3 Underrated Cities In Arizona You Have To Check Out.

Everyone knows about Tombstone and old Tucson, but Arizona has a vast number of historical and interesting towns. From places like Jerome to towns like Florence, here are 3 underrated cities in Arizona that locals likely know about, but tourists may not.

RELATED: How Ed Shefflin Discovered Silver And Founded Tombstone

Globe

Globe is located about an hour and a half away from Phoenix. It started as a frontier town. welcoming in settlers. Apache raids were a common occurrence at the time, but the people residing in Globe made do.

Globe was originally referred to as "Besh-Ba-Gowah," which means "the place of metal." This was due to the rich silver deposits that were discovered in 1875. In 1876, Globe had become a full-fledged town with general stores, bars, and over 700 residents. Globe was also home to some copper mining. Just like a lot of other mining towns in Arizona, Globe was close to the heart of the wild west.

Phineas Clanton, one of the surviving brothers from the OK Corral gunfight, made his home in Globe in 1881. Over the course of the next 30 years, new mines would be opened, and Globe would prosper.

In 1917, miners in the town were upset by unfair wages and dangerous working conditions. This led to a massive workers' strike that required troops of the 17th Cavalry to step in and regain control. After a lengthy series of negotiations, the miners went back to work.

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Jerome

Many locals are familiar with the wild west stories that originate from Jerome, but most tourists overlook this town when planning their Arizona getaway. This city is about 45 miles south of Flagstaff, and has an extensive mining history and stunning views.

Jerome started as a native mining hub. Native Americans in the area would mine the hills of Jerome in search of pigments for makeup, blankets, and paint. In the later 1700's, Spanish explorers arrived in search of gold, but their superiors told them the "poor copper" wasn't worth the hassle.

In 1875, when the big mining boom took off, copper ore was found in the hills nearby, which soon became Jerome. Over 1 million dollars worth of copper was dug up from the area, and a lot of it is on display there today.

In 1953, mining stopped, buildings were destroyed, and the population dropped below 100. With the collapse of the city, a new market moved in. The artists. Much like Bisbee, after the ming bussiness colapsed and people moved out, people of all sorts of backgrounds swooped in for the cheap housing. Now jerome is considered a bustling art town with all sorts of lore and stories to be shared.

READ: Cochise County's Wild West Stories

Florence

Florence, Arizona, was founded in 1866 and is one of the first non-native American settlements in Arizona. This town is one of the oldest mining towns in Arizona. This town is located between Tucson and Phoenix, and was a major silver and trade hub in the 19th century.

In 1875, silver was found near the Pinal Mountains, and the Silver King Mine was opened up. During its years of operation, an estimated 42 million dollars' worth of silver ore was mined. During the time of the mine, canals were built along the Gila River, and trade routes were developed between New Mexico and Arizona.

Much like Tombstone, Florence had a reputation due to its unlawful residents. In 1888, one of the most infamous gunfights of the Southwest happened in Florence. This gunfight happened between the Sheriff, who was also an infamous gunfighter, and his right-hand man, a former Phoenix lawman.

The Sheriff at the time, Pete Gabriel, was forced to remove Joe Phy as his deputy due to a fight he got in. This happened right before Gabriel's retirement, and just before Phy had a chance to be Sheriff himself. This led to a lot of animosity between the two. Phy would badmouth Gabriel any chance he got, and in 1888, their relationship came to a close. The two had a standoff in a saloon. Gabriel sat at the bar with his revolver, waiting for Phy to enter. When Phy showed up, both men reached for their guns and fatally shot each other.

Arizona has some of the most interesting stories and dramatic history, and it spans across the entire state. From gunfights to mining, it's no wonder Arizona has such a legacy. With all the underrated towns in mind, where are you booking your next vacation?

CONTINUE READING: How Bisbee Became The Queen Of Copper Camps