Quirky Bisbee

I have been reading about Bisbee, Arizona, in various RV travel blogs for quite some time, so when planning this trip I had to include it on the itinerary.  Bisbee was founded during the 1880’s mining rush with the discovery of the Copper Queen Lode.  Bisbee mines have produced more than $2 billion in copper, gold, lead, silver and zinc. By 1900 Bisbee was the largest cosmopolitan center between St. Louis and San Francisco.  The town had several stock exchanges and was a major venue for rodeos, circus, vaudeville, theater and lectures.

This was the original stock exchange in Bisbee, now it is a bar.

By the early 1970s most of the mines had closed and the town was all but abandoned. The town was soon revitalized when artists and artisans arrived. Today the town is a blend of creativity, friendliness, and just plain fun.

Bill in front of the Inn at Castle Rock

While exploring the town we met a wonderful 93 year old woman who had lived in Bisbee all of her life.  Her husband had worked in the mine for 47 years and she was the town’s first woman mayor, nicknamed the “huggin’ mayor”.  She is Bisbee’s biggest fan and a wealth of town history. She was just adorable, I wish we had a taken a picture.

The museum

Not sure what business was advertising.

Every year in October the town sponsors a 5K race aptly named the “Bisbee 1000” because incorporated in the 5K course there are 1000 stairs. It is billed as the “5K that feels like a 10K”.

Throughout the town there are staircases labeled for the race, you find them everywhere.  Each staircase includes the number of steps.

The bottom of staircase #3, 181 steps

Another one of the staircases.

I decided I was going to hike at least one of the staircases, so I picked #5 with 151 steps. 

 
Bill said he would wait for me at the bottom.  I started up the staircase and was doing well; at about 50 steps I was slowing down; at 75 steps the air was getting thin (Bisbee is a mile high); at 100 steps my legs were burning; at 125 steps I was gasping for air, holding on to the railing and pulling myself up the stairs; and finally at 151 steps after I recovered from the trauma, I introduced myself to the lady who had watched me struggle up the steps.

See Bill at the bottom of the stairs?

She had lived in Bisbee for 40 years, came in “the second wave of hippies”.  She and her husband had raised 3 children here, one of whom had returned to Bisbee a couple of years ago.  She owned a couple of guest houses at the top of the stairs.  After chatting with her for a few minutes I explored the top and was rewarded with some awesome views of Bisbee and some quirky art.

Later in the day while exploring the town on the motorcycle Bill was rewarded with the same views without the pain.

Wandering Bisbee was great fun, there was always something unique and interesting around every corner.

Someone's living room?

 If you ever find yourself in southern Arizona, I highly recommend a visit to Bisbee.

Today's 3 Fun Facts:

1. John Wayne was a frequent visitor to Bisbee.
2. The town was named for Judge DeWitt Bisbee, a financial banker of the Copper Queen mine. Judge Bisbee never visited the town.
3. I will not be entering the Bisbee 1000.