Tiger, Arizona
Encyclopedia
Tiger is a ghost town
in Pinal County
in the U.S. state
of Arizona
. The town was settled as Schultz around 1881 in what was then the Arizona Territory
, then later reestablished as Tiger after World War I
.
ore
in what was to become the Mammoth Mine. The camp that settled around the mine
took the name Schultz, and a post office was established under that name on July 12, 1894.
Since water, needed for refinement of ore, was not present near the mine, a mill was established 4 miles (6.4 km) away on the west bank of the San Pedro River
, in a town that came to be known as Mammoth
, after the mine and the mill. The ore was hauled to the mill by way of mule teams, until just after the turn of the century when an aerial tram was completed between the Mammoth Mine and the Mammoth Mill. As the tram's construction neared completion, and the need for the town waned, the Schultz post office was closed on May 1, 1902.
The mines reopened in 1915 due to World War I
's increased demand for the molybdenum and vanadium found in the area. When the war was over, the prices fell, and the mines closed again in 1919. Shortly thereafter, the Mammoth Mine property was purchased by Sam Houghton, who renamed both the mine and the town after his college mascot, the Princeton Tiger
. When the price of gold increased in 1933, the town again grew in prosperity, and the new Tiger post office opened on March 1, 1939. It was as Tiger that the town reached its peak in the early 1950s. Soon after, the local mines, as well as the town of Tiger, had run their course, and the post office was discontinued on November 26, 1954.
locality, especially for Matlockite
and wulfenite
. In addition, the mineral yedlinite is a hydrated oxychloride of lead and chromium found only at Tiger, and first noted on preexisting specimens in 1967.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Pinal County
Pinal County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.4% White*4.6% Black*5.6% Native American*1.7% Asian*0.4% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.8% Two or more races*11.5% Other races*28.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. The town was settled as Schultz around 1881 in what was then the Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
, then later reestablished as Tiger after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
History
The area that was to become Tiger was first settled in 1881 after Frank Schultz located goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
in what was to become the Mammoth Mine. The camp that settled around the mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
took the name Schultz, and a post office was established under that name on July 12, 1894.
Since water, needed for refinement of ore, was not present near the mine, a mill was established 4 miles (6.4 km) away on the west bank of the San Pedro River
San Pedro River (Arizona)
San Pedro River is a northward-flowing stream originating about ten miles south of Sierra Vista, Arizona near Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. It is one of only two rivers which flow north from Mexico into the United States. The river flows north through Cochise County, Pima County, Graham County, and...
, in a town that came to be known as Mammoth
Mammoth, Arizona
Mammoth is a town in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,762 at the 2000 census; according to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 2,167.Mammoth was founded c. 1872 as Mammoth Camp, serving the nearby Mammoth Mine...
, after the mine and the mill. The ore was hauled to the mill by way of mule teams, until just after the turn of the century when an aerial tram was completed between the Mammoth Mine and the Mammoth Mill. As the tram's construction neared completion, and the need for the town waned, the Schultz post office was closed on May 1, 1902.
The mines reopened in 1915 due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
's increased demand for the molybdenum and vanadium found in the area. When the war was over, the prices fell, and the mines closed again in 1919. Shortly thereafter, the Mammoth Mine property was purchased by Sam Houghton, who renamed both the mine and the town after his college mascot, the Princeton Tiger
Princeton Tigers
The Princeton Tigers are the athletic teams of Princeton University. The school sponsors 31 varsity sports. The school has won several NCAA national championships, including one in men's fencing, six in men's lacrosse, three in women's lacrosse, and eight in men's golf...
. When the price of gold increased in 1933, the town again grew in prosperity, and the new Tiger post office opened on March 1, 1939. It was as Tiger that the town reached its peak in the early 1950s. Soon after, the local mines, as well as the town of Tiger, had run their course, and the post office was discontinued on November 26, 1954.
Remnants
After the San Manuel Copper Company acquired the land, they demolished all remaining structures in order to mine the silica on site. However, the material contained too much lead, and the plan proved fruitless. As such, nothing is left of the town of Tiger today, but the filled-in shaft of the Mammoth mine in the middle of town.Mining
The Tiger or Mammoth mine is a famous mineralMineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
locality, especially for Matlockite
Matlockite
Matlockite is a rare lead halide mineral, named after the town of Matlock in Derbyshire, England, where it was first discovered in a nearby mine...
and wulfenite
Wulfenite
Wulfenite is a lead molybdate mineral with the formula PbMoO4. It can be most often found as thin tabular crystals with a bright orange-red to yellow-orange color, sometimes brown, although the color can be highly variable. In its yellow form it is sometimes called "yellow lead ore".It crystallizes...
. In addition, the mineral yedlinite is a hydrated oxychloride of lead and chromium found only at Tiger, and first noted on preexisting specimens in 1967.
Geography
The site is located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) west of the town of Mammoth at 32°42′28"N 110°40′56"W (32.7078463, -110.6823227), at an elevation of 3081 feet (939.1 m). The Mammoth Mine (later the Tiger Mine) is located at 32°42′23"N 110°41′05"W.Demographics
US Census data places the population of the town at 500 in 1940 after its re-founding as Tiger, and 783 in 1950. It was after this final census that the town is said to have reached its peak population of approximately 1,800 residents, before heading into permanent decline and abandonment.See also
- American Old WestAmerican Old WestThe American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
- BoomtownBoomtownA boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
- History of ArizonaHistory of ArizonaThe last Native Americans arrived in Arizona between 16,000 BC and 10,000 BC, while the history of Arizona as recorded by Europeans began when Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan, explored the area in 1539. Coronado's expedition entered the area in 1540–1542 during its search for Cíbola...
- List of ghost towns in Arizona
External links
- Minerals of Tiger, Arizona
- Tiger at Ghosttowns.com
- Tiger (Schultz) at Frank and Anne's Canyon Country Notebook