AZParanormal

The Vulture Gold Mine was discovered in 1863 by Henry Wickenburg. Henry sold the mine after a few years. The Vulture, however, went on to become the most productive gold mine in the history of Arizona. Vulture City grew to a population of almost five thousand people. The mine sparked the development of Arizona and the city of Phoenix.

The Vulture Mine produced gold worth more than 200 million dollars. The exact amount is unknown. Some say that nearly half of the Vulture’s gold was stolen. “Highgrading” or theft of the high grade ore was common at the Vulture. At least 18 men were hung on the Vulture City’s hanging tree, nearly all for highgrading.

When President Franklin Roosevelt closed the mine in 1942 (WW II) people left believing they would return in six months. The mine never reopened. Almost overnight a once thriving community became a ghost town.

Exuding that unmistakable atmosphere of a western ghost town, Maricopa County’s Vulture City was once one of the richest gold mines in the west. Discovered in 1863 by Henry Wickenburg, Vulture Mine, which is near Wickenburg, Arizona was one of the Arizona Territory’s richest mines and it was still producing, at decreased levels, until World War II. Today, this ghost town provides visitors with the opportunity to see a genuine vision of what life was like in an old west mining town. Many buildings remain in tact and there is also a fair amount of mining equipment to see. Unlike many ghost towns today, Vulture City has not been remade into a “rebuilt tourist” destination-it still retains its authenticity and many visitors come to enjoy it throughout the year.

Despite early management problems, Vulture Mine’s wealth allowed the camp to blossom into a self-contained town by 1880. Along with roughly six boarding houses, the town boasted a cookhouse and mess hall, a blacksmith shop, several buildings associated with the mine, stores, offices, saloons, and even a school. By this time there were about three hundred miners and their families living in town. Vulture City peaked with a population of about 5,000 residents. Owner after owner would face many challenges turning a profit with the mine over the next several decades as the main gold vein was lost. However, the mine was not officially shut down until 1942. Throughout its lifespan, the mines at Vulture City officially produced upwards of two hundred million dollars in gold.

Although privately owned, this old ghost town is open to the public for a small fee. Because it rates so highly among ghost town enthusiasts, Vulture City is a big Arizona attraction. There are a variety of town highlights that should not be missed on a visit. Henry Wickenburg’s cabin still remains as is the nearby ironwood hanging tree where 18 men were hung on charges of high grading (stealing ore).

There are many buildings in their original form around the site. Many are unstable as they have not been restored. The camp’s largest structure is a two-story building that once housed the mine’s office. This building also contained the assay office as well as an underground vault that once stored bars of gold. The blacksmith’s shop can also be seen as well as many other historic structures. Many of the office workers’ and mine worker’s possessions can be seen in the dwellings where they once lived. Visitors will come across many period relics including tables, chairs, clothes, and other antique objects that nearly bring the rooms back to life.