Lowell, Arizona, once a thriving mining town located just to the southeast of Bisbee, now stands as a captivating testament to Arizona’s rich copper mining history. Today, much of what remains of Lowell, Arizona, is a unique neighborhood within the larger Bisbee community, drawing visitors into a preserved era of the past.
Though a significant portion of the original townsite was eventually consumed by the colossal excavation of the Lavender Pit mine during the 1950s, the fragment that endures today is a photographer’s and historian’s dream. The single surviving street offers a vibrant display of mid-century buildings, vintage signs, and authentic artifacts, transporting visitors back to a bygone era.
The Birth of a Mining Settlement
The genesis of Bisbee, famously known as the “Copper Queen” of Arizona, began in the 1870s within the steep, wooded canyons northeast of what would become Lowell. As the Bisbee Mining District expanded southward and eastward, fueled by new claims and mine openings, settlements like Lowell emerged wherever suitable land could be found.
The claims that would later form the heart of the Lowell Mine were initially staked by W.S. Salmon in 1879, though he did not proceed with development. It wasn’t until February 1899 that Frank Hanchett, hailing from Lowell, Massachusetts, acquired the property. Hanchett subsequently established the Lowell & Arizona Copper Mining and Smelting Company, initiating the construction of buildings and a headframe. By March of the same year, shafts were being sunk, rapidly reaching depths of 900 feet. The Lowell Mine quickly demonstrated its importance, boasting a monthly payroll of $10,000 and employing 60 men. However, operations faced considerable challenges as water infiltration became problematic beyond the 1,100-foot level.
Both the mine and the burgeoning town of Lowell were most likely named in honor of Hanchett’s Massachusetts hometown. Early development was spearheaded by the establishment of the first businesses in Lowell in 1900, which included two saloons and a livery stable, catering to the growing mining population.
Growth and the Copper Queen’s Influence
By October 1902, the Lowell Mine had come into the possession of the formidable Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company. This acquisition marked a turning point; the company promptly deepened the shaft by an additional 30 feet, leading to the discovery of a significant ore body that assured the mine’s future success. A tent community rapidly formed near the mine, its population swelling further with the establishment of the Junction, Hoatson, and Briggs Mines. Soon, Erie Street emerged as the vibrant business and social nexus for the Lowell and Hoasten Mines, bustling with numerous saloons and boarding houses providing essential lodging for the expanding workforce.
In 1904, official plans were laid for the Lowell townsite, and it was granted its own post office. The Copper Queen Mining Company’s Chief Engineer was instructed in 1906 to prepare 90 lots in upper Lowell for miners and managerial staff. Despite this growth, a petition to incorporate Lowell failed in the same year, falling short of the required signatures from property owners.
The Copper Queen Company, demonstrating a commitment to its community, decided in 1906 that it would forfeit the 50-cent land rent for homes. Instead, these funds were redirected to establish vital garbage collection and fire protection systems for the town, enhancing the quality of life for its residents.
Lowell was not without its dramatic events; in 1907, a massive explosion occurred at the Denn Mine when four tons of dynamite detonated, leaving a 60-foot crater. Miraculously, no lives were lost, but five individuals sustained injuries, and every window in Lowell was shattered by the blast’s force.
Annexation and the Warren-Bisbee Railway
In 1908, a successful petition led to the annexation of Lowell into Bisbee, solidifying its place within the larger mining district. That year, Erie Street, the heart of Lowell’s social scene, boasted eight saloons where miners could unwind, alongside several “houses of ill repute” offering female companionship. However, as the Warren Mining District increasingly attracted families, these establishments faced mounting pressure from a local morality movement.
The same year saw the inauguration of the Warren-Bisbee Railway, an eight-mile electric interurban line that commenced service on March 12, 1908. Operating 30-minute services with modern 42-foot McGuire-Cummings cars, the railway significantly improved connectivity. Beyond its mainline, a four-mile “High Line” extended from Warren, serving several area copper mines. By 1909 and 1910, the line was further extended from Bisbee streets to “Warren & Tombstone Canyon,” bringing the total track mileage to 8.05.
The population of Lowell experienced rapid growth as the mines expanded and the convenient trolley line made travel throughout the district easier. By 1910, nearly half of Bisbee’s total population resided in Lowell and Warren. The town by then featured a railroad depot, numerous businesses, and a regular stop on the Warren-Bisbee Railway. By 1915, Lowell, Arizona, was home to an impressive 5,000 citizens.
In 1917, the Bisbee Daily Review proudly described Lowell as: “One of the most energetic towns in the state and a payroll that would dazzle many cities a great deal larger.”
The Bisbee Deportation: A Dark Chapter
That same year, both Bisbee and Lowell were profoundly affected by the infamous Bisbee Deportation. Amidst widespread miner strikes, Phelps Dodge, the dominant mining company, conspired with the Cochise County sheriff, Harry C. Wheeler, to forcibly remove approximately 1,300 striking mineworkers and their supporters. On July 12, 1917, a deputized posse of 2,000 men began making arrests in Bisbee, targeting individuals identified on lists provided by Phelps Dodge.
Those arrested were loaded into cattle cars and deported 200 miles across the desert to Tres Hermanas, New Mexico. After being warned against returning to Bisbee, most deportees were subsequently relocated by the U.S. government to Columbus, New Mexico. In the interim, Phelps Dodge, with the sheriff’s cooperation, severed all access to external communications, delaying the public reporting of the story. The company later justified the deportation by claiming it reduced threats to United States interests during World War I, citing the heavy wartime demand for copper. Despite a presidential mediation commission unequivocally describing the deportation as “wholly illegal and without authority in law,” no one was ever convicted in connection with these mass deportations.
Decline of Mining and the Lavender Pit’s Ascendance
By 1920, Lowell was a bustling community of over 6,000 residents, equipped with schools, shops, churches, and recreational facilities. While saloons and boarding houses remained prevalent, family homes were gradually becoming more common. Lowell also proudly boasted the district’s first movie house, and the highway stretch from Bisbee to Douglas, then U.S. 80, was notably Arizona’s first paved road.
However, the end of the original Lowell Mine operations was on the horizon. In 1926, its steel headframe was dismantled and relocated to the Warren Shaft. Even with the main shaft abandoned, mining in the surrounding Lowell Mine area persisted for a few more years. The merger of the Calumet & Arizona Mining Company with Phelps Dodge ultimately led to the formal closure of the Lowell Mine, with its change house moving to the Campbell Mine. Lowell continued as a residential and business hub but experienced a significant slowdown during the Great Depression, as the global value of copper plummeted.
In 1931, the Lowell School was constructed across from the Evergreen Cemetery, featuring a state-of-the-art auditorium with a fully equipped stage. This building still stands today, serving junior high students. Parts of the Lowell Mines were leased for operation between 1935 and 1940, after which any remaining ore in the former Lowell mine grounds was extracted through the Dallas Mine.
Despite these changes, Lowell maintained its vibrancy. The Copper Queen hospital building was relocated from Sacramento Hill due to the expanding open pit. Erie Street, its main thoroughfare, was still lined with numerous businesses, including Brophy Garage, Bisbee Lumber Company, Southern Arizona Auto Co., Star Chevrolet, two pharmacies, two shoe stores, two cafes, barbershops, grocery stores, department stores, and service stations. A branch of the Phelps Dodge Mercantile also thrived in Lowell. The Lowell Clubhouse hosted popular Friday night dances, timed perfectly for revelers to catch the 11:30 trolley back up the hill to Bisbee.
The defining moment for modern Lowell, Arizona, arrived in 1950 with the opening of the Lavender Pit by Phelps Dodge Corporation, situated at the site of the earlier, high-grade Sacramento Hill mine. By this time, over half of Lowell found itself directly in the path of this massive new open-pit development. Ironically, the very source of Lowell’s prosperity would ultimately lead to its physical transformation and partial demise. The Southern Pacific railroad track into Old Bisbee was abandoned in 1951, with the railroad line thereafter terminating in Bakerville.
Lowell Transformed: The Lavender Pit’s Legacy
Over the subsequent years, the relentless expansion of the Lavender Pit encroached upon Lowell and several other small suburbs. More than 250 homes and 20 businesses faced relocation. Residents were presented with a choice: either accept the market value for their property, which would then be demolished, or have Phelps Dodge cover the cost of moving their structures to a new location. A new subdivision named Saginaw was established east of Lowell, and nearly 200 homes were relocated there, as well as to open spaces between Lowell and Warren, giving rise to new communities like Bakerville, Saginaw, Galena, and Briggs. By 1957, only a handful of residents remained in original Lowell.
A major rerouting of Highway 80 was also necessitated to accommodate the ever-expanding pit, which ultimately obliterated the settlements of Upper Lowell, Jiggerville, and the Johnson Addition. Lowell found itself bypassed by the new highway, leading to its stagnation. In 1959, all the local towns, including the remnants of Lowell, were annexed and consolidated into the “City of Bisbee.” Throughout the 1950s and 60s, the Lavender Pit deepened and widened substantially.
By 1974, total production from the Lavender Pit had reached an astonishing 86 million tons of ore, yielding approximately 600,000 tons of copper, with valuable gold, silver, and turquoise as byproducts. Mining operations in the Lavender Pit ceased in 1974. However, the undeveloped Cochise deposit, located immediately north of the Lavender Pit, still contains considerable copper reserves, hinting at potential future mining endeavors.
Lowell Today: A Living Museum on Erie Street
Although much of historic Lowell, Arizona, was sacrificed to the expansion of the Lavender Pit, a precious fragment of its commercial district along Erie Street was not only saved but meticulously preserved and enhanced. This quarter-mile stretch has been transformed into a distinctive outdoor museum, cultivating a vintage ambiance that captures the essence of the 1940s through the early 1970s.
This remarkable undertaking, known as the “Lowell Americana Project,” is the result of dedicated volunteers and enthusiastic individuals who have worked tirelessly to restore and enrich the street. It features vibrant hand-painted signs, authentic storefronts, antique gas pumps, historic cars and motorcycles, and even an old Greyhound bus, creating an immersive step back in time.
The Lowell Americana Project has garnered significant national and international media attention and widespread praise for its cultural preservation efforts, solidifying this unique location as one of the most photographed streets in the American West. It has graced magazine and album covers and served as a captivating backdrop for numerous film and video shoots.
With the impressive Junction Shaft headframe towering over downtown Lowell, visitors can explore the facades of a lovingly restored Gulf Gas Station, an old movie theatre, a classic pool hall, a Harley Davidson repair shop, a five-and-dime store, and a charming hat shop, among others. Many displays are thoughtfully arranged and can be viewed through the windows, offering glimpses into past lives. Today, Lowell is uniquely perched at the southern end of the dramatic Lavender Pit in southern Bisbee, Arizona, a living tribute to a vanished era.
