Place Names

Transcribed by Wilola Follett

Cochise County was formed out of Pima County in February 1881. It is located in the Southeast comer of Arizona, bordering New Mexico on the east and Mexico on the south. Named for the famous Chiricahua Apache Indian Chief, "Cochise". The original county seat was located in Tombstone. In 1931 the county seat was relocated to Bisbee, the current county seat. The population was 114,925 as of 1998 and included a labor force of 39,262. The county covers a land area of 6,215 square miles with major industries of farming, ranching, tourism and military. The mining and smelting of copper ore was a dominate factor in the county but by 1988 this industry had become part of Cochise County history.

The land area is mostly desert grasses, mesquite and oak trees in the elevation between 4000-6000 feet. The remaining area is mountainous and covered with forest reaching elevations of almost 10,000 feet.

Cochise (co-cheze) is derived from "cheis", an Apache word meaning wood. On the l881 Territorial Map of Arizona, the county was identified as "Cachise. The Mexican pronunciation was "kawcheze-say" (at least to my understanding). The county had its share of bad hombres, slick operators, con men, Indian attacks (the surrender of Geronimo) and the (Fimbres ranch raid of the early 1930's). Some might say things never change".

US Highway 80 was the major road artery into Cochise County from the east, through the cities of Douglas, Bisbee, Tombstone and Benson. With the opening of lnterstate 10, Highway 80 ceased to be a main thoroughfare and became Arizona State Highway 80.

The history of this county is one of the most interesting in the state, inasmuch as it was not only the scene of Indian disorders, but also because of its remoteness from law and order, which made it a haven for outlaws. In addition, Tombstone from 1879 and for the next several years was the mining mecca as well as the most cultivated and cultured city in the entire west or southwest.

Cities and Townsites of Cochise County, Arizona

The following towns, town sites, stations and stops were once important to people and are identified from maps which range from 1881 to 1996. As with many maps, locations are sometimes carried over and are no longer identifiable by land marks, physical characteristics, road signs, houses or stores. Some are true ghosts and others may be making a comeback with modern settlers being attracted to the area. These locations will be presented m alphabetical order, from the earliest map to the latest. The important thing is, each location was a site that attracted people- perhaps one of yours.

1881 Map of Arizona Territory

Benson; Bowie; Cachise Spring, Camp Huachuca; Camp Rucker, Charleston, Croton Spring; Dos Cabezas; Dragoon Spring; Dragoon Summit; Ft. Bowie; Longs; McDowell; Middlecrossing, Ochoaville; Old Camp Wallen; Old Indian (?); Ojos Gallenas; Pt. of Mountain; Railroad Pass, Ranch [next to Benson]; Reilly R. [assume ranch]; San Simon Station; Sand Spring [vicinity of Douglas and Pirtleville]; Sulphur Spring; Tombstone; Tres Alamos; Upper Crossing; and Willcox.

1920 Hammond Modern Atlas of The World

Banning; Benson; Bernardino; Bisbee; Black Diamond; Bowie; Caliente; Calumet; Canestea Station, Cochise; College Peak, Courtland; Corta, Don Luis; Dos Cabezas [Mascot Station]; Douglas; Dragoon; Fairbank; Forrest; Garces; Gleeson; Huachuca; Johnson; Kelton; Lewis Springs; Lowell; McNeal; Mescal; Middlemarch, Naco Junction; Osborne[may be E.0sborne]; Packard; Paradise; Pearce; Pool; Rucker; St. David; San Simon; Small, Tombstone; Tufa; Willcox.

1926 Rand McNally Auto Road Atlas

This map only lists towns connected by roadways suitable for automobiles. Due to the fact that most roads were no more than dirt trails, we might want to question that fact. Benson; Bisbee; Cochise; Dragoon; Douglas, Fairbank, Gleeson; Lowell; Paradise, St. David, San Simon; Servoss, Wilcox.

1947 New International Atlas of The World

Alrich; Apache; Arismo, Bawtry; Benson; Bernardino; Bisbee, Bowie; Brookline, Calumet; Canestea; Cascabel; Charleston, Chiricahua; Cochise; Contention; Courtland; Crook; Don Luis, Dos Cabezas; Douglas; Dragoon; Drury; Elfrida; Fairbank; Ft. Hauchuca; Fry [now Sierra Vista]; Gleeson; Hado; Herford; Hilltop; Johnson; Kelton; Lancha; Lewis Springs, Lowell; Luzena; Manzoro; McNeal; Mescal; Middlemarch; Naco; Ochoa; Olga; Palmerlee [renamed Garces, 1911]; Paradise; Paul Spur; Pearce; Pirtleville; Pomerene; Portal; Rosemont; Rucker; St. David; San Pedro; San Simon; Sibyl; Stark; Tombstone; Tufa; Vanar; Warren, Webb; Willcox.

1972 Texaco Travel Atlas

Apache, Bawtry; Benson; Bernardino; Bisbee; Bisbee Junction; Bowie; Cazador, Charleston; Chiricahua; Cochise; Courtland; Dos Cabezas; Douglas; Dragoon; Elfrida; Ft. Huachuca; Fairbank; Gleeson; Hauchuca City; Hereford; Hilltop; McNeal; Mescal; Naco; Paradise; Paul Spur; Pearce; Portal; San Simon; Sierra Vista; St. David; Sunglow; Sunnyside; Tombstone; Warren; Webb; Willcox.

1996 Gousha Road Atlas

Apache; Benson; Bisbee, Bisbee Junction; Bowie; Boquillas; Cascabel; Charleston [ghost]; Don Luis; Dos Cabezas; Douglas; Dragoon; Elfrida; Fairbank[ghost]; Gleeson; Hauchuca City; Hereford; Hooker's Hot Springs; Johnson [ghost], Kansas Settlement, Lewis Springs; McNeal, Naco; Palomino; Paradise; Paul Spur, Pearce; Pirtleville; Pomerene; Portal; St. David; San Simon; Sierra Vista; Tombstone; Warren [incorporated in the town of Bisbee]; Willcox.

Not Listed on the Maps

The following sites are not mentioned on any of the previous maps. However, There were people associated with these locations and these sites may answer one of those nagging questions like, "where was Pick-em-up".

For location refer to: "Arizona Place Names", University of Arizona Press.

Aztec: Post Office as Aztec, July 21, 1887; name changed to Wilgus, February 21, 1888; discontinued January 31, 1911.

Arizmo: Post Office, September 19, 1903; discontinued August 17, 1906.

Apache Pass: Post Office as Apache Pass, December 11, 1866; changed to Fort Bowie, June 11, 1908.

Bisbee is a town made up of many areas. Some of their names are Bakerville, Cochise, Don Luis, Jiggerville, Johnson's Addn, Lowell, South Bisbee, Upper Lowell, Warren, and Winwood Addn. Brannock: Post Office, August 16, 1887; discontinued April 1, 1891.

Brophy Well: Post Office established as Descanso, May 23, 1892; discontinued May 2, 1894.

Buena: Post Office, October 26, 1910; discontinued October 31 1919.

Camp Wallen: Originally known as New Post and changed to Fort Wallen May 9, 1886; abandoned October 31, 1869.

Copper Center: Post Office, October 14, 1901; discontinued ????

Dabl: Post Office, September 9, 1905; discontinued ???

Descanso: Post Office for Brophy Well, May 23, 1892; discontinued May 2, 1894.

Double Adobe: Settled area, west of Arizona 191 [Old Highway 666, Coronado Trail], about 10 miles north of Douglas.

Ewell's Spring: This was an early name for Dos Cabezas. The Dos Cabezas Post Office was established January 1, 1949.

Ewell's Station: This was a relay route between Apache Pass and Dragoon Springs. Probably the location of Ewell's Spring and Dos Cabezas.

Fort Wallen: May 9, 1886; was originally New Post. Abandoned October 31, 1869.

Forrest: Siding at what was later to be called Paul Spur. The Forrest Ranch was there and the Forrest School. Post Office, May 8, 1914; discontinued November 15, 1917.

Galeyville: Post Office, January 6, 1881; discontinued May 31, 1882.

Garden Canyon: Post Office, March 4, 1919; changed to Fry, April 1, 1937; incorporated into the Town of Sierra Vista, August 9, 1955.

Gatewood: Post Office, June 7, 1890; discontinued February 5, 1894.

Goodwin Canyon: Post Office, March 5, 1875; discontinued October 18, 1880.

Hamburg: Mining camp, Post Office, October 5, 1906; discontinued ????

Land: Post Office, November 15, 1900, discontinued November 20, 1913.

Laub: Post Office, November l5,1900; discontinued February l6,1901.

Lewiston: Post Office, July 25, 1881; discontinued November 11, 1881.

Light: Post Office, March 22, 1910; discontinued September 30, 1927.

Manzora: Shipping point for the Golden Rule Mine. Post Office, December 23, 1916; discontinued March30, 1918.

Mascot: Copper Company: Post Office, December 11,1916.

McAllister: Post Office, March 3, 1911; discontinued November 30, 1920.

Miramonte: Settled by people from St. David. Post Office, May 14, 1918, discontinued July 31, 1919.

Moore's Spur: Railroad siding. Post Office, October 25, 1913; discontinued February 28, 1914.

Overton: Post Office, November 26, 1917; discontinued May 31, 1918.

Pick-em-up: Settlement between Charleston and Tombstone.

Pirtle: Post Office, February 5, 1908; changed to Pirtleville, March 30, 1910.

Pittsburg: Post Office, June 18, 1906; discontinued October 9, 1906.

Pool: Post Office, February 12, 1902; discontinued July 15, 1913.

Powers: Post Office, December 1, 1887; changed to Rucker, June 20, l891; discontinued September 28, 1906; re-established as Rucker Canyon, October 15, 1918; discontinued August 15, 1929.

Reef: Post office for Garces; name changed to Parmalee, December 7, 1904; Renamed as Garces, April 12, 1911, discontinued May 24, 1926.

Russell: Or Russellville, was replaced by the town of Johnson.

Sample: Post Office, July 26, 1886; discontinued October 31, 1887.

Sawmill: Lumber camp with Post Office established in 1952.

Sembrich: Post Office, December 30, 1911; discontinued April 15, 1920.

Tintown: In 1904, residents erected houses of flattened tin in the Bisbee area.

Tufa: Post Office, January 29, 1903; rescinded August 1, 1903.

Tulleyville: Post Office was known as Tulley, established June 21, 1880; discontinued December 31, 1919.

Turquoise: Post Office, October 22, 1890; discontinued September l7, 1894; re-established as Gleeson, October 15, 1900; discontinued March 31, 1939.

Turner: Post Office, March 30, 1898; discontinued December 31, 1919.

Vota: Post Office, April 21, 1881; discontinued February 26, 1883.

Whitewater: Whitewater Ranch. Post Office April 2, 1907; discontinued August 16, 1918.

Wilgus: Was originally Aztec; changed to Wilgus February 21, 1888; discontinued January 31, 1911.

[Some information also taken from Arizona's Names - X Marks the Place, Historical Names of Places in Arizona, by Byrd Howell Granger. The Falconer Publishing Company, 1983. wf.)

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