Globe, Arizona

Globe was originally a mining camp, founded around 1875. Today, Globe is a center for tourism, government and mining in addition to having become a retirement destination. In Globe is one of the few copper smelters still operating in the US. A large portion of downtown Globe is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Globe has a colorful history as it remained a frontier town long after the flatland cities of Arizona started to show signs of gentility. While copper miners were busy fueling the economic fires, Globe was planning for incorporation by building retail stores and banks in the heart of the platted townsite. The first newspaper started publishing on May 2, 1878. A bit later a new direct-line stage route opened between Globe and Silver City, New Mexico. Globe was designated as the county seat of Gila County in early 1881. But because of Globe's relative isolation, the local history is peppered with stories of outlaws, murders, stagecoach robberies, lynchings and raids by the nearby Apaches.

One famous outlaw, the Apache Kid, was tried in Globe's courthouse on October 23, 1889. After his conviction, it was the sheriff's job to transport him to the Territorial Prison in Yuma. The journey started out from Globe with several prisoners inside an armored stagecoach with the sheriff and at least one deputy riding on horseback outside. When they got close to where Kearny is today, the going got tough and the sheriff let the prisoners out of the stagecoach to ease the burden on the horses. Somehow, the Apache Kid overcame the sheriff and the deputy, killing the sheriff in the process. The Apache Kid is said to have disappeared from the scene and was never heard from again (although some stories say he was hunted down and killed somewhere in the vicinity of the Apache Kid Wilderness of New Mexico).

A couple other infamous outlaws were members of the Clanton Gang of the "Shootout at OK Corral" fame. Ike and Phineas Clanton arrived in nearby Apache County in 1884, still on the run from the events in Tombstone. Ike was soon shot and killed by a local deputy sheriff while Phineas ended up serving time for a botched stage robbery before he finally moved to Globe and retired, dying in 1906 of pneumonia.

On the east side of Globe (about 1.25 miles from downtown) is the Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park, a Globe city park. This is the site of a 700-year-old Salado pueblo where we, the people, are actually encouraged to walk through an actual ruin and examine an ancient way of life up close. There is a botanical park adjacent to the ruin and an excellent museum displaying probably the largest single collection of Salado artifacts on Earth.