Fairbank Ghost Town
Fairbank is a ghost town in Cochise County, Arizona, next to the San Pedro River. First settled in 1881, Fairbank was the closest rail stop to nearby Tombstone, which made it an important location in the development of southeastern Arizona. The town was named for Chicago investor Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank who partially financed the railroad, and was the founder of the Grand Central Mining Company, which had an interest in the silver mines in Tombstone. Today Fairbank is located within the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area.
By the mid-1970s Fairbank was all but deserted. The final remaining residents left when the buildings were deemed unsafe. After that, the post office closed, and the side roads became overgrown and largely impassable. Some years later, in 1986, the former Mexican Land Grant was acquired by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the town was incorporated into the San Pedro Riparian NCA as the “Fairbank Historic Townsite”. What remains of the town of Fairbank is now open to the public. The remaining structures include:
- A commercial building, an adobe structure that used to house the general store, the post office, and the saloon. The structure has been stabilized by the BLM.
- The Montezuma Hotel, which was built in 1889 to the south of the Commercial Building. The hotel was torn down to make way for highway construction, and only portions of its foundation remain.
- A small wooden house, built in 1885, in a style common in the 1880s.
- The schoolhouse, built of gypsum block manufactured in nearby Douglas, AZ, was constructed in 1920, and was a functioning school through the 1930s.
- A larger wooden house, built in 1925.
- A stable and an outhouse, which were built in the early 1940s as part of a Works Progress Administration project based in Fairbank.
A railroad bridge, northwest of the townsite along the San Pedro River, built in 1927. - A railroad platform, west of the townsite, along the former railroad line
In March 2007, the BLM restoration of the schoolhouse was completed, and the structure was opened to the public as a museum and information center for Fairbank.
Where it is:
10 miles west of Tombstone.
Directions to Fairbank Arizona
- FROM INTERSTATE 10:
- Go South from Interstate 10 in Benson, onto Hwy. 80 – toward Tombstone AZ
- Just before you arrive to the town of Tombstone, you’ll see the junction for Hwy. 82
- Turn right, which means heading West on Hwy. 82
- From there it’s not quite 6 miles on the right. Plenty of parking.
- FROM TOMBSTONE:
- Take Hwy. 80 North, out of town toward Benson
- Just after exiting the city limits – at the top of the hill, you’ll see the junction for Hwy. 82
- Turn left, which means heading West on Hwy. 82
- From there it’s not quite 6 miles on the right. Plenty of parking.
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
GPS:
Cost:
Today the area is open for the public to enjoy. Take a self-guided tour around what was once a thriving boom-town of the wild west! Be on the look-out for historic points of interest . . . But note: It is illegal to remove any historic (older than 50 years) artifacts from public lands.
The Fairbank Cemetery, there are in total potentially 60 sites, 38 adult male graves, 11 adult female graves, 4 male children’s graves, and 1 female child’s grave. It is believed in total there are 54 internments plus 6 memorials.
Hours:
Facilities:
Unknown
Location Contact Information:
PHONE: (520) 258-7200
ADDRESS:
San Pedro Project Office
4070 S. Avenida Saracino
Hereford, AZ 85615
Fairbank Ghost Town Photo Gallery
Click Here for full page gallery
More Photographic Destinations in Arizona
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.
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Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
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