The End Of The Line

The railroad came through this part of the country from Benson around 1881, with the station built in 1882.  Originally named Junction City, this town was the closest rail line to the biggest city in the West, Tombstone.

I wanted to check the mileage for my return trip so I asked Siri.  I mean she knows everything, right?  I even asked a second time, just to be sure.  I think I should change her to a him named JAKE!  I think it's only about 20 miles.

Eventually the town was named Fairbank for Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank who financed part of the railroad and founded the Grand Central Mining Company which had an interest in the silver mines of Tombstone.

The name (and the town) became official in 1883 when a Post Office was opened in this building.  Not only did Fairbank bring in supplies for the booming town of Tombstone, it also carried out the ore from the silver mines on it's way to Contention City and Charleston for processing.

It boasted a Butterfield Overland Mail line station, a general store, a butcher shop, a Wells Fargo station and of course a saloon, also living in this same building.  You could have a drink and mail a letter!!  Passengers arriving here would take a stagecoach to Tombstone for $1.50.  Pretty pricey!

At the present time, the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area Group, (those who now control the ghost town) are repairing the buildings to keep them intact.  What looks like a gas pump cover is just that.

Is that a letter slot?  I have no clue.  We couldn't get close to the building.

Here's how it looked in the 30's, complete with a gas pump.  The little store was open until the late 60's.  It happens that the owner was the great uncle of Barry Goldwater.  That's a familiar name.

This is the school house, built of gypsum block from Douglas Arizona.  It was built in 1920 and functioned for about ten years.  It is now a museum, but of course it is closed, as is just about everything else.

When the Tombstone mines closed down due to flooding in 1886, the mills in this area began to close and the rail lines became unnecessary.

Subsequent droughts drove away farmers and ranches.  There would be one last reprieve however, as the Copper Queen Mine in Bisbee required the railroad build a line into Fairbank in 1889.  The town never did regain it's strength because in 1890 the San Pedro river flooded, causing major damage.

Here's a weird one.  In 1940 the WPA (Works Progress Administration) built this outhouse.  A two-holer!!  Woohoo!  Now just how often do you think both sides were occupied at the same time?

The old train station is gone, located a little ways up the rail line.  Built by the New Mexico and Arizona Railroad, it was to service passengers and freight headed for Tombstone.  In was only about 20 years worth of service before everything began to close down.

There is a trail close to here that takes you to the Grand Central Mining mill ruins and the town cemetery.  One of these days soon, I'll go check it out.

Fairbank's claim to fame became a train robbery February 15, 1900 of the express car on the Benson Nogales train by the Burt Alvord and Billy Stiles gang.  Formerly lawmen, they found this adventure more prosperous.  Express Messenger Jeff Milton (a former lawman himself) fought them off, killing Three Fingered Jack Dunlop.  Alvord eventually ended up in Yuma Territorial Prison.

In 1901, the Boquillas Land and Cattle Company purchased the Mexican Land Grant the town was situated in.  Over time, they canceled the residents leases, causing them to tear their houses down rather than leave them to the new owners.  In the 1970's the Bureau of Land Management bought the property and saved what they could, but it was the end of the line for the railroad and the town.

Sadly, the Montezuma Hotel built in 1889 was torn down to make way for the highway.  It was also badly damaged in the 1894 San Pedro monsoon flood.  It was rebuilt on the stone platform you see here to keep it above the water line.  Today there is only a bit of foundation left.

Just for kicks, this is E P A Larrieu, the 26 years old manager of the hotel.  He also acted as a correspondent for several newspapers, having access to the private conversations from the hotel he managed.  

It's a quaint little place to visit.  Hopefully the commercial building and school museum will be open again soon.  Bring a lunch, as there is a nice little park where you can sit and ponder train robbers.