Gail is so EXCITED!
That’s because she’s a J.A. Jance fan. Mark isn’t, but agreed to join her on a J.A. Jance/Sheriff Joanna Brady Lavender Jeep Tour while we’re here. J.A. Jance grew up here, and one of her 3 major mystery series is based here…Sheriff Joanna Brady.
Note, we did have a nice couple of days in Tucson, including a days visit to Kartchner Caverns State Park, to take both tours of the 3 caves (cameras not allowed…no pics) and took a short hike. Ended the day with dinner in town with Paul.
SO…back to Bisbee, which is primarily “famous” for its Copper Mining. We are actually camping at the Bisbee Queen Mine RV Park, at the old Bisbee Queen Mine. Very cool “campground”…a big round parking lot, which RV’s camped around the outside. We are on the Old Bisbee Side (there is also a mountain side and a Lavender Pit side) with a view of Old Bisbee out our back window. And it’s only a 0.2 mile walk into Old Bisbee. We’ve now been here 3 nights, and 2 days.
First day we hung out here, took the old Bisbee Queen Mine Tour, visited the Bisbee Historical & Mining Museum, had dinner at the Copper Queen Hotel.
Day 2 we drove west to Coronado National Memorial (#182), 1st new National Park for 2023. Caught the 8:30 shuttle to Montezuma Pass Overlook. From there we hiked up Cornado Peak and then back down to the visitor center…4 miles. Got our 4th set of Arizona NPs “I Hike for Health” pins. After lunch, we hiked another 2 miles up & back on Windmill Trail.
Four more days in Bisbee…and maybe SNOW!
For more pictures, see Adventure Album: South thru Arizona
5 Comments
Charlie · February 11, 2023 at 1:07 pm
Did the giant parking lot that now serves as a campground have an original purpose for the mine? Looks like you’re right off the entrance.
Gail · February 11, 2023 at 5:43 pm
Good Question! One to which we do not have an answer. Mark is going to try and figure it out, from an old map of the mine.
Gail · February 13, 2023 at 6:25 pm
INTERESTING! Glad you asked the question. Mark found out it was the High School Baseball Field, build by Bisbee Queen Mine, before the Lavender Pit Mine (on the other side of the RV Park) was started. When they were repairing the RV Park underground pipes, they found large deposits of turquoise. We just looked it up, and found out that turquise is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum.
Tom Keating · February 13, 2023 at 10:40 am
Did they mention what the Bisbee Museum Building was before it was the museum?
Gail · February 13, 2023 at 6:12 pm
The building was the headquarters of the Phelps Dodge mining company from 1896 to 1961. Then it housed county offices, and served as the local post office before being adapted by the city for a museum in 1971. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1983 for its associate with Phelps Dodge.