A black and white postcard of Central School and the YMCA. The front caption at the bottom reads: “Y. M. C. A and Central School. Bisbee, Ariz.” The postcard is unused and was published by the Albertype Company, Brooklyn, New York. Evelyn Muheim Collection.

In 1883, the Copper Queen Mining Company built Bisbee’s first school, a one room adobe building. As the population grew so did the need for more schools. The city first considered using the former cemetery for a new location, but determined that the area was too small and decided to demolish the older school to make way for a new modernized school house. The Central School was built in 1905 adjacent to the YMCA and was designed by the architect Franklin C. Hurst in the Italianate style. S.W. Clawson served as the city’s superintendent overseeing the schools construction. As part of the Central Schools plans, it was also intended that the building also be used for City Hall and fire departments functions. Charles F. Philbrook , another superintendent of Bisbee’s schools, served as Central School’s first principal. The school received a playground in 1906 that was installed in front yard. Today, the building houses the Central School Art Project. The Central School Art Project began in 1982, formed by a tenants association of artists. In 1985, they were incorporated and received their 501 IRS status in 1986. The former school was purchased from the school district in 1994 and the Central School Project made renovations on the building. It remains a home for the art community in Bisbee. - The YMCA is the Young Men’s Christian Association which was founded by George Williams on June 6th, 1844 in London, England. The organization was created to help with the unhealthy conditions that were forming in cities due to the pollution from first industrial revolution. In 1851, the organization spread to other nations due to the Great Exhibition creating new chapters in the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, France and the Netherlands. The push for a global YMCA came from Henry Durant, winner of the first Nobel Peace Price and founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross. On August 1855, the first YMCA World Conference was held. The offices for the World YMCA were established in 1978 in Geneva, Switzerland. This organization along with the North American counterparts helped millions of new European immigrants settle in the United States and Canada. Today the YMCA operates chapters in 120 countries and focus on addressing social issues such as sustainable development, racism, gender equality and the AIDS epidemic. In Bisbee, the YMCA building was built in 1903 by the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company to provide recreation and healthier living for the community. They added the adjacent Gymnasium Club building and its equipment on December 15th, 1905. An official chapter of the Bisbee YMCA formed in 1907 and was led by a number of prominent Bisbee-ites, among them were John C Greenway, H.C. Hernie, along with a superintendent of the Copper Queen Mine, Gerald Sherman and the engineers I.W. Wallace and Harry Atkin. The YMCA often lent out the use of their basement swimming pool to the YWCA. The building was sold to the city of Bisbee in 1977 and was renovated into 17 separate apartments.

1987.4.7