Arizona is home to a variety of well-preserved remnants of the past. From ancient cliff dwellings to a multitude of other places to discover Arizona’s past, we are blessed with much visual evidence of where we’ve been as a people and a culture. Nowhere else in the Grand Canyon State is the (modern) past more evident than in the ghost town of Ruby, located in southern Arizona. It’s believed to be the most well-preserved ghost town in the state, and possibly the entire country. Take a look at the 17 photos below and see for yourself:
- Ruby was a mining town originally referred to as Montana Camp.
Facebook/Ruby, Arizona
- Mining operations began in 1877 and ceased in 1940. By 1941, the town was empty. The photo below shows a part of the mining operation in Ruby.
youtube/Exploration Unknown
- The ghost town is now comprised of several buildings including a school, the mining operation and several homes.
Flickr/velo_city
- Most are in a state of disrepair. This one is literally crumbling as Mother Nature breaks it down.
Flickr/velo_city
- If you head to Ruby, which is on private property but open to visitors on certain days for a nominal donation, you can walk around freely.
Facebook/Ruby, Arizona
- Be prepared to gawk at all there is to see!
Facebook/Ruby, Arizona
- Explore the interiors of the buildings and get a sense of life in this mining town a hundred years ago.
youtube/Exploration Unknown
- Some of the homes are eerily creepy; others are just sad.
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- The jail still stands, obviously built in the latter years of the mining operation.
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- Step inside the small concrete building, and you’ll find you’re stonewalled when you get to the door to the cell — which is locked. (And creepy!)
youtube/Exploration Unknown
- Apparently indoor plumbing hadn’t reached at least a part of Ruby by the time everyone fled the town after their revenue source dried up. The three-stall outhouse is a reminder of the struggles of life before indoor plumbing.
youtube/Exploration Unknown
- Perhaps one of the saddest buildings in Ruby is the school. Walking around inside the empty, decaying rooms, you can get a sense of the children that were born here — and then uprooted from Ruby when the town went bust.
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- Out back, you’ll find what’s left of a recreation area. The photo below shows two posts the basketball backboard was once affixed to.
youtube/Exploration Unknown
- And a very tall and very unstable (even back in the day!) sliding board almost screams with the laughter of the children now missing from their playground.
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- A decaying piano sits ripped apart by nature.
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- Everywhere you look in Ruby, you’re reminded of Arizona’s past, and overcome with a litany of emotions ranging from nostalgia to fear and sadness.
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- Want to see it for yourself? You can! (More information on that is below.)
Flickr/ Johnida Dockens Want to see more? A YouTube explorer known as Exploration Unknown went inside Ruby earlier this year (2018) and filmed some outstanding footage. Take a look below:
A non-profit group powered by volunteers has taken stewardship of the ghost town of Ruby and invites visitors to come explore the remnants of this former mining town. The town sits on private property but it’s open to visitors Thursday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. until dark. Special advance arrangements can also be made to camp or to schedule a personal or group tour. A donation of $12 is requested of every person wishing to visit the ghost town. Ruby is located approximately 90 minutes south of Tucson. For more information, visit the official website for the ghost town at Ruby, Arizona.
Facebook/Ruby, Arizona
youtube/Exploration Unknown
Flickr/velo_city
Flickr/ Johnida Dockens
Want to see more? A YouTube explorer known as Exploration Unknown went inside Ruby earlier this year (2018) and filmed some outstanding footage. Take a look below:
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