Category: Ghost Towns

Ghost towns are fun places to explore and commonly great destinations for a 4×4 trip.

Alamo Crossing Mohave County Ghost Town

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Alamo Crossing is a submerged ghost town hidden beneath the waters of Alamo Lake, Mohave County, Arizona.

Alamo Crossing, Mohave County Arizona
Alamo Crossing, Mohave County Arizona

The town is founded by Tom Rogers about 1899. The little hamlet served as a small mining community to transient prospectors with most of the population camping out. During its heyday, the town only consisted of a five-stamp mill, a few stores and a post office. The town’s population is never known to be significant.

In 1968, an earth filled damn is constructed along the Bill Williams River by the Army Corp of Engineers for flood control. The 283 foot tall damn caused the formation of Lake Alamo, which is about 80 feet deep. The remains of Alamo Crossing still lie in the waters of the lake. Scuba gear is required to explore the remains. The town site was believed to be one of the best preserved ghost towns in the county, prior to flooding.

In 2020, the area surrounding Alamo is revived for mining again, this time for placer gold prospecting.

Trail Map

Town Summary

NameAlamo Crossing
Also Known AsAlimo,
LocationAbout 60 miles northwest of Wickenberg on Bill Williams River, Mohave County, Arizona
Latitude, Longitude34.2605, -113.5827
Elevation1,237 ft (377 m)
GNIS25299
Post officeNovember 13, 1889 – December 15, 1900
March 30, 1911 – 1918 Alamo

References

Belleville California – San Bernardino County Ghost Town

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The cabin at the Belleville California townsite is not original but moved to the location to represent the style of the structures of the town.
The cabin at the Belleville California townsite is not original but moved to the location to represent the style of the structures of the town.


Belleville is a historic community located in the Holcomb Valley region of San Bernardino County, California. The area’s history dates back to the mid-19th century when it played a significant role in the California Gold Rush.

Holcomb Valley, where Belleville is situated, was discovered to be rich in gold deposits in 1860. The news quickly spread, and a gold rush ensued as prospectors from all over flocked to the area in search of their fortunes. The population of the valley boomed, and various mining camps and settlements sprang up, including Belleville.

Belleville was founded in 1860 and named after James V. Belleville, one of the early prospectors in the area. The town rapidly grew and became a central hub for the Holcomb Valley mining district. It served as a supply center for nearby mining operations, providing essential goods and services to miners and their families.

The town boasted several businesses, including general stores, saloons, hotels, and blacksmith shops. It also had a post office, which opened in 1863. Belleville’s population reached its peak during the 1860s, with estimates ranging from a few hundred to over a thousand residents.

The remains of an Arrastres located in Belleville, San Bernardino, CA
The remains of an Arrastres located in Belleville, San Bernardino, CA

Mining was the primary economic activity in Belleville and the surrounding Holcomb Valley. Miners used various methods to extract gold from the area, including placer mining and hydraulic mining. Placer mining involved using pans, rockers, and sluices to separate gold from the gravel and sand of the valley floor. Hydraulic mining utilized high-pressure water jets to wash away hillsides and expose gold-bearing gravels.

However, the gold production in Holcomb Valley began to decline in the late 1860s, and by the 1870s, many miners had moved on to other gold fields. As the gold rush subsided, so did the population of Belleville. The town gradually declined, and most of its buildings were dismantled or moved to other locations.

Today, little remains of Belleville and the once-thriving mining operations of Holcomb Valley. Some remnants of mining structures, such as mine shafts and tunnels, can still be found in the area. The site of Belleville itself is marked by a historical marker, providing a glimpse into the region’s rich mining heritage.

Belleville Historic Monument
Belleville Historic Monument

Belleville Town Summary

NameBelleville
LocationHolcomb Valley, San Bernardino, CA
Latitude, Longitude34.3012, -116.8857
Elevation7,355 Feet
GNIS
Population1,500
Gold Fever Trail Marker7

Belleville Trail Map

References

Millville Arizona

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Millville Arizona is a ghost town and sister city to Charleston, Arizona located along the San Pedro River, in Cochise County, Arizona. Charleston served as a type of residential community to Millville, while Millville served as a silver ore processing center for the silver mines of Tombstone, Arizona.

Millville, sister town to Charleston located just across the San Pedro River, circa 1880
Millville, sister town to Charleston located just across the San Pedro River, circa 1880

Millville is built to process ore from nearby Tombstone, which is located about 9 miles northeast of Charleston. The stamp mills in Millville is owned by Tombstone Mill and Mining Company and Corbin Mill and Mining Company started operations in 1879. Peak operations are from 1881 – 1882 where the mills processed 1.4 million dollars in silver bullion

In 1886 the silver mines in Tombstone flooded with water. The mills in Millville were forced to shut down, and Charleston and Millville went into steep decline. In the 1890’s, Charleston and Millville are abandoned and considered a ghost towns. Charleston was briefly inhabited in the 1890s by a small population of Mexican immigrants who used the remaining wooden structures as firewood.

Millville Town Summary

NameMillville, Arizona
LocationCochise County, Arizona
Latitude, Longitude31.6350, -110.1737
Elevation1216 meters / 3990 feet
GNIS
Post OfficeMay 26, 1879 – May 3, 1880

Millville Trail Map

Millville is located about 9 miles southwest of Tombstone, Arizona. Charleston and Millville are not accessible by car and can only be reached by hiking up the San Pedro River. The Bureau of Land Management has begun maintaining trails to and from the area. 

Refereces

Charleston Arizona

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Charleston, Arizona is a ghost town located in Cochise County, Arizona. the town operated from the late 1870’s through the 1880’s. The town is founded as a sister city of Millville, Arizona, which is located just across the San Pedro River. Charleston served as a type of residential community to Millville.

Charleston, circa 1885 - Photograph by C. S Fly
Charleston, circa 1885 – Photograph by C. S Fly

Millville, and later Charleston, is built to process ore from nearby Tombstone, which is located about 9 miles northeast of Charleston. The stamp mills in Millville is owned by Tombstone Mill and Mining Company and Corbin Mill and Mining Company started operations in 1879. Peak operations are from 1881 – 1882 where the mills processed 1.4 million dollars in silver bullion.

J.W. Swart's Saloon in Charleston, circa 1885
J.W. Swart’s Saloon in Charleston, circa 1885

At its peak, Charleston suffered a nasty reputation of a rough and tumble town. Following the notorious gunfight in Tombstone, Charleston which claimed the Clantons, the McLaurys, Johnny Ringo, “Curly Bill” Brocius, Pete Spence and Frank Stillwell, as citizens, it is no wonder the town is found guilty by association. In Charleston, Frank Stillwell was the previous owner of the J.W. Swart saloon prior to selling in 1881. The bulk of the these men are under the employment of the Clanton’s Ranch. On May 6, 1882, The Tombstone Epitaph reported on Charleston that the town is “well regulated and free from turmoil” and “one of the most peaceful places we were ever in.”

In 1886 the silver mines in Tombstone flooded with water. The mills in Millville were forced to shut down, and Charleston and Millville went into steep decline. In the 1890’s, Charleston is abandoned and considered a ghost town. Charleston was briefly inhabited in the 1890s by a small population of Mexican immigrants who used the remaining wooden structures as firewood.

Charleston Town Summary

NameCharleston, Arizona
LocationCochise County, Arizona
Also Known AsCharleston Station
Latitude, Longitude31.6358, -110.1725
Elevation1216 meters / 3990 feet
GNIS24360
Population400
Post OfficeApril 17, 1879 – October 24, 1888

Charleston Trail Map

Charleston is located about 9 miles southwest of Tombstone, Arizona. Charleston and Millville are not accessible by car and can only be reached by hiking up the San Pedro River. The Bureau of Land Management has begun maintaining trails to and from the area. 

Charleston Arizona Persons of Interest

Historical photo of Ike Clanton in 1881 by photographer Camillus S. Fly, Tombstone, Arizona Territory.

Joseph Isaac Clanton

Joseph Isaac Clanton, commonly knows as "Ike" Clanton was a notable figure in the American Old West, primarily recognized for his involvement in the notorious…
Newman Haynes “Old Man” Clanton (1816 – 1881 )

Newman Haynes Clanton

Newman Haynes Clanton was a central figure in the tumultuous period of the American frontier, representing the complex interplay of law, crime, and social dynamics…
The only known portrait photo of Frank McLaury of Tombstone.

Robert Findley McLaury

The only known portrait photo of Frank McLaury of Tombstone. Robert Findley McLaury, known as Frank McLaury (1857–1881) was a notable figure in the American…
Thomas McLaury of Tombstone in 1879

Thomas McLaury 

Thomas McLaury of Tombstone in 1879 Tom McLaury, born as Thomas McLaury, was a key figure in the tumultuous environment of the American frontier during…

References

Vulture City Arizona

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