Most Arizona based photographers have been to Bisbee at least once. Located 90 miles southeast of Tucson, it is relatively accessible and its historic buildings, mine and topography beckon photographic exploration. Once a booming mining town, it is now undergoing transformation to become a tourist destination. Most photographers go to capture the prettier side of Bisbee, such as the lobby of the Copper Queen Hotel. This post offers a different viewpoint, one that is photographed from the perspective of a journalistic street photographer. Steve is much more that than a photographer of pretty landscapes. I would not have looked for these scenes to photograph. I would not have even thought about looking for them! This is the other side of Bisbee and worth some exploration.
Columbia Historic State Park
Columbia State Historic Park features the largest single collection of existing gold rush-era structures in California. The structures have become a variety of shops, boutiques, restaurants, ice cream parlors, candy stores, saloons, and a even a tea house. Volunteer docents are dressed in 1850s era costumes and are strategically stationed to answer questions and watch over the park. We were fortunate to visit on a day when Halloween was being celebrated and the crowd was having fun, kids were trick-or-treating (docents handed out candy) and the weather was perfect.
The road to Columbia was almost a trip of its own. We passed a sign indicating that Mark Twain's cabin was about a half mile up the hill. So, up we went. We are staying just outside of Angels Camp, home of the Calaveras Jumping Frog. Mark Twain's first successful short story was about the Calaveras frog. The cabin was rebuilt on the site and it is surrounded by a fence.