The World of Bisbee, Arizona

Main Street in Bisbee, Arizona. Photo by Melissa Church

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.”

Junction Headframe. Photo courtesy of Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum/Bob Gaethje

Church said her project will examine the community in Bisbee, specifically how it has built and maintained its identity as a haven for the arts and historic tourism.

“I will explore how government officials and community leaders work to position Bisbee in the larger context of Southwest tourism, as well as the local’s and tourist’s perception of place and identity of the booming art district. More specifically, my hypothesis is going to focus on how did the city officials/townspeople of Bisbee arrive at the decision to remake Bisbee into an edgy art haven.”

Church learned of Bisbee when temporarily stationed in Arizona. Her husband was also stationed at a nearby Army base (Fort Huachuca) while trying to out-process from the military. The Med-board process for him was to take up to a year, and Church considered moving to Bisbee to be close to him. However, that plan never materialized because he out-processed much sooner than expected. Still, she was able to visit Bisbee several times and was drawn to the community.

Junction Yard, the current offices of Freeport Minerals Corp., Copper Queen Branch. Photo courtesy of Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum/Bob Gaethje

“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.”

The road from Douglas to Bisbee. Photo by Melissa Church

She says she likes the town’s story and people’s drive: “They had an opportunity after the mining industry ended to become dry up or reinvent themselves. They chose to remake themselves into something that can work and thrive there. They stayed true to history and authenticity and I wanted to focus on identity change. People began moving in and they had the means to restore some of the buildings. They just slowly started trickling in and started putting their own stamp on the town.”

Though in the beginning stages of her research, Church plans to finish her thesis soon and hope others take away from the cultural geography piece. “I would like others to be inspired by the history of this town,” she says. “It would be great if they’d be inspired to go out and see it.”