Ray, Arizona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ray, Arizona
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Teapot Mesa, above Ray mine
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 Ray, Arizona
Location in Arizona
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arizona |
| County | Pinal |
| Elevation | 2,123 ft (647 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST (no DST)) |
Ray is a ghost town located in Pinal County, Arizona, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, often because the main industry or resource ran out. Ray is famous for its very large copper mine. The town got its name from the nearby Ray mine, which started operating in 1882. It was named after the sister of one of the miners, whose last name was Bullinger.
Why Did Ray Become a Ghost Town?
The Kennecott Mining Company decided to create a new town called Kearny in 1958. This was a planned community, meaning it was designed from scratch. Kearny was built to house the people from Ray, Barcelona, and Sonora. The reason for this big move was that Kennecott's copper mine was expanding. It was going to cover the areas where these towns were located. People started moving from Ray to Kearny in 1958.
Transportation and News in Ray
The Copper Basin Railway used to have tracks running right through the town of Ray. This railway was important for moving copper and supplies.
Ray also had its own newspaper for a while. It was called the Arizona Copper Camp. This newspaper was published in Ray from 1910 until 1920, sharing local news and stories.
People Connected to Ray
Even though Ray is a ghost town now, some interesting people were born there or had connections to the area.
- Tom Graeff: An actor, producer, and director who was born in Ray.
- Gory Guerrero: A famous wrestler who was also born in Ray.
- Jeanmarie Simpson: A talented theatre and film artist and activist who was born in Ray.
- Edward Landers Drew: He was involved in an event near Ray in 1911.
