Fairbank, Arizona: Journey Through the Ghostly Remnants of the Old West

Fairbank, Arizona: Journey Through the Ghostly Remnants of the Old West | Arizona

Рет қаралды 8,671

Күн бұрын

Fairbank, Arizona, nestled in Cochise County's rugged terrain, whispers tales of the Old West. Once a bustling town, now a ghostly echo of its former self, its abandoned buildings stand as silent witnesses to its rich history.
Fairbank, Arizona, a relic of the Old West, holds a unique charm amidst the desert landscape. Founded in the late 1800s, it flourished briefly as a vital transportation hub along the San Pedro River. Today, visitors can explore its remnants, including weathered structures and abandoned storefronts, evoking a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era. Fairbank's allure lies in its quietude, offering a glimpse into the past and sparking curiosity about the lives once lived within its dusty streets.
Adjacent to Fairbank lies the Fairbank Cemetery, a somber testament to the town's history. Gravestones, weathered and worn, mark the final resting places of pioneers, miners, and settlers who once called this land home. Each headstone tells a story, hinting at the hardships and triumphs of those who braved the frontier. The cemetery stands as a poignant reminder of the transient nature of life in the West, preserving the memory of Fairbank's inhabitants for generations to come.
Further upstream from the town, the remnants of the Grand Central Mill speak to Fairbank's industrial past. Once a bustling center of activity, the mill processed ore from nearby mines, fueling the region's economic growth. Now silent and weather-beaten, its towering structures stand as monuments to Arizona's mining heritage. Exploring the ruins of the Grand Central Mill offers a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of early industrialization in the West, adding another layer to Fairbank's rich tapestry of history.
VIDEO FILMED: 04/10/2024
▬▬ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ▬▬
⚪ • Shadows of the Past: E...
▬▬ L O C A T I O N I N F O ▬▬
⚪ FAIRBANK, AZ - www.blm.gov/visit/fairbank-hi...
⚪ Directions to FAIRBANK, AZ - maps.app.goo.gl/GZKkUZUQXZVBB...
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 Fairbank Historic Townsite
17:12 Fairbank Cemetery
24:42 Grand Central Mill
▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬
⚪ Gear we use - www.amazon.com/shop/thecactus...
⚪ onX Offroad App - alnk.to/gKQ0FLG
⚪ See where we've been - www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...
⚪ Music from Epidemic Sound - www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
(As an Amazon Associate and onX Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases.)
_____________________________________________________________
✅ Find us on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook - @cactusatlas.
✅ Check out our website - cactusatlas.com
Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking, day trips, and campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!

Пікірлер: 73

@hammockstocoasters 28 күн бұрын

Another great video! Much gratitude for the “appreciation chat”. Also, I watch each video but don’t always comment, however wanted to take time today to thank you for keeping it real and relaxing. You (and your lovely partner that edits) are very skilled at your craft. I truly appreciate that you offer variety, information, and humor; yet no over the top acting out antics or puke inducing fake thumbnails or drama. I watch early mornings with my coffee before my day gets hectic and it’s just purely relaxing and enjoyable to watch your content. Stay awesome, you have a nice niche for those of us who actually like to learn something from watching KZfaq.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Well, thank you for taking the time to comment. We love hearing from people and your words are so kind. 😊 We once joked about making one of those silly thumbnails once as a laugh but just can't do it. There's so much of that on this platform that it's much more enjoyable to not do that.

@DovieRuthAuthor 28 күн бұрын

I lived in Gila/Cliff, NM when I was a little girl in the 60s. We had an indoor bathroom, but some of our neighbors had outhouses. In my way of looking at it, I believe we had more to do than people nowadays. There were lots of animals to play with, horses to ride, lots of crafts to enjoy like sewing, quilting, etc. The church and school always had fun activities. We didn’t have a TV, and I’m forever grateful. I would have missed out on more important activities.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

So true. Lots of ways to be creative versus easy entertainment that is available these days. 😅

@Desert2snowoffwego 28 күн бұрын

I love Gila and Cliff it's one of my stalwart anchor points in the Great Southwest. Incredible area!

@susanasalinas4273 28 күн бұрын

This is amazing! Seeing all this beautiful scenery is so serene. Hi Amy n thanks for the invite. On to the next adventure. C ya there.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Meet you there! 😄

@FullDan19 28 күн бұрын

I've live in AZ most of my life and haven't heard of Fairbank. Great video to start off a Friday. I love western history.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Thanks so much! Happy that you enjoyed it. 😊

@richardprew1154 10 күн бұрын

Gas station, general store, and post office were open until the 1970's. These have been renovated within the last several years. Approximately 2 miles downstream (north) are the remains of Presidio Santa Cruz Terranate, a Spanish fort dated to 1776.

@amargosaranch7794 27 күн бұрын

I just watched your video on Fairbank, AZ. As usual, it was very informative and fun to watch. I have been viewing all of your historical videos for 6 months now. Your drone really adds a lot to each location, seeing things not accessible otherwise, including the shapes and conditions of old roofs. keep up the good work!

@CactusAtlas 26 күн бұрын

Oh, thank you! Using the drone and seeing the different perspectives is exciting for us too. ☺️

@kathietee291 26 күн бұрын

We’ve been to Tombstone three times over the years, never even thought to check out Fairbank! But we will if we ever go back that way. Great video! Glenn does such a great job. We enjoy these videos so much!

@CactusAtlas 26 күн бұрын

Thank you! We have a lot of fun making these videos. 😄

@gstiles7 26 күн бұрын

What a great place! This is a hidden gem because it's less commercialized than Tombstone. I don't know if you missed anything, but you could spend much time there. Thanks for the trip!

@CactusAtlas 26 күн бұрын

Well, it would be nice to see inside the schoolhouse. There's a few things missed but all the more reason to visit again. 😅

@Wilderness-Will 26 күн бұрын

Fairbanks was the first REAL ghost town I ever visited as a kid. Goldfield near Phoenix and Gold King near Jerome are great places for families to explore the imagery and imagination of the “Old West,” but the remote drive out to the Fairbanks townsite makes you really realize just how remote and off the beaten path that place really was. When I visited again a few years ago, I noticed leftover signage in the depot from what appeared to be one of (if not the) last local school board election in the early 1960s. It really humanized the fact that this place was still a living community until less than a generation ago.

@CactusAtlas 26 күн бұрын

Oh, that's so cool! Poking around inside the buildings would be so interesting just to get a look into how things might have looked in the day. Or heck... over the years as with those signs you saw!

@ritajennings334 28 күн бұрын

I live 5 miles fr there but can’t remember exploring the place with my husband. I plan to explore it in a few days. Thank you

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Awesome!! I hope you have a great time!

@diannemc3179 28 күн бұрын

Great vid. Been to Fairbank twice. Hiked up to the cemetery. Never knew about the mill. Thanks for showing it🌵

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

No problem 👍 Always happy to share. 😊

@bradfordbarrettluckotheIrish 25 күн бұрын

Great job Glenn!

@CactusAtlas 24 күн бұрын

Thanks! 👍

@user-hs6kv2il2q 17 күн бұрын

Excellent video. Really enjoyed this one.

@CactusAtlas 15 күн бұрын

Thank you very much!

@sharonroller8849 27 күн бұрын

❤ just found you, I love videos like this, thank you.

@CactusAtlas 26 күн бұрын

Glad you like them! Welcome! 😊

@Desert2snowoffwego 28 күн бұрын

Nice video Glenn, used to live there in the super early 80s and I don't remember so many intact buildings in that area. That's interesting in itself! Just about 2 mi or so to the South along the railroad tracks there's some wonderful petroglyphs from the former residents.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Some have been worked on (such as the post office - the before photos were unbelievable!). So I've no doubt that when you visited, the buildings were likely in a totally different state.

@doxielover2814 28 күн бұрын

Such an old town in really good shape. It is great to be able to see these place still around. Amy love your music you apply. It really adds to the quality of the video.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Aw, thank you so much. 😊😊

@johnchedsey1306 15 күн бұрын

Nice one. That would be an easy day trip from Tucson for me. Guess I better go there sometime.

@CactusAtlas 15 күн бұрын

You should! It's a nice little day trip from Tucson. 😊

@keithmiller3422 28 күн бұрын

Totally enjoyable. Its fascinating to experience a part of Arizona's forgotten past. Appreciate your respect for their cemetery. It made it an emotional bonding moment for all of us. You hinted that there's a difference between graveyard and cemetery, but didn't elaborate. Be nice to know. Loved the drone moments, and kudos to Amy for the music accompaniment.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Ah! Graveyards are typically associated with a church, whereas cemeteries aren't. We got some "feedback" about misusing the term once. 😂 The terms get used interchangeably often by people, though. Kinda rubs off on our habits too. 😅

@TheFremenChick 28 күн бұрын

Fairbank is a nice visit. The hike is really interesting and pretty. My ham radio club activated the site last year and it was a good time. Cheers.

@TheFremenChick 28 күн бұрын

I just thought of something. When I was there a man was playing a saxophone on the river bank. That was special.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

😯 Well, that's not something you see every day! How cool!

@kenk1959 28 күн бұрын

RE- the nails. Modern nails have a round shaft. Ones made by hand by a blacksmith have a square shaft. Great vid as always

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Thanks so very much!

@Corgis175 28 күн бұрын

Love AZ.

@AdventuringwiththeS.G.O.C.C 28 күн бұрын

When the rails and ties are removed the RR bed is called a RR-bed.

@lillylizzarddragon3576 12 күн бұрын

My father grew up in the house across from the school house and my grandmother went to school in that school house.

@CactusAtlas 11 күн бұрын

How cool! Thanks for sharing! 😄

@debbieseidelbittke2647 26 күн бұрын

We’re binge watching your travels and enjoying. We live in the west valley. Thanks for what youre doing to share the desert beauty. May you retire sooner than later bcuz you make a lot of $ beyond your dreams. 🎉

@CactusAtlas 26 күн бұрын

Our pleasure! And thank you for your kind words. 😊

@richardbeee 28 күн бұрын

Nice explore! Say howdy to Slim. 😊

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Thanks! Slim sends his hellos. 😄

@elliott3471 28 күн бұрын

Contention just up a ways.

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Indeed! A shame that we didn't have the time to continue exploring.

@stevenrafters7817 28 күн бұрын

That box between the toilets was for lime to put down the hole after use

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

Interesting! Makes sense. 👍

@IamKiener 24 күн бұрын

Hey there, not sure if it's just on my end or across the board, I watch almost every video you guys publish and haven't seen any issues with the last few, but for some reason this Fairbank video has alot of artifacting and almost glitch like effects when walking through the bush in the desert. Just wanted to give a heads up incase its happening across the board. As always great content and keep up the amazing work.

@CactusAtlas 24 күн бұрын

Yikes! Have you tried checking to see which resolution KZfaq is serving? We typically do a quality watch on videos before they go public to make sure there's no major errors and I didn't notice anything past the usual compression that KZfaq does to uploads. 😲

@IamKiener 24 күн бұрын

@@CactusAtlas thank you for the info. It looks like KZfaq has set the auto function to 480p. So that would explain it. Put it on 4k and the image is crystal clear. Just weird that for this video specifically it auto adjusts to 480p. I havnt had any issues with any other videos. Sorry for the scare, I hadn't even thought to check the settings seeing as how I've never had an issue like this. Thanks for the help. Keep up the awesome content. Hope you guys have a amazing week. 😉

@CactusAtlas 24 күн бұрын

KZfaq can be funny sometimes. We have fiber, and sometimes we still get 480p too. 😅

@IamKiener 24 күн бұрын

@@CactusAtlas that's exactly what happened to me. I have unlimited very high speed internet so it was kind of a shock that it reverted to 480p. Thanks again for the insight. Gotta remember to check settings from now on. 😂

@alisonasmg 28 күн бұрын

We’re going to go here on Christmas Day, as we’re staying in Tombstone for the holiday. Do you know if it’s dog friendly? That’s always information I can use, as we travel with our dogs more often than not. Great videos, btw! I’m glad we found you.😊

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

🤔 I'm not sure. Don't remember seeing signs stating if it is or not, but I know they have a phone number on their website. I'd hate to provide wrong info.

@alisonasmg 25 күн бұрын

Thanks! I didn’t even know there was a website.

@CactusAtlas 25 күн бұрын

It's not much of one - just a page on BLM's website, but there is a phone number and hopefully they are able to provide guidance. My gut is telling me dogs would be okay, but I just hate the idea of guessing especially when furry friends/family are involved. 😊 If you happen to get an answer, let us know! We'd love to pass info onto others. (And we'll try to take notice in the future if we see signs and/or information on dog friendly places or not.)

@alisonasmg 25 күн бұрын

Thanks! Will do. Are you going to any of the other federal cabins like the Kentucky Camp cabin? We had planned to go to Kentucky Camp for Christmas, but after seeing your video, we became aware of the vault toilets and changed our mind, lol. If you haven’t been to the one in Portal, we have that one planned for May, but if you want to check it out first… Portal is so pretty! And it has an indoor toilet and running water😊

@CactusAtlas 25 күн бұрын

Hm. No immediate plans for other cabins but I know we have a couple things pinned on our map around that area. Will have to check it out and see if anything can be scheduled. 👍