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Pearce, Arizona
Coordinates: 31°54′18″N 109°49′14″W
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pearce, Arizona, and Sunsites, Arizona, are adjacent
unincorporated communities in the Sulphur Springs Valley of
Cochise County, Arizona, United States. The two communities are
often referred to as Pearce-Sunsites, Pearce/Sunsites, or Pearce
Sunsites.[1][2]
Pearce is best known as a historic ghost town. Sunsites, founded
in 1961, adjoins Pearce, and the Sunizona and Richland
developments are nearby. All of these communities share the
Pearce, Arizona post office and ZIP code, 85625.[3] The 85625
ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which includes the four communities
named plus a large surrounding rural area, had a population of
2104 at the 2000 census.[4] The Pearce-Sunsites economy is
based on retirees and tourism.[1]
The Old Pearce General Store, 1990.
Fittsburg was the site of the Commonwealth Mine and is located
about one mile east of Pearce.[5]
Contents
1 History
2 Historic sites
3 See also
4 Notable people associated with Pearce
5 References
6 Sources and external links
The mill at Fittsburg, c.1900.
History
Pearce is a mining ghost town named for Cornishman James Pearce, miner and cattleman, who discovered
gold nearby at what became the Commonwealth Mine in 1894. The Pearce Post Office was established on
March 6, 1896. The railroad station opened in 1903. By 1919, Pearce had a population of 1,500. The town
declined in the 1930s, and became almost a ghost in the late 1940s, when the mine closed for the last time.
The Commonwealth Mine became one of Arizona's major silver producers. Over 1,000,000 tons of ore were
produced from 1895 to 1942. There are about 20 miles of underground workings.[6] The mine produced about
$8 million worth of silver and $2.5 million in gold at a time when silver was priced around 50 cents an ounce,
and gold was $20 an ounce.[7]
Historic sites
Pearce is the home of two properties on the National Register of Historic Places. The Old Pearce General
Store opened in 1896. The store remained open as a tourist attraction after Pearce (almost) died, and remains
open in 2009. Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in
2004. There are a number of other historic structures still extant in and around Pearce, some still in use,
others in ruins.[5]
See also
Shootout at Wilson Ranch
Notable people associated with Pearce
Daniel Barringer (geologist), part owner of Commonwealth Mine
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R. A. F. Penrose, Jr., part owner of Commonwealth Mine
Burt Alvord, late 19th century lawman in Pearce
Andrew Young Smith, President and General Manager of
Commonwealth Mine
Effie Anderson Smith, Arizona Impressionist painter of landscapes,
and wife of mine manager A.Y. Smith
Edward Landers Drew, Pinal County deputy sheriff buried in the
Pearce Cemetery
References
1. ^ a b Pearce/Sunsites community profile
(http://www.azcommerce.com/doclib/COMMUNE/pearce-sunsites.pdf) at
Arizona Department of Commerce
2. ^ Pearce Sunsites Chamber of Commerce
Effie Anderson Smith in her
Rambler Touring Car, circa
1907, near her home in Pearce.
(http://pearcesunsiteschamber.org/), which also uses "Pearce-Sunsites"
3. ^ 85625 ZIP code map (http://www.city-data.com/zips/85625.html), scroll down
4. ^ "American FactFinder" (http://factfinder.census.gov). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
5. ^ a b Pearce and Fittsburg ghost towns (http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/pearce.html)
6. ^ Commonwealth Mine (http://www.mindat.org/loc-10260.html) at Mindat.org
7. ^ Commonwealth Mine archives, 1895-1938 (http://www.azarchivesonline.org/archives/?getObject=ualib:117325)
Sources and external links
Pearce Sunsites Chamber of Commerce (http://pearcesunsiteschamber.org/)
Google map of Pearce-Sunsites (http://maps.google.com/maps?
f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Pearce-Sunsites+AZ&sll=37.0625,95.677068&sspn=36.642161,63.105469&ie=UTF8&ll=31.938761,109.706039&spn=0.293095,0.753937&z=11)
Old Pearce Mercantile (http://www.oldpearcestore.com/)
Pearce and Fittsburg ghost towns (http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/pearce.html), includes photo
gallery
Pearce ghost town (http://www.arizonaghosttowntrails.com/pearce.html)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pearce,_Arizona&oldid=579006566"
Categories: Ghost towns in Arizona Populated places established in 1896
Unincorporated communities in Cochise County, Arizona Unincorporated communities in Arizona
This page was last modified on 27 October 2013 at 21:01.
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10/31/2013