Iretaba City, Arizona facts for kids
Iretaba City was a small town that didn't last very long. It was a special kind of place called a steamboat landing and a mining town in Mohave County, Arizona, United States.
A steamboat landing was like a port where steamboats could stop to load and unload goods and people. A mining town grew up around places where valuable minerals were found.
History of Iretaba City
In early 1863, soldiers from Fort Mohave found copper in the Dead Mountains of California, about five miles west of the river. Copper is a metal used for many things, like wires and pipes. Because of this discovery, they created the Iretaba Mining District. A mining district is an area where mining activities are organized.
First, a landing called Mohave City was started near Fort Mohave. Soon after, in January 1864, Iretaba City was founded. It was located just two miles down the river from Mohave City.
However, Iretaba City didn't last long. In March 1864, a new ferry and landing called Hardyville was established. This new place was set up to serve the mines in a newly discovered area called the San Francisco Mining District. Hardyville was supported by a steamboat company called George A. Johnson and Company, which helped it become more important than Iretaba City. So, Hardyville quickly took the place of Iretaba City as the main landing in the area.
What's There Today
Today, there is nothing left at the old site of Iretaba City. It has become a ghost town.