Grad student Melissa Church and her thesis on a town that reinvented itself

Melissa Church is planning to finish her graduate work this semester with a thesis on Bisbee, Arizona, a little town close to the Mexican border and built up into the Mule Mountains. Bisbee was an active copper-mining town that bloomed during the World War II era. However, the mine, which had various owners, closed in 1974/75 after a 20-year decrease in production.

Things were so bad, The Copper Queen Hotel, a still-operational lodging facility complete with ghosts, was put on the market  and sold for $1 to the city. The community went through an economic tumble. The transformation — the change, the growth, the determination of the people to make it rise again — is the premise behind Church’s thesis.

It’s the reinventing of oneself and the drive to survive. - Melissa Church

“It’s the reinventing of oneself and the drive to survive,” explains Church. “I’d like to learn about how influential people can be in whatever level they are at — the business-owner level, or the city hall level, or just every level of city government. It took everyone to change the town’s identity and to build a revenue stream.

“Bisbee was faced with a decision — to potentially become a ghost town or adapt.”

“I’ve also had several people actually mention Bisbee to me,” she recalls. “One of my friends who I was stationed with (in Arizona) mentioned going to Bisbee. And Rafa, who is also in the (geography) department, he actually mentioned that he had been a photographer in Bisbee. So, yah, I decided to go. I have a draw to art communities. For example, there’s one in Florida called Matlacha Island, and that’s where I bought my first painting from. I guess I’m drawn to art towns.”

Art is at the center of Bisbee, but so are historical sites: the original library, the old copper mine with tours, mining museums, ghost tours and more. It is also home to a couple breweries.

Due to Covid-19, Church plans to do her research through Zoom or phone interviews, even though she would prefer to do it in person. “After Covid-19 is over it would be nice to go back as a tourist,” she says. “And hopefully, I can buy a painting next time. I think you should buy art that makes you feel something when you look at it.”