Like visiting long-forgotten places that are slowly drying up under the Arizona sun? You’ll actually find a ton of places like this around the state in varying states of decay but if there’s any place that is a goldmine for them, it would have to be southeastern Arizona. Home to towns like Tombstone, Bisbee, and Tucson—all iconic places that have each earned their place in Arizona history—you’ll find plenty of ghost towns nearby.
One place we’re going to look at today sits just a short distance from Tombstone and one of the better-preserved ghost towns you’ll encounter.
This is Fairbank, located along State Route 81 next to the San Pedro River.
The town was settled by Americans in 1881 as a railroad stop and was officially founded two years later.
During the height of its history, the town was small but bustling. It reached a population of 100, had all the amenities a western town of the time needed, and was an important stop for the local mines and mills.
The good times didn't last. In 1886, the once prosperous Tombstone mines flooded, which affected the local economy and led residents in the region to move elsewhere.
Fairbank experienced a slow decline and by 1901, most of the town was deserted. By 1970, the entire town was abandoned.
These days, you'll find a few buildings still standing, as well as the foundations of former buildings and remnants of a cemetery.
The remains of Fairbank is currently under the care of the Bureau of Land Management. The agency has worked on some restoration of the town and provides details about its history and each of the buildings you see here.
The schoolhouse was restored in 2007 and is one of the few buildings you can enter.
A step inside will show you what the classroom would have looked like during the two decades it operated.
The teacher's house next to the school is another still-standing building. A couple of other wooden houses show the kinds of humble residences the people of Fairbanks once lived in.
One of the perks of visiting the ghost town is also checking out the San Pedro River, a lush riparian area that sits a few hundred feet from the town.
A few small trails take you from the townsite to the river, the cemetery, and farther into the desert.
It's a great little spot that will remind you to remember the past and look ahead to the future.
Fairbank is located along State Route 82, approximately 71 miles southeast of Tucson and just a stone’s throw away from Tombstone. You can find driving directions to the ghost town at this link.
This area of Arizona is loaded with amazing ghost towns! If you want to check out more in the area, be sure to read This Haunting Road Trip Through Arizona Ghost Towns Is One You Won’t Forget.
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