Arizona’s Historic Lowell Ghost Town

Lavender Pit
The Lavender Pit, an open pit copper mine, began to operate in 1950...and as it grew, more than half of the town of Lowell was in the direct path of this giant pit. Soon over 250 homes and businesses needed to be moved for the Lavender Pit’s continued development, so Lowell residents were offered a buyout for their homes (which would be demolished), or the mining company offered to move their structures to a new site. The town of Lowell nearly disappeared as the Lavender Pit continued to grow and develop. The pit would go on to produce over 86,000,000 tons of ore and nearly 600 tons of copper, silver, gold, and even turquoise byproducts before mining operations ended in 1974

[@desert-walker]

Ghost towns are a peek into the past, a portal of sorts to another time. The ghost town of Lowell, Arizona, part of the town of Bisbee, is like a 1950s time capsule that has remained unchanged. And while ghost towns often have a creepy feel, Lowell is far more charming than it is frightening Once upon a time, Lowell was a copper mining town that was eventually incorporated into the town of Bisbee in the early 1900s. This was once a thriving part of Southern Arizona. Then with the expansion of the open-pit copper mine, many homes were lost and, therefore, residents moved out of town Because residents left the area, businesses started to struggle and eventually had to close for good. And, sadly, Lowell turned into a ghost town

[@Twobarpsi]

14:58 That's a Jaguar XJ-S V12 circa 1985 if you ask me.

[@Twobarpsi]

25:49 that Strayhound bus is so cool!!

[@lewisedison4181]

what a great town,I would like to go there myself sometime good narration thanks

[@Twobarpsi]

This is one of your best ghost town tours Desert Walker!!

[@BFDdrives]

Loving the old Shell Station with the old Chevy. So it's not a complete ghost town. Is it just getting back into life? Or is the town getting more and more abandoned? Looking amazing with all these old cars. And what lovely unrestored cars like the Chevy Bel Air from 1957 and the Edsel behind of it. The entire ghost town is looking like a museum. For sure a town I'd love to visit whenever I've the chance to be in that area. At 15:00 is a Jaguar XJ-S - but I don't know the year. Must be either Series 1 or 2 from 1975 to 1991. Definately super interesting what you're getting in front of your camera. Also a very nice stop in Brisbee. The Royale Bar is looking not so royale from the outside. But the interior is really looking much different. I was just checking on Google Maps where it is. Very close to the border to Mexico.

[@MakerBoyOldBoy]

Thank you. Thank You for your continuing effort to display AZ' history. Most of these old mining towns are laced with mining tunnels uunder the ground. Chinese residents in larger areas would build underground living and business grand tunnels to get away from oppression. I would earnestly recommend one of your yours to, perhaps, the most unique ghost town in our country called Cowtowm Keeylocko. It is on Ajo Way heading toward Kitt Peak Observatory. It is literally the Last Freetown and was hand built by the late Edward Keeyocko. His story should be legendary and a series made of his efforts to market organic beef, outlawed cursing in His town, had the best Mason jar honey for sale, and marketed pork and chicken. The ghost town is still remarkable.

[@desert-walker]

@@MakerBoyOldBoy that’s actually a good idea. I’ve heard of it because I’ve been to kids Peak at least once a year and never even thought of going there and today I happen to be free and it’s actually not that far so maybe I’ll stop by thanks I’m always looking for interesting places.

[@desert-walker]

@@MakerBoyOldBoy oops the place is closed down just left there

[@desert-walker]

Now I see that it’s invitation only I guess you have to click on a button to make an appointment to go there, which is ridiculous but I did it and still have gotten no answer. Wanted to go today at 1 o’clock, but I’m not sure they even do that anymore. Anyway lessons learned from now on I’m going to call these places if possible just to make sure which I have done in the past but haven’t done lately

[@MakerBoyOldBoy]

@@desert-walker I'm terrible sorry for your wasted efforts. Long drive for nada. When I was there Edward was alive and vibrant. Years later after he had passed my friends told me about it and said I should go and see the place. I do know at least one of his sons was a Buffalo Soldier reenactor in Phoenix and that his children at some point were going to try and make his "empire" presentable after all of the thievery after his death. From your fruitless experiences it appears the place is in some sort of nether world limbo. An historic location.of huge import is the Casa Grande Ruins. The Aztec peoples who conquered Tenochitlan (Mexico City) lived for quite a time at this location. A Mexican professor told me that his mentor was going to retire and asked the Director of Mexico City University department of archeology to locate a grad student to take over and confirm his research of where the Aztecs had originated. The Director asked where that was. When he was told Casas Grandes the director replied 'No. We don't want to know the Aztecs are Gringos! !". I'm pretty sure you are using one of the Arizona Ghost Town maps available. It won't show the location of the Mafia Resort below Tucson. I had visited with a friend an old grey weathered wooden buildings commune with the last grey haired resident near Parker Lake. I believe there may be additional remnants of other communes of that era also. The original Anglo homesteads at Canoa and Pete Kitchen Ranch are gone but the mining camp ruins you know about. The Sonoita area Empire Ranch is full of activities and is still actively run to leased families. Huge movie history. Perhaps, a series on the famous movies and their locations in Southern AZ. There is a unique structure in the Rincon Mountains East of Tucson city proper. It consists of a single rock wall with door and window enclosing a narrow gap between rock rock faces. Someone built the wall and lived in the interior. Tumacacori National Historic Park is fascinating. Everyone sees stuff at eye level. I looked up and took photos of the wonderful designs on the ceiling and used them for carving a trestle table in oak. Wonderful place to explore and history. There is a historic artifact museum in Tubac. There are best little villages along the Old Nogales highway. Patagonia has a world known bird sanctuary dirt road walk which is beautiful. Patagonia residents rent spaces for world travelers. The city library had a small museum of their history. Great photos and stories. An idea is to investigate old US postal sites and some rural ones still in use. There was or are still old concrete religious statuary at the Felix Lucero Park: Garden of Gethsemane Tucson built from 1945. Sole sculptor. Restored Presido de Tucson adobe wall and small museum downtown Tucson, Arizona Historic Society near the UA personnel would have info on historic sites along with their 1.5 million images. They have an extensive museum and artifacts. I did much work there as a volunteer. Great place to join. The Pima Air & Space Museum is world known as is the USAF "Boneyard" which had a huge role in a nuclear disarmament treaty. The Sonoita county fair and rodeo features quarter horse races. That breed was developed for western ranching, I think. There is an annual Tohono O'odham County Fair/Rodeo/Pow Wow annually. The UA native students stage an annual Pow Wow immediately south of their Library. Casa Grande also has an annual County Fair/Rodeo/Pow Wow. The Gila River Reservation also has events. I prefer the smaller Indian rodeos because being small it's more intimate and walking around you get to talk with the locals and participants. A good tip is to attend the pre main rodeo days to really visit with the rodeo folks. Another possibility is to consider Anglo, Black, and Indian ferriers. Also, there are small Mexican Cortidas (rodeos) completely different than other rodeos in Tucson. They are very proud to display their skills and Finery. There are also Indian and Mexican heritage ranching families. Many stories to be heard. Lots of stuff to see by research and talking to locals. In my travels being respectful and sincerely being interested and asking questions opens up worlds of interesting things. Good work and would be more helpful if needed. Like your stuff!

[@stevenhigby3512]

The old buildings are really cool. I wonder if the old Hotels and still open.

[@desert-walker]

@@stevenhigby3512 not in Lowell, but in Bisbee yes, everything in Bisbee is open

[@desert-walker]

I stayed in one of the old Bisby hotels supposed to be haunted of course when I got there, it didn’t have hot water so I had to take a couple cold showers wasn’t pleasant. They took like 20 bucks off the bill. I think never go to that hotel again that’s for damn sure and I did not see any ghost.

[@Timeline916]

When I become a ghost I’m going there

[@desert-walker]

666 views, weird😮