Events
Chloride
Way up in the northwest corner of Arizona is the little town of Chloride, the oldest continuously inhabited mining camp in the state - and a ghost town that's still very much alive. Built on silver - and later on lead and zinc - Chloride once boasted more than 2,500 citizens and had more than 70 actively producing mines. Today, Chloride is a ghost of what it was, but what it is, is a friendly, vibrant small community, living with its past and enjoying its present. Snugged up against the Cerbat Mountains, this not-quite-ghost town is as real as it gets. Artists and retirees, outdoor lovers and a few young families revel in the clean air, quiet setting (except when the coyotes sing in the hills), killer sunsets and star-spangled night skies. This little town's motto says it pretty well: "Chloride - quaint, quirky...cool!"
For Visitors Information:
4940 Tennessee Avenue
Chloride, AZ 86431
(928) 565-4888
- County: Mohave
- Elevation: 4,000
- Population: 380
Chloride Attractions
Chloride is a glimpse of Arizona's mining past with remnants of the boom days: the original two-cell jail and Santa Fe Railroad station, vintage miners' cabins - both ruined and renovated, the stagecoach stop for the Butterfield stage and the 1891 Baptist Church. See the Roy Purcell murals, located in a canyon above town, a 2000-square-foot explosion of color and passion. The Arizona Republic recently listed them as one of 12 Arizona "must sees" (though four-wheel-drive and high clearance are required). On Saturdays at high noon, you can also watch gunfighters shoot it out in "Cyanide Springs," a mix of historic buildings and movie-set Old West facades. Hike or ride ATVs or mountain bikes on miles of old mining roads criss-crossing the Cerbats. Camp in two BLM campgrounds at over 6,000 high, each with spectacular views. Wander the streets (some paved, some not) to see creative "yard art," scrap-metal sculpture and other "artsy" creations. Sit in a quiet spot and let your mind or pen wander. Chloride is easy living.
Chloride History & Culture
Silver was first discovered in the flats and foothills at the base of the Cerbat Mountains in the late 1850s. The silver chloride in the ore gave the mining camp its name. By 1871, when Chloride Townsite became official, it was one of the richest mining districts in the state. Silver, lead, zinc, gold, vanadium, molybdenum, copper, turquoise - it all came from these hills. In 1899, a front-page story in the San Francisco Chronicle announced a major silver strike in Chloride. Hundreds of hopeful miners a day poured into town, swelling the boom-town population to more than 5,000. Most left, but some stayed and built a community, with a bank, library, dance hall, cinema, pool halls, groceries, barber, chocolate shop, bars, brothels, a church and a two-room schoolhouse. Today, it's a quiet place with no stoplights, few streetlights, one restaurant/bar/hotel, several antique and gift shops/galleries, a quirky sense of humor and friendly people. Come say hello!
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