10 Historic Towns Near Phoenix, Arizona
A guide to ten historic towns near Phoenix, Arizona, highlights sites like Wickenburg (Vulture Mine, Desert Caballeros Western Museum), Florence (Pinal County Courthouse, McFarland State Historic Park), Globe (Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park, Gila County Historical Museum), Jerome (Jerome State Historic Park, Mine Museum), Camp Verde (Fort Verde State Historic Park, Montezuma Castle National Monument), Casa Grande (Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Casa Grande Valley Historical Society Museum), Cave Creek (Cave Creek Museum, Sears Kay Ruins), Gila Bend (Painted Rock Petroglyph Site, Gila Bend Museum), Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Guadalupe Cemetery), and Tombstone (O.K. Corral, Bird Cage Theatre, Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, Boothill Graveyard). Each town offers preserved architecture, museums, and archaeological sites reflecting Arizona's mining, military, railroad, and Native American heritage.
Key facts
- Wickenburg was founded in 1863 after Henry Wickenburg discovered the Vulture Mine.
- Florence has over 25 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Globe was named after a globe-shaped silver nugget found in 1875.
- Jerome is known as the 'Wickedest Town in the West' and is now a ghost town and artist community.
- Camp Verde was home to Buffalo Soldiers and features Montezuma Castle cliff dwellings.
- Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is a four-story Hohokam structure built around AD 1350.
- Cave Creek was established in 1870 by soldiers from Fort McDowell.
- Gila Bend was re-established in 1774 by Juan Bautista de Anza and Father Francisco Garcés.
- Guadalupe was founded around 1900 by Pascua Yaqui Indians fleeing persecution in Mexico.
- Tombstone's Gunfight at the O.K. Corral occurred on October 26, 1881.
Entities
Institutions
- Desert Caballeros Western Museum
- McFarland State Historic Park
- Gila County Historical Museum
- Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park
- Jerome State Historic Park
- Mine Museum
- Fort Verde State Historic Park
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
- Casa Grande Valley Historical Society Museum
- Cave Creek Museum
- Sears Kay Ruins
- Painted Rock Petroglyph Site
- Gila Bend Museum
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
- Guadalupe Cemetery
- O.K. Corral
- Bird Cage Theatre
- Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park
- Boothill Graveyard
- National Register of Historic Places
- Southern Pacific Railroad
- Fort McDowell
- Pascua Yaqui Indians
- U.S. Army
Locations
- Phoenix
- Arizona
- Wickenburg
- Florence
- Globe
- Jerome
- Cleopatra Hill
- Camp Verde
- Casa Grande
- Cave Creek
- Gila Bend
- Gila River
- Guadalupe
- Mexico
- Tombstone
- United States