~ Swansea ~
Theme-park
ghost town, saved by BLM of necessity
One of Arizona's most remote, and therefore
complete, ghost towns was
destroyed in part by BLM. New Alamo Lake is the result of a reclamation
project of the late 1970s
which in part was intended to keep California from gaining access to
waters flowing their way
through Arizona. The consequence finds entombed beneath pleasure-boats
on the waters of the
lake its namesake, the old mill and town site of Alamo
Crossing along the Bill Williams River.
But conversely, and perhaps uniquely, traces of Swansea survive, in
large part due to BLM efforts. At left is an image of the main
smelter complex in 1976. The hole in the east side of this
immense brick and steel structure appears to be the result of its
systematic destruction for the purpose of obtaining brick.
I visited again in 1986 and then 2009. By '09 the front and
rear faces of the smelter were all that were intact. Similarly,
all of the structures on Main Street, and most of the other buildings
at this sprawling site have been dismantled and removed by vandals.
There would be nothing left to tour if BLM had not done the unthinkable:
The site is in a remote region of the southwest Arizona, but can be
reached by excellent graded dirt roads. Four wheel drive is not
necessary until you reach the site. If you can endure traveling
in the hotter months you'll be alone. BLM has developed and
stabilized the site providing interesting plaques, restored roofs to
prevent decay of the very few existing buildings, cable fences to
prevent random off-road travel, and even outhouses and barbeques!
Breathtaking is the location.
Here is a link to a few photos from my visit in 2009 and a
few (B&W) from James and Barbara Sherman's pivotal 1968 book.
Below is the BLM's 1977 flier. It is old but so well done,
thorough, and accurate, that little more be said:
Other Colorado river basin links on this
site:
The
old plank-road
old
Yuma
