history.

• Gila County Courthouse and Jail: This four-story courthouse and its jail were built in 1905 and 1909. Today, it is the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts.
• Drift Inn Saloon: This bar in Downtown Historic Globe has been open since 1902.
• Elks Lodge building: Built in 1910, this building is known as the tallest three-story building in the world. It is now an antique store.
• Murphy Hotel (Tonto Hotel): This hotel was built in 1916 and closed in the 1970s. It needs to be restored.
• Woolworth Building: Opened in 1916, this was the last Woolworth store to close west of the Mississippi River. It now houses a jewelry company.
• Gila Valley Bank and Trust Building: Built in 1909, this building was designed by famous architects from Chicago. It has original skylights and is now a day spa.
• Globe High School: Built in 1910, this is the oldest high school in Arizona that is still used by its original school.
• Globe Theater: Built in 1917, this art deco theater has copper columns and a balcony. It burned down in 2005 but has been rebuilt using some of its original features.
• Holy Angels Catholic Church: This church was built in 1918 and has a seven-story bell tower. It is still in use today.
• Globe-Miami Mine Rescue Station: This station was used as an emergency rescue center for miners until the 1960s. It is now a museum.
• Gila Valley, Globe, and Northern Railway Station: Built around 1910-1916, this was an important train station until it closed in the 1950s. It is now a museum.
• Noftsger Hill School: This beautiful old school building was built in 1917. It is now a bed and breakfast inn.
• Besh-Ba-Gowah Pueblo: This is a rebuilt 14th-century Salado Indian ruin. It has an archaeological museum next to it.
• Gila Pueblo: Built around 1930 as an archaeology center, this building is now part of Eastern Arizona College. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Cubitto Jewelry building: This building housed Cubitto Jewelry from 1905 to 1996. It has large original glass windows and skylights.

Notable People from Globe

Many interesting people have come from Globe:

• Karen Boccalero: An artist and nun who founded Self Help Graphics & Art.
• Lynda Carter: An actress, famous for playing Wonder Woman.
• Brady Ellison: An Olympic archer.
• George W. P. Hunt: The first governor of Arizona.
• Helen Jacobs: A tennis player who was ranked world #1.
• Rose Perica Mofford: Arizona's first female governor.
• Sarah Herring Sorin: Arizona's first female attorney.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Some cities and towns close to Globe include:

• Claypool
• Cutter
• Miami
• Pinal
• Top-of-the-World
• Superior

Images for kids

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  Unusual azurite specimen from the Blue Ball mine near Globe. About 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) wide.

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  Globe, Arizona panorama, 1917

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  The Old Dominion mine was the main copper producer in the Globe District. Today, its old workings provide water for the Globe-Miami area.

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  Specimen of malachite from the Old Dominion mine.

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  Holy Angels Catholic Church, built in 1918.

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  Globe Post Office, built in 1928, still in use.

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  Globe-Miami Mine Rescue Station.

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  Malachite crystals in a matrix of quartz and chrysocolla from the Globe Hills.

See also

In Spanish: Globe (Arizona) para niños