For the last two hundred years, Arizona has had a history of people swarming in and out of the state. With that comes plenty of settlements that eventually go abandoned and areas that retain some evidence of human contact. These places are easy to find but typically go unnoticed in the hectic pace of our everyday lives.
Here are a few areas to reflect on the human existence that once inhabited the place. While you’re looking through the photos, think about how the desert, as opposed to a forest or swamp, reclaims its space.
- An abandoned trailer sits outside of Buckeye.
Steve Rotman/Flickr
- A former building in Ruby, an old ghost town, is slowly returning to the desert.
velo_city/Flickr
- Another sight at Ruby, this time with a tree growing out of this old building.
velo_city/Flickr
- This former homestead outside of Tucson still seems a bit sturdy despite its abandonment.
Ken Bosma/Flickr I wouldn’t try climbing it though.
- This rusty, old car outside the general store in Hackberry (about 30 minutes northeast of Kingman) has a cactus growing out of it.
mlhradio/Flickr
- An example of all that’s left in Fairbank, a short distance from Tombstone.
mlhradio/Flickr A few buildings are still standing but portions of the ghost town look like this.
- An interior view of one of the standing buildings at Two Guns.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
- I suspect there aren’t any auctions happening here this Sunday.
Clinton Steeds/Flickr
- This old snack stand has seen better days as well.
Bradley Fulton/Flickr
- If it weren’t for this hunk of wood, you would probably find few clues that a mine sits nearby.
Ben Lepley/Flickr
- This former classroom sits in a little community called Frazier Wells, located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation.
Ben Lepley/Flickr
- An old building at Santa Land is starting to become overrun by desert flora.
imageanalogy/Flickr
- This house near Bitter Springs is not only giving way to the surrounding desert but also the local artists.
Alex Weimer/Flickr This wheatpaste was done by regional doctor and artist, Chip Thomas.
- This building at Vulture Mine is slowly finding its way back to the ground.
Dagny Gromer/Flickr
- There’s also this original example of an abandoned place being consumed by the surrounding nature.
Alan English/Flickr This the Wupatki National Monument near Flagstaff.
What other deserted areas have you seen in Arizona? Tell us about them in the comments below!
Steve Rotman/Flickr
velo_city/Flickr
Ken Bosma/Flickr
I wouldn’t try climbing it though.
mlhradio/Flickr
A few buildings are still standing but portions of the ghost town look like this.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
Clinton Steeds/Flickr
Bradley Fulton/Flickr
Ben Lepley/Flickr
imageanalogy/Flickr
Alex Weimer/Flickr
This wheatpaste was done by regional doctor and artist, Chip Thomas.
Dagny Gromer/Flickr
Alan English/Flickr
This the Wupatki National Monument near Flagstaff.
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