When we were in grade school, a lot of us loved learning about life in different eras, which probably explains why some of us (not naming any names) read the entire American Girls Collection as their first foray into chapter books. The blend of reality, drama, and, in our eight-year-old brains, the different clothing styles were fascinating and incredibly different from our suburban upbringings. In fact, we still enjoy “witnessing” history through movies, novels, and an old collection of PBS and BBC shows that document life in past eras. Since we will probably never live to see a working time machine, the next-best experience is visiting historical places and towns that are well-preserved and may even feature re-enactments that attempt to bring past lives in Arizona state into the streets. These historic towns in Arizona are worth an add to anyone’s bucket list.
- Bisbee
Phillip Capper/Flickr
TJfrom AZ/Flickr Founded in 1880 as a metals mining community, Bisbee is a beautiful example of preservation done right. The walkable town has a number of historic buildings still standing, such as the Copper Queen Hotel (1902) and the Phelps Dodge General Office Building (1895), which now serves as a mining history museum.
- Castle Dome
TJfrom AZ/Flickr
TJfrom AZ/Flickr First settled as a mining camp in 1863 after silver and gold were discovered in the area, Castle Dome suffered two different instances of ghost town status: once in 1876 and again in 1884. The town, located north of Yuma, has become a tourist site and museum for mining history with preserved and reconstructed buildings reminiscent of what the town may have looked like in its heyday.
- Goldfield
Jessica Wait/Flickr
Craig T/Flickr Now a ghost town, this place experienced a brief life as a mining town from about 1892 to 1898 after gold was discovered in the area. Once the gold was stripped from the site, miners moved away, and the local post office closed in 1898, leaving only some weathered buildings in their wake. Today, it serves as a ghost town tourist attraction.
- Jerome
Dan/Flickr
K e v i n/Flickr This town was founded in 1876 as a copper mining camp. Designated a historic landmark in 1967, you can walk down the streets for a taste of small town life and wonder about its past. A number of walking tours will provide you with in-depth knowledge of Jerome’s historic, and possibly haunted, mining past.
- Oatman
las - initially/Flickr
Joshua Noble/Flickr Another former mining town from Arizona’s frontier past, this ghost town has seen new life as a tourist attraction and feels very much alive today. Many of the town’s original buildings remain, most notably the Oatman Hotel, which was one of the honeymoon locations for actors Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. Today, it’s famous for the wild burros that roam the town.
- Old Oraibi
Ashley Van Haeften/Flickr This village is located within the Hopi Reservation on Third Mesa, and is considered the oldest settlement still in use in the United States by anthropologists. The village was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and a Historic Place two years later. Culturally, this village has focused on maintaining and protecting traditional Hopi ways of life, as opposed to its neighbor, Kyokotsmovi, which is more lenient towards modern culture. This, and the desire for privacy, is why you will not find many recent pictures of the town.
- Pioneer Living History Museum, Phoenix
Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum/Facebook
Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum/Facebook This may not be an actual town but it certainly mimics one well, and visiting the village atmosphere will give you an impression of the Old West. It features a number of historic and reconstructed buildings, like a schoolhouse and a Victorian home, plus plenty of actors playing character roles from the late 19th century.
Address: 3901 West Pioneer Road, Phoenix, Arizona, 85086
- Tombstone
Amy Huffaker/Flickr
Andrew Rollinger/Flickr This famous town sees quite a bit of tourist traffic because of its notorious contribution towards Arizona’s history. The town received its national historic status in 1961 for its incredible preservation as a frontier town. The main attraction here is Allen Street, which features a mix of still-standing 19th century buildings and reconstructions. When you visit, you will also encounter plenty of re-enactments to get you in the Old West mood.
Have you visited any of these historic towns in Arizona? What impressions did they leave you?
Phillip Capper/Flickr
TJfrom AZ/Flickr
Founded in 1880 as a metals mining community, Bisbee is a beautiful example of preservation done right. The walkable town has a number of historic buildings still standing, such as the Copper Queen Hotel (1902) and the Phelps Dodge General Office Building (1895), which now serves as a mining history museum.
First settled as a mining camp in 1863 after silver and gold were discovered in the area, Castle Dome suffered two different instances of ghost town status: once in 1876 and again in 1884. The town, located north of Yuma, has become a tourist site and museum for mining history with preserved and reconstructed buildings reminiscent of what the town may have looked like in its heyday.
Jessica Wait/Flickr
Craig T/Flickr
Now a ghost town, this place experienced a brief life as a mining town from about 1892 to 1898 after gold was discovered in the area. Once the gold was stripped from the site, miners moved away, and the local post office closed in 1898, leaving only some weathered buildings in their wake. Today, it serves as a ghost town tourist attraction.
Dan/Flickr
K e v i n/Flickr
This town was founded in 1876 as a copper mining camp. Designated a historic landmark in 1967, you can walk down the streets for a taste of small town life and wonder about its past. A number of walking tours will provide you with in-depth knowledge of Jerome’s historic, and possibly haunted, mining past.
las - initially/Flickr
Joshua Noble/Flickr
Another former mining town from Arizona’s frontier past, this ghost town has seen new life as a tourist attraction and feels very much alive today. Many of the town’s original buildings remain, most notably the Oatman Hotel, which was one of the honeymoon locations for actors Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. Today, it’s famous for the wild burros that roam the town.
Ashley Van Haeften/Flickr
This village is located within the Hopi Reservation on Third Mesa, and is considered the oldest settlement still in use in the United States by anthropologists. The village was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and a Historic Place two years later. Culturally, this village has focused on maintaining and protecting traditional Hopi ways of life, as opposed to its neighbor, Kyokotsmovi, which is more lenient towards modern culture. This, and the desire for privacy, is why you will not find many recent pictures of the town.
Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum/Facebook
This may not be an actual town but it certainly mimics one well, and visiting the village atmosphere will give you an impression of the Old West. It features a number of historic and reconstructed buildings, like a schoolhouse and a Victorian home, plus plenty of actors playing character roles from the late 19th century.
Address: 3901 West Pioneer Road, Phoenix, Arizona, 85086
Amy Huffaker/Flickr
Andrew Rollinger/Flickr
This famous town sees quite a bit of tourist traffic because of its notorious contribution towards Arizona’s history. The town received its national historic status in 1961 for its incredible preservation as a frontier town. The main attraction here is Allen Street, which features a mix of still-standing 19th century buildings and reconstructions. When you visit, you will also encounter plenty of re-enactments to get you in the Old West mood.
Looking for more Arizona history? Take a look at these historical landmarks across the state.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Bisbee, AZ 85603, USAAddress: Castle Dome, Arizona 85119, USAAddress: Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours Inc., 4650 N Mammoth Mine Rd, Apache Junction, AZ 85119, USAAddress: Jerome, AZ 86331, USAAddress: Oatman, AZ 86433, USAAddress: Oraibi, Kykotsmovi Village, AZ 86039, USAAddress: Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum, 3901 W Pioneer Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85086, USAAddress: Tombstone, AZ 85638, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Historic Towns in Arizona March 28, 2021 Tori Jane What is the oldest town in Arizona? Many sources will tell you that Tucson is the oldest town in Arizona, however, that is incorrect. The oldest town in Arizona is Tubac, which was established as a European settlement in 1752. Tucson was established later, in 1775. Both towns still exist today, and Tubac is a small, historically rich little place. The population has remained under 2,000 people for ages, and it’s also an arts and cultural mecca. The Tubac School of Fine Art is located there and offers classes in any medium you could ever imagine. Interested in the oldest Arizona towns (plus some towns that existed long, long before settlers ever arrived here)? Check this article out for more fascinating Arizona tidbits. Where are some interesting historic places in Arizona? Arizona is a beautiful state filled to the brim with fascinating, often dark history. Take a stroll through the living ghost town of Jerome, Arizona, which used to be a bustling copper mining town and is now an artist’s paradise (as well as a haven for wine lovers). Tucson is one of the oldest cities in the state; many historic buildings still stand today. Bisbee and Tombstone will transport you back to the days of the wild, wild west, where saloons still stand and many a ghost story still lingers. Up north, Flagstaff is a truly interesting, historic city, with some hotels and buildings having been around since the 1800s. Nearly everywhere you turn, you’ll find something interesting from or about the past to delve into. What are some interesting Arizona history facts? Where do we begin? For starters, Arizona is the Valentine’s Day state, since we officially entered statehood on February 14, 1912, after spending many decades as a territory. We’ve got some highly unique fauna and flora features, such as being one of the only places in the world where Saguaro cacti grow, as well as Joshua Trees (in a very small area of the state, but they’re there!) and even some animals, like the Arizona trout (which can ONLY be found here). We’ve got a state neckwear (it’s a bolo tie, if you’re curious). We’re definitely known for some crazy-hot summers, and one year, it reached an unreal 128 degrees Fahrenheit at Lake Havasu City. We could go on, as Arizona is a remarkably interesting state, but it would take forever!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Historic Towns in Arizona
March 28, 2021
Tori Jane
What is the oldest town in Arizona? Many sources will tell you that Tucson is the oldest town in Arizona, however, that is incorrect. The oldest town in Arizona is Tubac, which was established as a European settlement in 1752. Tucson was established later, in 1775. Both towns still exist today, and Tubac is a small, historically rich little place. The population has remained under 2,000 people for ages, and it’s also an arts and cultural mecca. The Tubac School of Fine Art is located there and offers classes in any medium you could ever imagine. Interested in the oldest Arizona towns (plus some towns that existed long, long before settlers ever arrived here)? Check this article out for more fascinating Arizona tidbits. Where are some interesting historic places in Arizona? Arizona is a beautiful state filled to the brim with fascinating, often dark history. Take a stroll through the living ghost town of Jerome, Arizona, which used to be a bustling copper mining town and is now an artist’s paradise (as well as a haven for wine lovers). Tucson is one of the oldest cities in the state; many historic buildings still stand today. Bisbee and Tombstone will transport you back to the days of the wild, wild west, where saloons still stand and many a ghost story still lingers. Up north, Flagstaff is a truly interesting, historic city, with some hotels and buildings having been around since the 1800s. Nearly everywhere you turn, you’ll find something interesting from or about the past to delve into. What are some interesting Arizona history facts? Where do we begin? For starters, Arizona is the Valentine’s Day state, since we officially entered statehood on February 14, 1912, after spending many decades as a territory. We’ve got some highly unique fauna and flora features, such as being one of the only places in the world where Saguaro cacti grow, as well as Joshua Trees (in a very small area of the state, but they’re there!) and even some animals, like the Arizona trout (which can ONLY be found here). We’ve got a state neckwear (it’s a bolo tie, if you’re curious). We’re definitely known for some crazy-hot summers, and one year, it reached an unreal 128 degrees Fahrenheit at Lake Havasu City. We could go on, as Arizona is a remarkably interesting state, but it would take forever!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Many sources will tell you that Tucson is the oldest town in Arizona, however, that is incorrect. The oldest town in Arizona is Tubac, which was established as a European settlement in 1752. Tucson was established later, in 1775. Both towns still exist today, and Tubac is a small, historically rich little place. The population has remained under 2,000 people for ages, and it’s also an arts and cultural mecca. The Tubac School of Fine Art is located there and offers classes in any medium you could ever imagine. Interested in the oldest Arizona towns (plus some towns that existed long, long before settlers ever arrived here)? Check this article out for more fascinating Arizona tidbits.
Where are some interesting historic places in Arizona?
Arizona is a beautiful state filled to the brim with fascinating, often dark history. Take a stroll through the living ghost town of Jerome, Arizona, which used to be a bustling copper mining town and is now an artist’s paradise (as well as a haven for wine lovers). Tucson is one of the oldest cities in the state; many historic buildings still stand today. Bisbee and Tombstone will transport you back to the days of the wild, wild west, where saloons still stand and many a ghost story still lingers. Up north, Flagstaff is a truly interesting, historic city, with some hotels and buildings having been around since the 1800s. Nearly everywhere you turn, you’ll find something interesting from or about the past to delve into.
What are some interesting Arizona history facts?
Where do we begin? For starters, Arizona is the Valentine’s Day state, since we officially entered statehood on February 14, 1912, after spending many decades as a territory. We’ve got some highly unique fauna and flora features, such as being one of the only places in the world where Saguaro cacti grow, as well as Joshua Trees (in a very small area of the state, but they’re there!) and even some animals, like the Arizona trout (which can ONLY be found here). We’ve got a state neckwear (it’s a bolo tie, if you’re curious). We’re definitely known for some crazy-hot summers, and one year, it reached an unreal 128 degrees Fahrenheit at Lake Havasu City. We could go on, as Arizona is a remarkably interesting state, but it would take forever!
