Fairbank, Arizona - Death in the Desert

ARIZONA LEGENDS

Fairbank - Dead in the Desert

First settled in the late 1870's, Fairbank, Arizona was first called Junction City when it began as a

simple stagecoach stop on the way to Tombstone. Later it was called Kendall, before finally becoming an "official" town in May, 1883 and called Fairbank.

Nestled up against the San Pedro River, the area was first part of an old Mexican land grant called the San Juan de las Boquillas y Nogales. It couldn't quite be called a town until the construction of the railroad began in 1881. When the railroad was completed; however, in 1882, it quickly became an important depot for the shipment of both cattle and the all important ore coming from Tombstone.

Fairbank, 1890, courtesy Arizona Historical Society

That same year, the town was renamed Fairbank for Chicago investor, Nathaniel K. Fairbank, who not only helped to finance the railroad, but also was one of the main organizers of the Central Mining Company in Tombstone. When a "wye" for turning locomotives was installed in the town, even more railroad traffic came through as trains headed south westward to Nogales, Arizona and Sonora, Mexico.

By this time, the town had a store, a saloon, and a several houses, with most of its residents working at the nearby Central Mining Company or the railroad.

On May 16, 1883, the post office was established in what is now known as the Adobe Commercial Building, which also housed a general store, and a saloon.

Fairbank's importance as a railroad town grew and it soon boasted three different railroad lines and depots, becoming the central point of entry and exit for miners, prospectors, materials, and ore, primarily headed to and from Tombstone, which wasn't connected to the railway until 1903. The stage, during this time, continued to do a brisk business to connect travelers those last ten miles to Tombstone.

Before long, the community supported a Wells Fargo office, five saloons, four stores, three restaurants, a school, a jail, and a mill. New residents could buy lots for $50 to $150 each. For those just passing through, the Montezuma Hotel was constructed in 1889, just south of the Adobe Commercial Building.

In September, 1890, the San Pedro River went on a rampage, flooding over its banks and resulting in narrow escapes from death and much property damage. However, the town rebuilt and continued to survive.

Like many other mining towns, Fairbank also had its share of lawlessness. One such incident was a train robbery that involved one of Arizona's most respectable lawmen, Jeff Davis Milton. In 1900, Milton was working for Wells Fargo as an Express Messenger on the Southern Pacific run from Benson Arizona, to Guaymas, Mexico. Many of the cargos often were comprised of gold and silver bullion and part of Milton's job was to guard the laden rail cars.

In February, 1900, lawmen-turned-outlaws, Burt Alvord and Billy Stiles, along with three other bandits attempted to rob the express car while it stopped for water in Fairbank. In the inevitable shoot-out that ensued, Milton killed one of the bandits, wounded another, and stopped the gold from being stolen.

During the gunfight, Milton's left upper arm was shattered by a bullet, but the arm was saved and he lived to later work as a range detective.

After the mining played out, Fairbank, like most of the other towns in the area began to die. In 1901, the Boquillas Land and Cattle Company, which included the heirs of the original land grant, re-entered the area, exerting their legally binding rights to the land. They evicted all homesteaders but allowed a small number of town residents to stay and continued to lease the Adobe Commercial Building.

Even though, Fairbank continued to be the center of social life in the area through the 1940's. In 1920, a new Fairbank School was built, replacing the original wooden one that had burnt down. Classes continued to be held until 1944.

The post office finally closed in the 1970's, but still the General Store remained opened for a number of years.

In 1987, the Bureau of Land Management acquired the land that was once the Mexican Land Grant and the area became the part of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (NCA,) designated as such is November, 1988. The word "riparian" refers to an area where plants and animals thrive because of an availability of water and the NCA's primary purpose is to protect and enhance the desert riparian ecosystem.

The Adobe Commercial Building once held a post office, a saloon, and a general store. Kathy Weiser, April, 2007.

This image available for photographic prints and downloads HERE!

The 1920 Fairbank School now serves as a visitor's center

and museum. Kathy Weiser, April, 2007.

This image available for photographic prints and downloads HERE!

Though not their primary purpose, the NCA has stabilized, preserved, and restored the historic ghost town of Fairbank. Though Fairbank's main street is deserted today, its buildings still stand. On Legends of America's trip in April, 2007, the Adobe Commercial Building, as well as a small house, were protected behind a chain link fence with a sign indicating that the site was "temporarily closed." The Adobe Commercial Building has been recently stabilized by the BLM.

The Montezuma Hotel, which stood just south of the Adobe Commercial Building, was torn down when Highway 82 was built. Today, all that's left of the old hotel are portions of the old foundation.

However, there are still a number of buildings to been seen, including the old school house, which has been restored and now serves as a museum, a couple of old homes, a stable, and outhouses. A short 1/2 mile hike will take the visitor to Fairbank's old cemetery atop a hill north of town. Continuing on the trail, another mile or so, can be seen the ruins of the Grand Central Mill.

Fairbank, now headquartering the San Pedro River Resource Conservation Area, provides walking trails and picnic areas along the San Pedro River.

Fairbank is located ten miles west of Tombstone on AZ 82, just east of the San Pedro River on the north side of the road.

A house built in 1925 still stands. Kathy Weiser, April, 2007.

This image available for photographic prints and downloads HERE!

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The old Fairbank Cemetery sits atop a hill about 1/2 mile north of Fairbank. David Alexander, April, 2007.

This image available for photographic prints and downloads HERE!

From the Rocky Mountain General Store

Old West Books - Legends of America and the Rocky Mountain General Store has collected a number of Old West books for our frontier enthusiasts. For many of these, we have only one available. To see this varied collection, click HERE!