There’s an old saying in Arizona, “Bisbee is 100 miles – and 100 years – from Tucson.” Founded in 1877 by a cavalryman engaged in the bitter campaign by the U.S. military to contain Apaches on reservations, Bisbee (population 6,400) is an authentic Western mining town nestled in the spectacular mile-high Mule Mountains. This community is the first in Arizona to be named to America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Once known as the “Queen of the Copper Camps” for its abundance of gold, copper, silver, lead and zinc, Bisbee in the early 1900s was the largest and most cultured city in the Southwest. Despite the town’s sophistication, the rough-and-ready air of a typical mining camp was on display in Bisbee’s famed red-light district, Brewery Gulch, which boasted nearly 50 saloons in its heyday. When mining ended in the 1970s, Bisbee reinvented itself as an artists’ colony with a well-preserved architectural heritage that draws history-seeking travelers. No visit to Bisbee would be complete without a visit to the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. On the Queen Mine Tour, tourists don mining attire, climb aboard a train and explore the depths where many a fortune was made. Visitors should plan on walking through the city’s narrow, twisting streets to view Bisbee’s fine collection of turn-of-the-century Victorian structures – many of which have been transformed into charming small bed-and-breakfast establishments that offer both comfort and a hearty dose of Old West history. 

For these reasons, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the country's largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, today named Bisbee to its 2005 list of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and lovingly preserved communities in the United States. It was selected from nearly 80 destinations in 44 states that were nominated by individuals, preservation organizations and local communities.

 

“To visit Bisbee is to step back in time,” said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Travelers from all over the world come to Bisbee to savor its unique charm – an uncommon blend of history, creativity, friendliness, style, romance and adventure, all wrapped in the rugged splendor of the Old West.”

 

This is the sixth time the National Trust for Historic Preservation has announced a list of Dozen Distinctive Destinations. To date, there are 72 Dozen Distinctive Destinations located in 36 states throughout the country. To see a complete list, visit www.nationaltrust.org. In each community, residents have taken forceful action to protect their town’s character and sense of place. Whether by enacting a local preservation law to protect historic buildings against demolition, rewriting zoning codes to prevent commercial sprawl, removing regulatory barriers to downtown housing, making downtown areas more walkable, enacting design standards, or taking some other major step that demonstrates a strong commitment to their town, residents have worked hard to preserve the historic and scenic assets of their communities, with rewards that transcend town limits.