Photo by The Patagonia Museum
The bustle of mining may be long gone, but the memories of this once-prominent industry still linger in the wilderness of Southern Arizona. Just 20-45 minutes east and southeast of Patagonia you’ll find remnants of towns that once numbered in the thousands. Some buildings still stand and several cemeteries mark the passing of the town folk that lived the hard life of the pioneer days. Note: Some of these buildings stand on what is now private property. Please heed all “No Trespassing” signs.
A few tips: Harshaw is the place to go if you like old cemeteries. Just east of town, don’t miss the photo opportunity of the adobe foundation and wall on the left side of the street. Duquesne is the farthest drive but has the most buildings still standing, including a large boarding house. Check out the photos of these ghost towns and print maps to their locations at: www.ghosttowns.com Select Arizona, then Santa Cruz County.