Fairbank

Timeline

• Pre-1881 - Native American Settlement A Native American village had long existed along the San Pedro River, drawn by its consistent water supply.
• 1881 - Railroad Arrives The railroad reached this point along the San Pedro River, and a town quickly developed. It was initially called Junction City and Kendall.
• May 16, 1883 - Formally Founded The town was formally founded and named Fairbank after Nathaniel Kellogg Fairbank, a Chicago investor who helped finance the railroad.
• 1881-1886 - Tombstone's Lifeline As the closest rail stop to Tombstone, Fairbank became essential to the silver boomtown. Supplies flowed in; ore flowed out to mills along the San Pedro. Multiple railroad lines converged here.
• 1880s - Stagecoach Station Fairbank also served as a stagecoach station on the Butterfield Overland Mail line, adding to its transportation importance.
• September 1890 - Flood The San Pedro River flooded, causing substantial property damage to the town.
• 1886 - Tombstone Declines When Tombstone's mines flooded and silver production collapsed, Fairbank's reason for existence diminished significantly.
• 1901 - Land Company Takeover The Boquillas Land and Cattle Company acquired the land upon which Fairbank stood, leading to the eviction of most residents.
• Mid-1970s - Final Abandonment Fairbank was largely deserted and buildings deemed unsafe. The post office closed.
• 1986-Present - Preservation The Bureau of Land Management acquired the site. Now part of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, Fairbank is preserved as a historic townsite.