Reconstructed 1890s town including gold-mine tours, Old West gunfights, a history museum & more.
The Goldfield of today promises visitors a rich experience steeped in western history. Vacationers can relive the early experiences of the miners by viewing the town and participating in its various activities. As the only true-blue ghost town in the Valley, travelers can expect to tour the underground mines, take ride on the only narrow gauge train operating in Arizona, stroll down Main Street, hit the many shops, view the old buildings, pan for gold, and even watch a rendition of a gun fight. Many visitors also come to visit the Goldfield Superstition Museum which showcases various exhibits related to both the town and the nearby mountains.
History
Goldfield’s history begins with that historic 1892 gold strike that put this town on the map. The initial strike, discovered by J.R. Morse, Orrin Merrill, and C.R. Hakes in 1892, is believed to have been worth as much as three million dollars, dubbed as one of the richest in the world in the days of the Wild West. Subsequent strikes continued to support a vibrant population of four thousand people. During its heyday, the town boasted a general store, post office, several saloons, blacksmith, meat market, school house, boarding house, hotel, and brewery. The hearty Goldfield folk led colorful lives in the midst of all that gold.
A growing Arizona town, Goldfield appeared to be a rising star that even threatened to outshine and outgrow nearby Mesa and the fifty mines within its district appeared to have lasting promise of wealth. However, a break in the gold vein caused the town to decline. Then, a second boom came in about 1910 when the town was christened Youngsberg after George U. Young, secretary of Arizona and acting governor at the time. A mill and cyanide plant was installed and ore was mined once again. A few years later the gold ran out and Youngsberg died. Today, the location is a tourist town with mine tours, gold panning, a saloon, and more.
