Swansea 2.0

Swansea is a ghost town associated with a large, but ultimately unsuccessful, copper mining operation.  A plethora of information signs throughout the site make for a worthwhile visit.
Mining in the Swansea Area began around 1862, but major activity had to wait for the coming of the railroad. In 1904 the Arizona & California Railroad began constructing a line from Wickenburg to Parker.

Seeing an opportunity for further development several of the original miners, Newton Evans and Thomas Jefferson Carrigan, secured investment money and began to develop Swansea. By the end of 1908, a 350 ton capacity furnace, a 3.5 mile water pipeline from the Bill Williams River, and the hoists for five mine shafts were under construction. By 1909 Swansea had a population of 500.

The following year the Arizona & Swansea railroad began operation from Bouse. The railroad was key in moving supplies and people in and out of the growing mining town. Financial problems set in by 1911 and the mines shutdown with a brief reopening in 1912.

​The American Smelting and Refining Company bought the mines in 1914 and rebuilt much of the town. The new owners ran the mines until 1937 when the Great Depression closed the mines for good.

There is a GPS - gpx track file at the bottom of the page.
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Dust chamber
The best way to enjoy Swansea is to drive in and read all the information signs throughout the site.  This is why we do not have much info on this site.

The worker's housing has new roofs to preserve the structures.  Mine openings have been closed with bat-friendly covers.
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Worker housing
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Mine covering
There are many tailings and waste piles throughout the area.  Not much left of the old smelter.
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Tailings and waste
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Smelter
This track goes to the old pumping station site on Bill Williams River.  The only thing still visible is the intake reservoir - hardly worth the trip.  The road to the station is easy except for this single obstacle.
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Pumping station intake reservoir
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Pumping Station road
Page updated 2017.
swansea_2.0.gpx
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