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List of ghost towns in Arizona facts for kids

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This is a partial list of ghost towns in Arizona in the United States of America. Most ghost towns in Arizona are former mining boomtowns that were abandoned when the mines closed. Those that weren't set up as mining camps were usually established as locations for mills, or supply points for nearby mining operations.

Conditions

Wickenburg Vulture Mine-Assay office-1884-1
1881 Assay Office of Vulture City

Ghost towns can include sites in various states of disrepair and abandonment. Some sites no longer have any trace of buildings or civilization and have reverted to empty land. Other sites are unpopulated but still have standing buildings. Still others may support full-time residents, though usually far less than at their historical peak, while others may now be museums or historical sites.

For ease of reference, the sites listed have been placed into one of the following general categories.

Barren site
  • Site is no longer in existence
  • Site has been destroyed, covered with water, or reverted to empty land
  • May have a few difficult to find foundations/footings at most
Neglected site
  • Little more than rubble remains at the site
  • Dilapidated, often roofless buildings remain at the site
Abandoned site
  • Building or houses still standing, but all or almost all are abandoned
  • No population, with the possible exception of a caretaker
  • Site no longer in use, except for one or two buildings
Semi-abandoned site
  • Buildings or houses still standing, but most are abandoned
  • A few residents may remain
Historic site
  • Buildings or houses still standing
  • Site has been converted to a historical site, museum, or tourist attraction
  • Still a busy community, but population is smaller than its peak years

Ghost towns

Town name   Other name(s)   County   Settled   Abandoned   Current status   Remarks   
Adamana Apache 1896 Semi-abandoned site
Adamsville Sanford Pinal 1866 1920's Neglected site Original farming town mostly destroyed in a flood, now farmland. The remnant abandoned by the 1920s. Only its cemetery and some ruins remain.
Agua Caliente Maricopa 1858 Neglected site Hotel, ruins of a stone house and a swimming pool.
Alamo Crossing Alimo Mohave 1899 1918 Barren site Submerged in Alamo Lake.
Alexandra Yavapai 1875 c.1903 Barren site
Algert Coconino 1883 1921 Neglected site Walls of some of the school buildings, and some of the walls of the trading post are still standing.
Allen Gunsight, Allen City Pima c.1880 c.1886 Barren site
Alma Stringtown Maricopa 1880 Historic site Mormon settlement now part of Mesa, Arizona.
Alma Pinal 1891 1898 Abandoned site Wooden water tanks, concrete ore chute, and metal ore buckets, etc. as well as a small slag heap remain on the site within private property. A settlement with a post office, 6 miles above Old Camp Grant on the west side of the San Pedro River.
Alto Santa Cruz Neglected Site Adobe Walls of old Post office and Sign for "Alto Camp". Historic Mining district back to the 18th Century.
American Flag Pinal c.1879 c.1884
American Ranch Lee's Ranch Yavapai 1863 c.1883 Barren site A stage stop on Mint Wash in Little Chino Valley on the Hardyville - Prescott Road with a large hotel for travelers.
Angel Camp Maricopa
Apron Crossing Yavapai
Aravaipa Graham
Aubrey Landing Aubrey Mohave c.1860 c.1886 Barren site A steamboat landing, later inundated when Lake Havasu was formed
Aura Graham 1899
Aztec Yuma 1880's Former railroad station
Bellevue Gila 1906 1927 Abandoned site
Big Bug Bigbug, Red Rock Yavapai 1862 c.1910 Barren site
Black Diamond Cochise
Bonita Graham c.1885 1950 Abandoned site Catered to Fort Grant
Boyles Carpenter Greenlee 1904 1908 Barren site Farming and ranching community at the mouth of the Blue River (Arizona)
Bradshaw City Yavapai c.1860 c.1880 Barren site
Brigham City Navajo 1876 1881 Historic site
Bumble Bee Yavapai 1863 Semi-abandoned site Privately owned, few residents.
Calabasas Calabazas Santa Cruz 1866 1913 Abandoned site Was a Papago Village, Mexican Garrison, Military Base, mining town. The town was the known as the gateway to Mexico and had the finest hotel from San Francisco to Denver.
Camp Crittenden Santa Cruz 1867 1873 Semi Abandoned site Private Property, named Camp Crittenden by Generals Orders No. 57 Department of California, September 30, 1867, in honor of Thomas S. Crittenden, Col. 32nd U.S. Infantry Major General U.S. Volunteers. Established to protect settlements of Babocomari.
Canelo Santa Cruz c.1904 Semi Abandoned site Several historic buildings remain, including a one-room schoolhouse and a United States Forest Service ranger station complex.
Canyon Diablo Coconino 1882
Cascabel Cochise Semi Abandoned site Several occupied adobes and ruined adobe walls, adjacent to Cascabel Rd.
Castle Dome Yuma 1869 1876 Historic site Site of the Castle Dome Mines Museum.
Castle Dome Landing Castle Dome City Yuma 1869 1884 Barren site Submerged in Martinez Lake.
Chaparral Yavapai c.1895 c.1918 Barren site
Charleston Cochise 1879 1888 Neglected site Maintained by the Bureau of Land Management.
Catoctin Yavapai c.1902 c.1920 Barren site
Cedar Mohave c.1875 c.1911 Neglected site
Cerbat Campbell Mohave c.1869 c.1912 Neglected site
Cerro Colorado Pima c.1856 c.1911 Neglected Site
Cherry Yavapai 1884 1943 Semi-abandoned site
Chloride Mohave 1863
Cleator Yavapai
Clemenceau Yavapai 1917 Historic site Now part of Cottonwood, Arizona
Cochise Cochise
Cochran Pinal 1905 1915
Colorado City Yuma 1853 1862 Barren site Destroyed by Great Flood of 1862
Congress Yavapai
Contention City Contention Cochise 1880 1888 Neglected site Maintained by the Bureau of Land Management.
Copper Creek Pinal 1880s 1942 Neglected site
Cordes Antelope Junction Yavapai 1883 1950s Semi-abandoned site
Courtland Cochise 1908 1942 Abandoned site Remains of old Jail and Cemetery
Crown King Yavapai 1894 1954 Historic site Old Saloon and Many occupied buildings including general store
Curtis Arizona City Yavapai 1889 1907 Former mining town. Currently the site of a mining operation, just north of Mayer on Big Bug Creek.
Dome Yuma 1892 1904 Neglected site ruins of an adobe building, cemetery
Duquesne Santa Cruz 1880s 1920s Semi-abandoned site Several wood buildings including Westinghouse home
Ehrenberg Mineral City La Paz 1863 1915 Neglected site
Fairbank Junction City, Kendall, Fairbanks Cochise 1883 1970s Abandoned site Maintained by the Bureau of Land Management.
Fortuna Fortuna Mine Yuma 1896 1924 Neglected site Foundation of General Store, Mill and Reservoir. Interpretive hiking trail maintained with signs by USMC-Yuma Marines. Mine shaft, Sign in log.
Fort Buchanan Battle Site Santa Cruz 1857 1865 Barren site Civil War era Frontier Post, The post was officially abandoned in 1861 but during the American Civil War troops of the California Column occasionally manned the post. In February 1865 Apaches attacked and forced the small garrison to retreat. Hog Canyon...Nothing remains.
Galeyville Cochise 1881 1882 Barren site
Geronimo Graham
Gillett Gillette Yavapai 1878 1880 Neglected site Gillett Cemetery and nearby Burfind Hotel foundations.
Gila City Ligurta Yuma 1858 1863 Barren site Destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862
Gleeson Turquoise Cochise 1890 1940 Semi-abandoned site
Goldfield Youngsburg Pinal 1892,1920 1898,1926 Historic site Goldfield revived as Youngsburg in 1920, is now a tourist attraction.
Goldroad Acme Mohave 1902 1942 Neglected site
Guthrie Greenlee 1880's 1922 Neglected site A railroad stop, on the Arizona Copper Company railroad, at a railroad bridge across the Gila River. The town died when the bridge was washed out.
Hardyville Mohave 1864 1883 Historic site Hardyville Pioneer Cemetery, a historic landmark and an unofficial historical marker for nearby Bullhead City, Arizona.
Harshaw Durazno Santa Cruz 1880 1960 Semi-abandoned site Cemetery, Several adobe walls, flat townsite pads still visible
Helvetia Pima 1891 1921 Neglected site small cemetery on approach with period graves, road to gunsite pass, small adobe wall and Smelter Stone Wall still visible
Hilltop Cochise 1880s 1940s Neglected site
Hyder Yuma
Jerome Junction Yavapai 1894 1920
Johnson Cochise
Kentucky Camp Pima 1874 Historic site Maintained by US Forest Service
Klondyke Graham c.1900 Historic site Maintained by US Forest Service
Kofa Yuma
La Laguna Laguna Yuma 1860 1862 Barren site Site under Mittry Lake
La Paz La Paz 1862 Neglected site
Lochiel Santa Cruz c.1880 1986 Neglected site
Metcalf Greenlee 1889 1936 Neglected site A copper mining town, died after the ore ran out in 1918. Its post office lasted from 1899 to 1936.
Millville Cochise
Marinette Maricopa Barren site Sun City was built on the site of Marinette in the 1960s
McMillenville McMillianville, McMillanville Gila 1876 c. 1886 Neglected site
Mohave City Mojave City Mohave 1863 1938 Barren site Absorbed into Fort Mojave Indian Reservation.
Mowry Santa Cruz
Mt. Trumbull Bundyville Mohave 1916 c. 1970 Abandoned site, historic site

The site is mostly abandoned, but remains home to a reconstruction of a historic schoolhouse. The town was sometimes called Bundyville, after the family that settled the area. As of 2006 one member of the Bundy family still lived alone on a 320-acre ranch near the abandoned town site.
Oatman Mohave 1902 Historic site
Obed Navajo 1876 1877 Barren site
Octave Yavapai Neglected site
Oro Blanco Santa Cruz 1873 1915 Neglected site
Oroville Oro Greenlee 1880 1882 Neglected site A farm community supporting Clifton.
Pantano Pima 1858 c.1956 Barren site
Paradise Cochise 1901 1943 Barren site
Pedrick's – Yuma 1854 1879  ? Steamboat landing on the east bank of the Colorado River, just above the Sonora – Arizona border.
Piedmont Yavapai
Pearce Cochise 1896 1942 Semi abandoned Mine Gold/silver workings, general store, cemetery and several occupied dwellings, Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church.
Pinal City Pinal
Ray Pinal 1958
Redington Pima 1875
Reymert Pinal
Rosemont Pima Semi Abandoned Adobe walls at junction, old house now owned by Rosemont Mine. Soon to be destroyed by pit mine. Rosemont Mine
Ruby Montana Camp Santa Cruz 1870s 1941 Historic site
San Rafael Pima Barren site
Salero Santa Cruz Neglected Site Old Bunkhouse and Assay Office, now off limits on Private property (Gated)
Santa Claus Santa Claus Acres Mohave 1937
Sacaton (village) Pinal 1857 1880s Barren site One of the 19th century Maricopa villages among the Pima Villages
Sasco Pinal 1907 1920s Neglected site
Signal Mohave 1877 1932
Simmons Wilson, Williamson's Valley Yavapai 1871 1934 Barren site A stop on the Hardyville - Prescott Road, and a local post office.
Socatoon Station Pinal 1858 1870s Barren site
Spenazuma Graham 1898 1899 Barren site
Stanton Antelope Station Yavapai 1863 1905 Historic site Owned and maintained by the Lost Dutchman Mining Association
Stanwix Station Flap Jack Ranch, Grinnell's Station Yuma 1858 1880s Barren site Site of the Skirmish at Stanwix Station, often considered the westernmost engagement of the American Civil War.
Sunset Navajo 1876 1887 Abandoned site Only the cemetery remains today
Swansea Signal La Paz 1908 1937 Abandoned site Maintained by the Bureau of Land Management.
Tiger Schultz Pinal 1881 1954 Barren site All structures demolished
Tip Top Yavapai 1876
Total Wreck Pima 1879 c.1890 Neglected Site Smelter walls and mine still remain, small rock cabin foundation to south, filming location for movie Hombre
Tres Alamos Cochise 1874 1886 –
Twin Buttes Pima c.1903 c.1930 Barren site Buried under the Twin Buttes Mine. All that remains is the cemetery.
Vulture City Maricopa 1863 1942 Historic site Privately owned and operated as a tourist attraction
Washington Camp Santa Cruz 1880s 1920s Semi-abandoned site
Weaver Weaverville Yavapai 1863 Neglected site
Webb Cochise
White Hills Mohave
Wilford Navajo 1883 1926 Barren site Loose rock foundations.
Wolf Hole Mohave
Zeniff Navajo 1909 1940s Barren site Few walls precariously standing amid piles of wood and adobe rubble.
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List of ghost towns in Arizona Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.