Vulture City, Arizona facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vulture City
Ghost town
Vulture Mine-Assay office, built in 1884
Vulture City Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona Vulture City Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Arizona
County	Maricopa

Vulture City is a fascinating ghost town located in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It sits right where the famous Vulture Mine used to be. This town was once a busy place, full of people hoping to strike it rich. Today, it stands as a reminder of Arizona's exciting gold rush history.

Discovering Vulture Mine

The story of Vulture City begins with the Vulture Mine, a gold mine discovered in 1863. This mine became the most productive gold mine in Arizona's history! Between 1863 and 1942, it produced a huge amount of gold and silver.

How the Mine Was Found

The Vulture Mine was discovered by Henry Wickenburg. He was a prospector, someone who searched for valuable minerals. Henry had experience from the California gold rush. While traveling in Arizona, he found a special rock called quartz that had gold inside. He started mining this gold himself.

What is a Ghost Town?

There are two main types of ghost towns. The first type is a town that still has some people living there, but also has old, historic buildings. Tombstone is an example of this. The second type is a town where everyone has left, and the buildings are now just ruins. Vulture City is this second type of ghost town.

Life in Vulture City

After Henry Wickenburg discovered the mine in 1863, Vulture City quickly grew around it. It became a small mining town.

Town Growth and Buildings

• The town's post office opened on October 4, 1880. Henry Wickenburg himself was the first Post Master.
• Vulture City had many buildings, including more than five boarding houses where miners lived.
• The large Vulture Mine-Assay Office building, built in 1884, is still standing today. An assay office is where they test rocks to see how much gold they contain.
• The town also had a cookhouse and a mess hall where people ate.
• There were stores, saloons, and even a school for the children.

A Busy and Tough Place

At its peak, Vulture City had about 5,000 people living there. Life in a mining town could be very challenging. The town was known for its frontier justice. A specific ironwood tree was a place where justice was carried out.

Why Vulture City Became a Ghost Town

The Vulture Mine continued to produce gold, but its output slowly decreased.

The Mine's Closure

• Henry Wickenburg eventually sold his discovery to Benjamin Phelps. Phelps represented a group of investors who formed the Vulture Mining Company.
• The mine kept operating, but at a slower pace.
• During World War II, the mine was permanently closed.

The Town's Abandonment

Once the mine closed, people started to leave Vulture City. Without the mine, there was no reason for most people to stay. The buildings were left behind and slowly fell into ruin, turning Vulture City into the ghost town we see today. The Vulture Mine and the surrounding buildings are now privately owned.

Vulture City Gallery

Here are some pictures of the buildings and structures that you can still see in what was once Vulture City. You'll also see some images of the Vulture Mine itself.