Pearce
Commonwealth Mine - turned ghost then revived
State: Arizona
County: Cochise County
Founded: 1894
Pearce boomed with the Commonwealth Mine—one of Arizona's richest gold strikes. When the gold ran out, it became a ghost town. Then it revived as a retirement and rural community. About 1,500 people now live among the historic ruins. The old general store still stands.
Timeline
- 1894 - Gold Strike John Pearce discovered gold.
- 1896-1905 - Boom Commonwealth Mine peak production.
- 1905 - Underground Fire Mining slowed.
- 1939 - Closed Mine fully closed.
- Present - Revival ~1,500 residents in rural community.
Plan Your Visit
Best Time: Fall-spring
Difficulty: Easy
Time Needed: 1 hour
Tips
- Old general store remains
- Near Chiricahua National Monument
- Mix of ruins and active community
- Ghost town cemetery preserved
Quick Facts
- Ghost town that came back to life
- Commonwealth Mine was major producer
- ~1,500 now live among the ruins
- Near Chiricahua Apache history
Location
Address: Cochise County, Arizona
Coordinates: 31.9117, -109.8347