Arizona’s most stubborn ghost town and the man who resurrected it

Goldfield’s Three Deaths and Resurrections in Arizona

Goldfield, Arizona died three times but kept coming back.

Gold found in the Superstition Mountains in 1892 built a town of 4,000 with three saloons, a school, and big dreams by 1893. Then the gold ran out in 1897.

Years later, George Young, the territory’s acting governor, brought new life as “Youngsberg” with modern mining equipment until his death in 1926 killed the town again.

After a 1943 fire destroyed what remained, ghost town fan Bob Schoose bought the ruins in 1984 and spent five years rebuilding the 1890s town.

Today, Goldfield stands as a rare frontier time capsule where you can ride Arizona’s only narrow-gauge railroad.

Gold Fever Hit the Superstition Mountains in 1892

Collin Hakes, Riley Morse, and the Merrill brothers struck gold in 1892 when they found gold ore in the Superstition Mountains.

This happened while stories about the Lost Dutchman Mine spread across Arizona, drawing treasure hunters to the rough landscape.

Local papers boasted about $1,000-per-ton strikes in March 1893, creating excitement throughout the area.

The spot was about 25 miles from Phoenix, between the Superstition and Goldfield Mountains, in a perfect spot to grow big.

Tiny Goldfield Quickly Grew Bigger Than Phoenix

Goldfield popped up almost overnight in 1893, getting its first post office on October 7 with James Patterson as postmaster. The town grew to 4,000 people, making it larger than Phoenix back then.

Workers built 28 buildings including three saloons, a boarding house, general store, blacksmith shop, brewery, meat market, and a schoolhouse.

Local papers boldly said Goldfield would soon leave Mesa behind as gold fever brought jobs and money flowing into the area.

The Gold Vein Ran Dry After Just Five Years

Tough luck struck in 1897 when miners found the gold vein had broken, making the ore quality drop sharply. Workers left as jobs dried up and businesses closed.

The final blow came on November 2, 1898, when the post office closed for good. Just five years after it started, Goldfield became Arizona’s first ghost town.

The once-busy streets fell silent as tumbleweeds replaced people.

An Arizona Territory Big Shot Saw Promise in the Ruins

George U. Young showed up around 1910 with money and big plans.

As the former Arizona Territory Secretary and acting governor, Young knew how to make things happen. He brought eastern investors and took over as president of Young Mines Company, Ltd.

His know-how came from years of starting successful mining operations across Arizona Territory. Young believed new equipment and methods could get gold from the leftover low-grade ore others had given up on.

The Town Got a New Name and a Fresh Start

Young spent money on a 50-ton cyanide plant, 10-stamp mill, electric power plant, and worker housing. His company pulled $67,000 in gold and silver from 7,100 tons of ore during this comeback.

The town got a new post office on June 8, 1921, and a new name: “Youngsberg,” after its savior.

The operation linked to the outside world through Summit Station on the railway, bringing in heavy gear and shipping out precious metals.

Thanksgiving Day 1926 Marked the End of Round Two

A mining accident around 1918 hurt Young badly and his health never came back. His condition got worse through the early 1920s until he became fully bedridden by late 1925.

The end came on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1926, when George Young died from a stroke at his vacation home near Derby Mine. With its leader gone, Youngsberg lost its driving force.

The town emptied out once more, going quiet for the second time in its short history.

Military Training Burned Most Buildings to Ashes

The ghost town took another hit in 1943 when U. S. military training went wrong. A stray flare started a brushfire that tore through the empty town, burning about 60% of the remaining buildings to the ground.

The flames left little more than foundations and scattered debris across the five-acre townsite.

A few rickety buildings somehow survived, but the site sat ignored for decades afterward, slowly crumbling back into the desert.

A Ghost Town Fan from Illinois Found His Dream Project

Robert “Bob” Schoose first saw the Superstition Mountains in 1966 during a vacation from his home in River Grove, Illinois.

The ghost town lover moved to Mesa, Arizona in 1970 and started dreaming about owning his own piece of Wild West history.

When Bob checked out the original Goldfield location, he found mostly foundations and a few broken-down shacks. The old mill site caught his eye as the perfect spot for bringing history back to life.

Five Years of Hard Work Rebuilt the Past

Bob and his wife Lou Ann bought the five-acre mill site in 1984 and got to work.

The couple spent nearly five years carefully rebuilding the town, using original foundations where possible.

Their first project created a mining tunnel with a small snack bar, following the exact layout of the original Goldfield streets. They formed “Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, Inc.” with Bob as president and Lou Ann handling the books.

Opening Day Brought in Just Nine Dollars

The reborn Goldfield Ghost Town opened in 1988, but business started slow with just $9 in sales on day one.

The Schooses kept adding authentic touches: the Blue Nugget general store, Mammoth Saloon, Goldfield Museum, and other Old West buildings.

They even built Arizona’s only working narrow-gauge railroad using an 1890 Porter locomotive that once hauled ore from the original mines.

Visitors could tour underground tunnels, watch gunfight shows, and step back into the 1890s.

The Third Time’s a Charm for This Desert Survivor

Today’s Goldfield draws thousands of visitors yearly from across the globe seeking a taste of the Wild West.

Tourists ride the narrow-gauge train, zip down the zip line, check out the reptile exhibit, and watch period-accurate gunfight shows.

Staff members dress in 1890s clothing and buildings match historical photos down to the smallest details.

The town stands as a living example of the complete American frontier story: wild boom, devastating bust, and unexpected rebirth as a place where history lives on.

Visiting Goldfield Ghost Town, Arizona

Goldfield Ghost Town at 4650 N Mammoth Mine Road in Apache Junction lets you walk Main Street and explore historic buildings for free.

You can take the Mammoth Mine tour for $12 (adults) or ride the Superstition Narrow Gauge Railroad for $12 with mining history stories. The Goldfield Museum shows Lost Dutchman Mine maps and mining artifacts.

Watch live gunfight shows on weekends and holidays at 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM, and 4:00 PM.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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