Fairbank’s Swift Demise After Tombstone’s 1886 Mine Floods
Fairbank, Arizona was once the pulse of Tombstone’s silver boom.
Built in 1881 as the key rail stop for a city of 14,000, this small town of 100 folks kept the mines linked to the world. Then came May 26, 1886.
A fire hit the Grand Central mine, melting the pumps that kept water at bay. Mines flooded fast.
Silver stopped flowing. Without ore to ship, Fairbank lost its purpose almost right away.
The town held on briefly when Bisbee’s copper mines used its depot in 1889, but slowly faded until the last folks left in the 1970s.
The ghost town of Fairbank still stands today, with its adobe buildings telling a story of boom, bust, and what happens when the water wins.
Trains Rolled Into the Desert with Big Dreams
Workers built a railroad in 1881, linking Benson to the Mexican border through the San Pedro River valley. The town started as Junction City, changed to Kendall, and finally became Fairbank.
Chicago businessman Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank funded the railroad.
People picked this spot because it sat closest to Tombstone, Arizona’s biggest city with 14,000 residents. The town became official on May 16, 1883, when the post office opened.
Silver Made This Little Town a Big Deal
Fairbank quickly became the main supply hub for mining camps.
Wagons loaded with silver ore from Tombstone rolled into Fairbank’s depot before heading east by rail. Trains carried ore to nearby mills in Contention City and Charleston for processing.
The Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoach began running through Fairbank in 1885, bringing more traffic. At its peak in the mid-1880s, about 100 people lived in this busy little supply center.
The Town Grew Faster Than a Cactus After Rain
Workers built a steam quartz mill in town to process ore.
Main street filled with needed businesses like a general store, butcher shop, restaurant, and saloon. A Wells Fargo office handled banking for the whole mining area.
The railroad depot became the heart of town, with a “wye” track that let trains turn around. One big adobe building held the post office, saloon, and general store under one roof.
Water Became the Enemy of Tombstone’s Silver Dreams
Tombstone miners hit water in the mid-1880s, forcing companies to pump out flooded shafts. They set up huge Cornish engines that removed 2.5 million gallons daily. The Grand Central and Contention mines worked together on an expensive pumping system.
Other mining companies enjoyed drier mines but refused to help pay for pumping.
Making things worse, silver prices started going up and down, forcing mining companies to cut costs.
Fire Destroyed Everything on One Bad Day in 1886
On May 26, 1886, fire tore through the Grand Central mine’s hoist and pumping plant. The flames burned so hot they melted the metal parts of the costly Cornish pumping engines.
The mine headworks burned down, making it impossible to keep water out of the shafts. Around the same time, silver prices dropped to just 90 cents per ounce.
Mining bosses decided replacing the pumps cost too much with falling silver prices.
Tombstone Went from Boom to Bust Almost Overnight
The flooded mines cost too much to run below the 500-foot level. Most Tombstone mines closed for good after the flooding.
The city’s population crashed from 14,000 to fewer than 1,900 by 1890. Workers and families left town to find jobs in other mining areas.
The nearby mill towns of Charleston and Millville completely vanished by 1889, with buildings sitting empty as nature took back the land.
Fairbank Lost Its Reason to Exist When the Mines Closed
Ore shipments from Tombstone stopped, ending Fairbank’s main job in the region. The stamp mills at Contention City and Charleston closed forever.
The once-busy railroad depot stood mostly quiet without mining freight to move. Stagecoach traffic slowed as Tombstone’s importance faded away.
Local shop owners struggled to stay open as customers moved away or stopped spending money.
Copper Mining Gave the Town a Second Chance
The Arizona & Southeastern Railroad connected Bisbee copper mines to Fairbank’s depot in February 1889, giving new life to the struggling town.
The Copper Queen Mining Company started moving ore through Fairbank on its way east. The town found a new purpose as a shipping point for Bisbee’s booming copper industry.
The new railroad line stretched 36 miles from the Copper Queen Mine to Fairbank. Freight traffic changed from silver to copper, helping local businesses.
Bad Luck Kept Hitting the Struggling Town
Severe droughts forced farmers and ranchers who traded in Fairbank to leave. The San Pedro River flooded in September 1890, damaging many buildings and homes.
The population kept shrinking as the farming economy failed. On February 15, 1900, the Burt Alvord gang tried to rob a train at Fairbank.
Express messenger Jeff Milton fought off the bandits despite a serious arm wound, becoming a local hero.
Land Fights Pushed Out the Last Hopeful Residents
The Boquillas Land and Cattle Company bought a Mexican land grant covering the town in 1901. The new owners kicked out people trying to claim land, only letting a few rent buildings or homes.
The railroad built a line straight to Benson in 1894, letting some traffic bypass Fairbank completely. The town’s once-perfect location became less important as transportation routes changed.
People kept moving away throughout the early 1900s.
The Last Lights Went Out as Nature Took Back the Town
Buildings got tagged as unsafe by the mid-1970s, forcing the last few residents to leave. The post office closed down after nearly 90 years of operation.
Side roads grew over with weeds and brush, making them hard to travel.
The Bureau of Land Management stepped in and bought the property in 1986, preserving it as a historic site.
In 2007, workers restored the old schoolhouse as a museum within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, giving visitors a glimpse of Fairbank’s glory days.
Visiting Fairbank Ghost Town, Arizona
You can explore Fairbank Ghost Town for free within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, 10 miles west of Tombstone on Arizona Route 82.
The restored 1920s schoolhouse visitor center opens Friday through Sunday. Walk the self-guided interpretive trail to see historic buildings with informational signs.
Take the 1.25-mile gravel trail to Grand Central Mill ruins or hike half a mile north to Fairbank Cemetery on the hilltop.
This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.
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