Inspiration, Arizona

Inspiration is a ghost town in Gila County, Arizona, in the United States.[2] It has an estimated elevation of 3,927 feet (1,197 m) above sea level.[1] Inspiration was the company town for the Inspiration mine.

Inspiration, Arizona
Populated place
Inspiration Mine in 1916
Inspiration Mine in 1916
Inspiration is located in Arizona
Inspiration
Inspiration
Location within the state of Arizona
Inspiration is located in the United States
Inspiration
Inspiration
Inspiration (the United States)
Coordinates: 33°24′45″N 110°53′00″W
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
CountyGila
Elevation
[1]
3,927 ft (1,197 m)
Time zoneUTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (MST)
Area code928
FIPS code04-35450
GNIS feature ID30392

The old Inspiration townsite is on company property, and is not accessible to the general public.

History

Inspiration had its start as a copper-mining settlement.[3] According to tradition, the area was so named when a local prospector dreamed of finding a mine, and his dream came true.[4] A post office called Inspiration was established in 1917, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1983.[5]

At its peak population, Inspiration had between 350 and 400 people. There were 89 houses, three duplex apartment houses, the Benjamin Franklin School, the Warrior Store and service station, the Inspiration Post Office, and the telephone office. As of 2013, only the school building, the gas station, and some walls and foundations remain.[6]

Inspiration mine

The rich Inspiration copper mine opened in 1911. It was promoted by Boyce Thompson, who owned the nearby Magma mine in Superior, Arizona. He retained a 15% interest in the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Company when that was founded in 1915.

The mine is currently operated by Freeport-McMoran, who renamed it the Miami mine.

References
  1. "Feature Detail Report for: Inspiration". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. "Inspiration (in Gila County, AZ) Populated Place Profile". AZ Hometown Locator. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  3. Moyer, Armond; Moyer, Winifred (1958). The origins of unusual place-names. Keystone Pub. Associates. p. 68.
  4. Blackwood, Alisa (April 15, 2001). "Whimsical names mark Arizona towns". Reading Eagle. pp. E11. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  5. "Gila County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  6. Inspiration ghost town. Accessed 6/24/2018
Malachite-Quartz-Chrysocolla from Inspiration Mine. The white quartz crystals are on a layer of malachite, which is in turn on a layer of chrysocolla. Size: 15.2 x 13.4 x 6.4 cm.

Featured in the film "A Kiss Before Dying " 1956 MGM Robert Wagner Joanne Woodward.

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