Tip Top, Arizona was once a thriving silver mining town that boomed in the late 1870s after rich discoveries in the Bradshaw Mountains. You’ll find the ghostly remains of what was home to 1,200 residents, including saloons, a brewery, and mines that produced $2.2 million in silver. Today, you can explore the preserved ruins on the National Register of Historic Places. The abandoned structures whisper tales of frontier resilience and boom-and-bust fortunes.
Key Takeaways
- Tip Top, Arizona was a booming silver mining town that reached 1,200 residents during its peak in the 1880s.
- The town featured six saloons, Arizona’s first brewery, and attracted notable figures like Doc Holliday during stagecoach layovers.
- Mining operations produced approximately $2.2 million in silver between 1875-1883 before high-grade ore became scarce.
- The town was abandoned after its last mining operation closed in 1936 following several boom-and-bust cycles.
- Now a ghost town on the National Register of Historic Places, Tip Top preserves ruins that attract history enthusiasts.
The Silver Rush: From Discovery to Boom (1875-1880)
Silver, the gleaming treasure that beckoned prospectors to the wilds of Arizona, was discovered in the rugged Bradshaw Mountains near Tip Top in 1875. You could feel the excitement as news spread of the rich silver discovery that same year at the Peck Mine in Alexandra and the legendary Silver King Mine near Superior.
Despite Apache warfare delaying claims until 1872, prospectors flooded the territory once a truce was established. By fall 1875, the Silver King employed fifty men shipping thirty tons of ore monthly to San Francisco.
The promise of silver drove men to brave frontier dangers, transforming wilderness into industry within mere months of Apache peace.
Primitive mining techniques didn’t stop determined miners from extracting ore worth up to $20,000 per ton by 1877.
The landscape transformed as stamp mills rose from the desert floor, with seven freight teams hauling precious cargo between mines and mills, bringing freedom and fortune to this once-isolated frontier. The Silver King, situated at 3,648 feet elevation, became recognized as the richest silver mine in Arizona despite its remote location. The 1871 silver strike at Tiger, Arizona marked the beginning of the Bradshaw Mountains’ significant silver mining activities.
Life in a Frontier Mining Town
As dawn broke over the jagged horizon, life in Tip Top stirred with the rumble of ore carts and the distant clang of pickaxes striking stone.
You’d witness a diverse tapestry of humanity—miners from distant shores, merchants hawking wares, and families carving out existence in hastily constructed wooden homes.
Community dynamics shifted with each boom and bust. When silver flowed, you’d find yourself squeezed into overcrowded boarding houses; when it ebbed, you’d watch neighbors pack their meager belongings and drift away.
Women ran schools and businesses while men descended into dangerous mine shafts daily. Similar to Jerome’s sliding jail phenomenon, mining blasts often caused buildings to shift on their foundations.
In evening hours, saloons became the heart of cultural contributions as fiddle music mingled with languages from across the globe.
Despite unpaved streets, questionable water, and the constant threat of earth slides, residents forged resilient bonds that defined frontier existence.
The surroundings provided high-desert charm that contrasted with the harsh realities of mining life, offering moments of natural beauty amid the industrial pursuits.
Mining Operations and Economic Impact
The heart of Tip Top’s existence beat in rhythm with the striking hammers and dynamite blasts that echoed through its canyons.
After Corning and Moore’s silver discovery in 1876, the Gillette and Hoffman Company quickly transformed this wild terrain into one of Arizona’s three most productive mining camps.
You would’ve witnessed remarkable mining technology at work—a 500-foot inclined shaft with levels every 100 feet, and later, a sophisticated 10-stamp chlorination plant processing high-grade silver ore.
Mules packed precious cargo from underground workings to wagons bound for the mill at Gillett.
Under George Webber’s capable leadership as superintendent in 1878, the mine began producing silver ingots within just one month of his arrival.
The mine’s estimated $2.2 million output between 1875-1883 fueled significant economic growth, supporting 200 miners and their families.
This silver boom contributed substantially to Arizona Territory’s development during a critical period of western expansion.
The mine’s longevity was impressive, with oxidized ore deposits extending 200 feet below the surface providing valuable minerals until operations ceased in 1942.
Notable Characters and Daily Existence
Walking through Tip Top during its 1880s heyday, you’d have encountered a bustling frontier community where over 1,200 souls carved out their existence between dusty canyon walls.
Frontier life squeezed between canyon walls, where 1,200 souls forged a silver-fueled community in the Arizona wilderness.
The social dynamics reflected America’s post-Civil War reality, with former Union and Confederate soldiers coexisting peacefully despite carrying arms against Native American threats. Though the town shared its name with others, Tip Top, Arizona developed its own unique frontier identity.
- Doc Holliday and Big Nose Kate passed through, leaving their legendary footprints during stagecoach layovers.
- Peter Arnold’s brewery—Arizona’s first—quenched the thirst of weary miners.
- Six saloons and a brothel provided escape from the dangerous mining life.
- Half the miners worked for the company while others, known as “chloriders,” leased claims.
- Stagecoach connections to Phoenix maintained crucial supply lines and communication.
Your freedom in this wild silver town came with daily peril and promise alike. The town flourished until the silver ore deposits that yielded 800 to 1,000 ounces per ton began to dwindle in the 1890s.
The Decline and Legacy of Tip Top Today
Silver’s gleaming promise couldn’t last forever, and by 1884, Tip Top’s heartbeat began to falter when high-grade ore vanished from mine shafts that once yielded fortunes.
Despite brief revivals through 1886 and desperate relocations in 1895, the sharp drop in silver prices by 1893 left the town gasping for survival. By 1936, the last mining operation fell silent.
Today, you’ll find Tip Top’s remains preserved on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Burfind Hotel, brewery, and mill foundations stand as quiet sentinels of a bygone era.
Though public access was restricted in 2019, this ghost town continues to draw history enthusiasts who value its freedom-soaked narrative. Much like Jerome, which suffered a similar fate when the last mine shut down in 1953, Tip Top represents the dramatic rise and fall of mining communities in Arizona. Similar to Alexandra Town, the majority of potential profits were lost to ongoing litigation among competing interests.
Through historical preservation efforts, Arizona’s once-bustling silver camp endures as evidence of the West’s boom-and-bust spirit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Visitors Collect Artifacts or Metal Detect at Tip Top?
No, you can’t collect artifacts or metal detect. Artifact preservation laws and metal detecting regulations strictly prohibit removing historical items. You’re free to explore, photograph, and experience Tip Top’s nostalgic treasures visually instead.
Were There Any Major Crimes or Shootouts Recorded in Tip Top?
You won’t find crime records of major shootouts in Tip Top’s history. Unlike wilder frontier towns, this silver camp’s story unfolds without the dramatic gunfights that colored Arizona’s territorial days.
What Natural Disasters Affected the Town During Its Existence?
You’d find flood impacts were Tip Top’s main natural threat, with flash flooding from Agua Fria River affecting mining operations. The town’s earthquake history remains significantly silent in historical records.
Are There Any Photographs of Tip Top During Its Heyday?
Despite the town’s 1,200-person peak, you’ll find no heyday photographs in town archives. The historic photography record only captures Tip Top’s later ruins, leaving its vibrant 1875-1895 period undocumented for freedom-seeking explorers.
Did Any Indigenous Tribes Have Conflicts With Tip Top Settlers?
You’d find indigenous relations were tense around Tip Top, with Yavapai and Apache tribes resisting settler disputes. Armed miners feared attacks, though specific conflicts weren’t documented directly in the town itself.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tip_Top
- https://www.destination4x4.com/tip-top-arizona-yavapai-county/
- https://www.apcrp.org/Tip Top/TipTop Master Text II.htm
- https://azoffroad.net/tip-top-mine
- https://azgw.org/yavapai/ghosttowns.html
- https://www.elitevrs.com/arizona-activities/ghost-towns-tip-top-az
- https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/tiptop.html
- http://www.mrquigleyphotography.com/articles/tiptop.htm
- https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/arizona/silver-king/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_mining_in_Arizona
