Ghost Towns, Vulture Mine, Arizona
Vulture Gold Mine
I visited this location in the spring of 2007 where most structures seemed to be intact. This time there is significant amount of damage to most buildings. Some buildings are dangerous to enter due to the roof beginning to collapse. This location is still a neat place to visit, but with all the monsoons and freak storms we’ve been facing, this place might not make it through the next decade.
History:
The Vulture Mine was a gold mine and settlement in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The mine began in 1863 and became the most productive gold mine in Arizona history.
From 1863 to 1942, the mine produced 340,000 ounces of gold and 260,000 ounces of silver. Historically, the mine attracted more than 5,000 people to the area, and is credited with founding the town of Wickenburg, Arizona.
The Vulture Mine began when a prospector from California's gold rush, Henry Wickenburg, discovered a quartz deposit containing gold and began mining the outcrop himself. The deposit was later sold to Benjamin Phelps, who represented a group of investors that eventually organized under the name of Vulture Mining Company.