Arizona HI-LO club get together in Bisbee Arizona - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

455lark · 12-05-2014, 05:48 PM

Went to Bisbee, in southeastern Arizona with the Arizona HI-Lo club for a outing Thanksgiving weekend . Bisbee had a historic home tour , 11 homes were open for the public to see , most were built 1902 - 1915 for people in the mining industry. The area was all about the copper mines.
We also took a tour of the Queen mine ,we rode small rail cars that were used to haul the miners into the mine where they dug the copper out of the rock for a few dollars a day. A lot of the old equipment is still in the mine and the tour shows how it was mined back in 1915. Hard Hard work.
The saying for the town is " where time stood still" and much of the town has the early 1900s look.
Good weather , food and friends from the Arizona HI-LO club.

Wrascal · 12-05-2014, 09:52 PM

Your pics bring me back in time, back to 1971 when I was stationed at nearby Ft. Huachuca (sp?). I sure wish digital cameras had existed back then - I've lost a ton of beautiful old film pics from the area.

I remember the open pit mines but do not remember any train rides being available.

I didn't really appreciate the area back then - as a young single soldier I was more interested in crossing the border. Nothing to regret, but age does change ones priorities.

At least I've still got my humor and good looks <grin>.

JackandJanet · 12-05-2014, 10:40 PM

Wrascal - The open pit mine in Bisbee used to be a small mountain. Now it's a big hole in the ground. It's called The Lavender Pit Mine. It's a bit east of the old town of Bisbee as you proceed to Douglas. It was named for an exec in the Phelps Dodge mining company, not for its color, which happens to be "lavenderish".

The Copper Queen mine is the one where you ride the little train inside for the tour. It's all underground and you get off the train in one or two spots to look around. One of the neat places is a BIG stope (a large, very high room) that is entirely self supporting. The Copper Queen mine is in the mountain directly south of the old town.

We've spent many nights in the various hotels and B&Bs there, so it's an area that's well known to us.

- Jack

notanlines · 12-06-2014, 04:55 AM

All three of you brought back great memories for Brenda and I. Bisbee, Arizona is one of our favorite places to visit. We have stayed at the Copper Queen one time and the other two times we stayed in a rented apartment about half a block away. If you remember, almost everywhere you go you are welcome to bring your dog. We first discovered this when having a cold one a local pub we noticed two of the patrons had their dog either on a stool next to them or laying at their feet. At a little restaurant just west of the mine the lady inside insisted we bring our dachshund in with us while we ate. (We had to sneak him in to the room at the Copper Queen, however) Bisbee, Arizona is the sight that J A Jance uses in all her books about Sheriff Joanna Brady.

455lark · 12-06-2014, 09:14 AM

It is still the same , we saw lots of people bring their dogs into the restaurants and shops. This trip we stayed at the Copper Queen RV park right next to the Queen mine, but we have stayed at the Copper Queen Hotel . Very authentic to the time Era it was built, we loved it.