Community Information:
Cochise County - the Land of Legends: Cochise County, in the southeastern corner of Arizona, is a region of great scenic beauty and carefully preserved cultural heritage. Connect with nature and explore the gorgeous scenery, breathe the fresh mountain air and view the abundance of birds and other wildlife. Step back into time and encounter some of the nation's most colorful history. Benson: Rising land prices in Pima County, and a desire for a certain kind of lifestyle, are driving development towards Benson, a city roughly 40 miles east of Tucson, with a population of about 5000. Benson, the friendliest little whistle stop in the West, has three major Interstate 10 exits, a major grocery store and a Super Walmart. According to some land brokers, land in Pima County is running about 30% more expensive than in Cochise County. Developers are looking to the Benson area, which is about the same distance from Tucson's airport as northern Marana. Benson is close enough for many Tucson area commuters to consider living there. The Benson area is going to drastically change in the next five to ten years. Tucson is moving in that direction. Sunsites-Pearce: Pearce-Sunsites Chamber of Commerce Download Vistors Guide Here (pdf format): If you are looking for satisfying retirement, cast your sights on this quaint little village. Wander the ruins of a once booming mining center - the deserted buildings and old jail. Browse the colorful country store filled with antique treasures. Spend a few moments in the town cemetery. Many great photography opportunities await your delight. Other 'ghost towns' nearby are Courtland and Gleeson. Not much remains but the haunting memories of by gone days. For a free guide of our frontier roots, call 800-800-5969. Cochise Stronghold: This was the Stronghold of the legendary Cochise, who held the westward migration of the white man for nearly 15 years. Somewhere beneath the winding stream bed that wanders through the camp, his body may still lie buried. No one really knows! Visit the Cochise Visitor Center in Willcox, filled with memorabilia of dramatic Apache history and the early settlers who tamed the Sulpher Springs Valley. Wilcox has been the center of cattle ranching in Sulpher Springs Valley for nearly 100 years, so be sure and find a steak fit for a hungry cowboy! Cochise Stronghold Campground has been recently renovated and is located in a magnificent, rugged canyon that served Cochise as a refuge against his enemies. As you enter the East Stonghold Canyon, you pass in the shadow of rocks that served the Apache warrior as perches for his lookouts. The haunting shapes of these carved rocks help make a visit to this charismatic place an unforgettable experience. There are wonderful hiking trails and campsites. Bisbee: Brewery Gulch still winds its way deep into a mountain cleft. Many of the original buildings still stand from the days when Bisbee was a bawdy mining town. The Lavender Pit was once one of the world's largest open pit mines. Tours are available of this gigantic excavation. Bisbee is now turning into a youthful center for artists and craftsmen. Be sure and stop at the Copper Queen hotel (800-247-5829) and then experience the Queen Mine Tour (866-432-2071) and the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate. Tombstone: The Town Too Tough To Die' is a registered Historical National Landmark. Chiricahua Mountains: Across the valley to the east is the mile-high summer home of the Chiricahua Apache. Tucson: Experience a pure Southwest gateway and explore rugged canyons and miles of pristine Southern Arizona has 17 different species of hummingbirds. We are a nature lover's Points of Interest in Cochise County: Amerind Foundation ' an archaeology research facility and museum houses a superb Bisbee Mining and Historic Museum - a Smithsonian Institute rural affliliate, reliving Chiricahua National Monument - an 11,985 acre 'Wonderland of Rocks' with Cochise Stronghold- home to the Chiricahua Apache who used the bluffs as lookouts and Coronado National Memorial- commemorated the first exploration of the American Fort Bowie National Historic Site - a memorial to early settlers, the fort ( now in ruins ) Kartchner Caverns State Park - Arizona's newest state park opened in November 1999. Ramsey Canyon Preserve - this 300 acre native preserve is globally recognized for its Rex Allen Museum and Cowboy Hall of Fame ' a memorial to the pioneer settlers and San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area ' a 37 mile lush riparian area along the Whitewater Draw - a marshy birding area popularized by thousands of migrating sandhill |