My Story and The Arizona Abandoned Mine Historical Cataloging Project

Exploring in my Youth

Growing up in the beautiful state of Arizona, I became curious about the abandoned structures that littered the rural areas of the state. On road trips far and wide, I would often contemplate these neglected structures seen from the distance of highways. What were these structures for? Why were they abandoned? Where did the people go?

My interest truly sparked, though, when on a road trip to Crown King, my father and I pulled off the dirt road to explore the abandoned Golden Turkey Mine. Exploring the ruins up close and personal, I found long-forgotten artifacts scattered about, which only further ignited my curiosity about the history of this place. The site was quiet, nature had begun to take over, yet there were signs of an industrious history all around. While I was young, I still vividly remember that day; however, it would not be until later in life that I would uncover a passion for exploring and uncovering Arizona’s mining history.

Discovering my Passion

Since I was a child, I had always been interested in collecting minerals alongside my father; however, it wasn’t until my later years in college that I was able to begin buying and collecting on my own. Noticing that many unique minerals come from Arizona mines, my father and I decided to give rockhounding a try. While the first trip was unsuccessful due to poor planning, a second trip to a small copper mine in the Big Horn Mountains proved more fruitful. Once again, as many years ago, I found myself exploring an old, abandoned mining site, my curiosity reignited, and so many questions arose. However, as a history student, I now had the resources and knowledge to uncover the history of this site. This knowledge lay hidden in old government documents, accessible to those who sought them out. From there, my passion only grew.

I continued my research into Arizona’s mining history, eventually obtaining a master’s degree in history with a focus on the subject. At the same time, I explored more and more abandoned mines throughout Arizona. Looking at photos from old blogs and books and comparing them to what I saw on my explorations, it became apparent that these mining sites were deteriorating, being vandalized, or simply plowed over. Furthermore, much of the history of these mines is either unknown or presented incorrectly. Thus, I came up with an idea on how I could contribute to preserving the history of these mines and delivering it to those interested.

The Project

The Arizona Abandoned Mine Historical Cataloging Project is my attempt to preserve the history of Arizona’s many abandoned mines and present that history to the public through photographs and text. This website serves as the permanent public catalog for the project; however, my Facebook and Instagram pages are my most active platforms, where you can view my latest explorations and historical write-ups. One of my goals is to raise more awareness of these sites and their significance to the broader history of Arizona. Since going public in 2021, I’ve noticed an increasing number of individuals with an interest in exploring Arizona’s abandoned mines, and a community has begun to grow. In response, I have also created a private Facebook group where individuals with an interest in exploration can interact with one another.

Since embarking on this project, I have strived to continue improving my content using new equipment and resources. To help fund this project and bring about a new layer of community, I have now launched my merchandise store, which I will continue to improve.

What I’ve seen so far since starting this project has been promising. Increasingly, communities and individuals have emerged who are passionate about the history and preservation of Arizona’s abandoned mines. Unfortunately, the state and local governments do very little to preserve these historical sites. While safety is always a concern, there are less destructive ways to mitigate the danger an abandoned mine poses than by backfilling and plowing over the area. My ultimate hope for this project is that government agencies will recognize the significance of these sites in interpreting and understanding Arizona’s rich mining history, and that they, along with other individuals and organizations, will make a greater effort to preserve these important and interesting sites.