Miami is an old mining town in the Pinaleno mountains about 55 miles east of Mesa. It was started in the 1870s in response to silver and gold mining activities. There were large deposits of copper in the area, so when the price of copper went up the mines became largely copper mines. It is about 5 miles west of its larger neighbor, Globe. In addition to the mines there were smelter/concemtrators built here. I believe the mines are pretty much shut now, so much of the old business district is also shut. Some buildings are in disrepair, some have been converted to other things such as antique shops and others are being renovated. It makes for some good photo ops.
The photo at the top is a shot showing part of the old main shopping street. The Edlen's shoe store still has the old neon sign advertising Jarman shoes.
The photo below is across the street showing a building undergoing renovation.
This old Dodge bus is sitting in a vacant lot. I have no idea how old it is. I wonder if it was used to take men to the mine for work--speculation on my part.
The Real Market is closed, but the gold lettered sign on the window continues.
The door shown below is the entrance to a boarded up hotel, also shown below,
The folks that occupied this building have been gone for quite sometime.
This church, like the last photo, is on the street north of the old main street. As you can see, it's on the corner of Inspiration Street. Very appropo but you have to remember the name of the mining company was Inspiration Copper.
These old houses remind me of Bisbee, another old mining town south-east of Tucson.
I'm not sure whether these are viable businesses or not. I think the rock shop probably is, but not sure about the other one.
Sorry folks, no green chili burros today.
