Swansea, Arizona

Swansea is a ghost town in La Paz County, Arizona, United States.

Its climate is generally desert-like, being mild in winter and extremely hot in summer.

Remains

There are a number of buildings remaining, including most of the main street, a railroad station and remains of the copper mine.

History

The area was first investigated in 1886 by three prospectors who were disappointed when the ore showed only copper and silver.

However ten or so years later, when copper had become a more marketable product, one of the men returned with a new partner and mining began.

Swansea became the headquarters for the Clara Consolidated Gold and Copper Mining company. Taking its name from Swansea, South Wales, United Kingdom, where most of its copper was shipped. It got there via a combination of local railroad, the Colorado River and then shipped from the Gulf of California around Cape Horn to the United Kingdom.

A railroad connected Swansea to nearby Bouse in 1908 and the camp's population grew to a total of 750.

Swansea's post office was established March 25, 1909 and was discontinued June 28, 1924. [ Granger, Byrd H. (1970) "Arizona Place Names", p. 386, Tucson, Arizona: University of Arizona Press, ISBN 8165-0009-6]

During its time Swansea had an electric light company, an auto dealer, a lumber company, two cemeteries, a bar, an insurance agent and of course the local mining and smelting plant.

The short existence of Swansea ended after World War I when copper prices dropped. In 1937, Swansea was already a ghost town although periodic mining did continue until 1949.

Popular culture

In the Chris Ryan novel, "Blackout", Swansea is the location of Luke's hideout.

The training scenes in the 1973 film "The Day of the Wolves" were shot in Swansea.

References