11/02/06
The Old Dominion Mine in Globe, Arizona originally opened in 1881 and continued operation until 1931 when it closed operations completely. It was mainly a copper mine with other smaller quantities of ore being removed as new veins were discovered. The mine operated up to 14 levels until water removal became a big problem.
The mine had a rather infamous place in history when in 1917, a miners strike spread throughout Arizona, beginning at the mines around Bisbee.
The owners of the Old Dominion had employed quite a few Mexican workers, but when they too decided to participate in the strike, the mine owner hired cowboys and gunmen to "herd" the Mexican workers to an internment camp along the Mexican border where they were kept under the harshest conditions until they agreed to return to work and not participate in the strike. The strike proved fairly successful however, wages and living conditions improved once public outcry had an impact on the mine owners.
The Old Dominion Mine has been recently "refurbished" and talks are currently underway with the mine owner BHP Billiton and the city of Globe to open the grounds as a public park. As you can see from the photos, it's been pretty much sterilized and only retains a semblance of its original glory days. There was a big discussion whether to keep the massive headframe in place, but so far, it looks like they'll leave it. I hope so, the mine would be little more than a few buildings and grated adits without it.
The mine had a rather infamous place in history when in 1917, a miners strike spread throughout Arizona, beginning at the mines around Bisbee.
The owners of the Old Dominion had employed quite a few Mexican workers, but when they too decided to participate in the strike, the mine owner hired cowboys and gunmen to "herd" the Mexican workers to an internment camp along the Mexican border where they were kept under the harshest conditions until they agreed to return to work and not participate in the strike. The strike proved fairly successful however, wages and living conditions improved once public outcry had an impact on the mine owners.
The Old Dominion Mine has been recently "refurbished" and talks are currently underway with the mine owner BHP Billiton and the city of Globe to open the grounds as a public park. As you can see from the photos, it's been pretty much sterilized and only retains a semblance of its original glory days. There was a big discussion whether to keep the massive headframe in place, but so far, it looks like they'll leave it. I hope so, the mine would be little more than a few buildings and grated adits without it.
Old Dominion Mine after being "sterilized"
