History Up Close & Personal
Bisbee’s storied past is recorded, reflected, and retold in the Museum’s oral history collection. Share a smile at the memories of growing up, living, and working in Bisbee in its heyday as a thriving industrial city with a definite personality. If you are interested only in certain topics, such as mining, banking, holidays, ranching… you name it, use the keyword search.
Irene Welander interviewed by Beverly Woods (One of Two)
Content: Family Tree 00:07, Women Going to School 6:30, Traveling by Railroad 7:40, Moving Houses 10:20 Saginaw 16:00, Death in the Mines and Coping 18:25, The Great Depression 22:40, Louis Springs 24:55, Fire 29:10, Lowell School 31:29, High School Reunion 32:35, High School 35:50, City Bus 38:25, Grocery Shopping 39:15, School in Denver Colorado 40:50, Working in Arizona as a Nurse 48:25, Bisbee Douglas Rivalry 52:00, Hospital 54:30, Christmas 56:00, 4th of July 1:00:40
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenIrene Welander interviewed by Beverly Woods (Two of Two)
Content: 4th of July, The Bisbee Deportation 3:30, Farm 5:00, Flu Epidemic 6:30, The Bisbee Deportation 8:45, Navy Service 11:00, Scientific Club 11:40, 4th of July Parade 12:50, Changes in Bisbee 14:10, Working in Douglas as a Nurse 17:10, Woman’s Club 20:10, Confirmation Classes 21:35, Community Dinner 22:30, Stores 24:45, Douglas Stores 25:40, Gift Box Store 27:45, Living in Douglas 27:50, Andy Griffith Show 30:50
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenIrma Courteol interviewed by Art Kelly-March 29, 1974
Content: Family 0:59, Business 1:58, Community 3:43, Mining Communities 4:56, City bus 8:39
Date Recorded: 29/03/1974
Interviewed By: Art Kelly
ListenIrma Courteol interviewer unknown- Mar 29, 1974
Content: Commerce 1:20, Infrastucture 6:00,
Date Recorded: 29/03/1974
Interviewed By: Unknown
ListenIrvine Macdougal interviewed by Deborah Meus
Content: Family lineage 0:27, Canadian Immigration 1:10, Copper mining 2:55, Various employment 4:47, Diabetes 6:15, Greenway school 7:14, Different schools 8:47, Spanish Flu epidemic 9:36, Furniture store 11:25, CC camps 13:03, Family lineage 14:59, Catholic School 16:08, Various jobs 17:55, Phelps dodge 19:53, University of Arizona 21:00, Diesel engines 22:13, Laundry service 24:13, marriage 25:50, Prohibition 29:08, square dance 31:17, Family children 35:01, Streetcar 37:30, Mine closure 39:43, Mining 41:24, CC camp 44:40, Photography 48:00, Boy scouts 50:38, Horses 52:11, Canadian immigration 54:58, Strike 1:00:40, Mining 1:01:50
Interviewed By: Deborah Meus
ListenIrwin Bond interviewed by Carl Nelson 1974
Content: Childhood homes 0:35, Dance halls 1:39, Copper Queen hotel 3:50, First Paved road in Arizona 4:10, M.V.D 6:08 Cave Hermit 8:50, Geronimo trail 10:50, Roadways 15:36, Bisbee tunnel 16:20, Mexican Revolution 17:50, Ft Huachuca 19:25, Gold mining 21:00, Apache encounter 23:28, Various locations in Southern Arizona 26:50, Crystal cave 29:15, Sulfur springs 30:05, Geronimo 32:50, Cochise stronghold 36:40, Rex Allen days 39:30, Bisbee vs Douglas football 41:00, Arizona History preservation 42:00
Interviewed By: Carl Nelson
ListenJack Ladd interviewed by Beverly Woods September 20th 1994
Content: Family Tree 00:08, Warren Swimming Pool 5:40, Coming to Bisbee 7:15, Family Tree 7:30, Marriage 8:20, Teaching 8:50, Growing up in Warren 11:35, The Great Depression 19:35, Schooling 21:36, Friends 23:00, Automobile Garage 24:50, Candy Store 26:20, Rains 26:30, Bisbee Pool 27:45, Rivalry 28:50, Bisbee and Douglas Rivalry 32:00, Playing Baseball 33:45, 4th of July 39:55, Christmas 45:50, Shopping 48:15, Boy Scouts 51:40, School bus 59:17, Stay at home mom 1:01:20
Date Recorded: 20/09/1994
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJack Riddle interviewed by Boyd Nicholl December 4th 2001
Content: Mine engineering 0:10, Lavender Pit 0:50, Mine processes 4:50, Shift work 28:10, Turquoise 30:45, Pancho Villa 47:10, Lineage 50:05, Bisbee Deportation 52:10
Date Recorded: 04/12/2001
Interviewed By: Boyd Nicholl
ListenJames Aira interviewer unknown - Nov 12, 2002
Content: Conversation previously started, Chinese immigrants 0:01, African Americans 1:14, Crime 2:43, Schools 3:10, Y.M.C.A. 3:35, Racket Store 6:00, Children games 7:03, Horse and Buggies 8:30, The Great Depression 10:20, Strike 11:51, Mine production closed 14:58, Open Pit 16:05, Hippie culture 16:55, Proprietorship 18:15
Date Recorded: 12/11/2002
Interviewed By: Not Set
ListenJames O'brien interviewed by Vlasta Mihelich June 20, 1986
Content: Old dominion mining company 0:27, Automobile 0:58, C & A Mining company 1:10, Diamond drilling 1:20, Marriage 1:55, Farming 2:35, Union 2:50, Swamping 3:20, Mining 3:35, Mine flood 4:10, Underground 6:20, Above ground mining 6:32, Retirement 8:10, WWII Soldier miners 8:45, WWII service 10:00
Date Recorded: 20/06/1986
Interviewed By: Valdosta Mihelich
ListenJames Wilson interviewed by Carl Nelson-1974
Content: Family Tree 0:33, Copper Queen Mine 1:20, Buxton Smith Produce company 1:35, Mexican Revolution 1:57, Money order theft 3:33, Bisbee Deportation 4:45, Mine flood 5:23, Mexican Revolution 5:55, Chinese deportation from Mexico 8:02, Schooling 9:25, Naco Sheriff's dept 10:35, Law enforcement 12:00, Marriage 13:44
Interviewed By: Carl Nelson
ListenJess Montoy interviewed by Beverly Woods April 14th 1997 (One of Two)
Content: Family Tree 00:10, Coming/Moving to Bisbee 00:50, Living in Globe 2:40, Working in the Mines 3:20, Family Tree 7:43, Diet 11:40, Moving 12:30, School 14:10, Fighting/Social Status 17:15, Dances 18:15, Franklin School 21:10, Leaving Mexico 23:35, Slaughterhouse 28:40, Employment 33:00, Goat Ranches 41:55, Flood 42:40, Church 48:00, Grocery Shopping 58:10
Date Recorded: 14/04/1997
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJess Montoy interviewed by Beverly Woods April 14th 1997 (Two of Two)
Content: Delivering Tacos 00:05, Feeding Others 00:35, Streetcar 2:30, Swimming 5:30, Movies 7:30, Candy Store 10:00, 4th of July 11:50, Fireworks 15:10, Market in Lowell 16:10, Schooling 17:00, Employment 17:30, Courtship 26:00, Starting Own Business 35:30, Fresh Fish 39:55, Selling Business 42:50, Teaching 59:50
Date Recorded: 14/04/1997
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Burnett interviewed by Beverly Woods
Content: Fight 00:05, Horses 00:59, Light 4:15, Blasting the Mine in Pearce 7:20, Marriage 12:40, Memories, 12:45, Leaving Pearce 17:50, Hauling Ice 22:00, World War I 24:40, Bisbee 32:00, Mining in Bisbee 34:35, Church 36:10, Wages 38:50, Boarding House 39:30, Stock Exchange 44:45, Copper Queen Mines 48:40, Nicknames 49:35, Buying Books 51:30, Life Lessons 52:40, YMCA Basketball 56:00
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Burnett interviewed by Beverly Woods
Content: Memories 00:00, Learning to Ride Horses 00:55, Raising Poultry 2:40, Family Gatherings 5:35, Grandfather 9:50
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Burnett interviewed by Beverly Woods
Content: Saddles and Cattle 00:00, Southwest Traditions 4:20, Meanings of Sayings 6:00, Dipping Cattle 6:40, Branding 8:58, Vaccinations 10:40, Branding Irons 11:50, Fort Huachuca 16:45, Fry Boulevard 20:50, Garden Canyon 21:25, Grandfather 22:30, Wild Horses 30:20, Brownie 30:45, Raising Poultry 34:00, Butter 36:20, Family Gatherings and Rituals 37:00
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Burnett interviewed by Beverly Woods April 23rd 1992 (One of Two)
Content: Family Tree 00:10, Farming 3:30, Family Tree 5:00, Farming 6:20, Traveling by Train 6:50, Birth 8:55, Homesteading 11:15, Plumbing 11:50, Windmill 12:25, Farming 13:35, Drought 16:15, How the Land Changed 17:00, Money/Transactions 17:40, Bisbee Deportation 18:20, Purchasing Cows 25:00, Raising Horses 26:30, Diet/Shopping 28:10, Early Memories of Bisbee 30:30, **Tape Sound Stops from 31:16-31:45** Inspections 31:45, Streetcar 34:15, Bootlegging 37:00, Roads in Bisbee 38:00, Ice Plant 40:40, Friendships 44:30, Country Store 45:40, Clothing 46:40, Memories 47:50, Bars in Pearce 51:55, Schooling 55:45, Shipping Cattle 58:30
Date Recorded: 23/04/1992
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Burnett interviewed by Beverly Woods April 23rd 1992 (Two of Two)
Content: Digging Wells 00:05, Prohibition 4:25, Brophey School 6:15, Raising Mules 7:50, Double Adobe Bridge 15:40, Gleeson 18:35, Getting Mail 22:55, Christmas 24:40, Candy 28:10, After High School/College 28:30, **Tape Sound Stops from 31:18-31:37** University of Arizona 35:00, Turner Family 37:40, Colonel Green 38:45, Sierra Vista and Hereford 41:40, Raising Crops 49:30, Farming 52: 20, Weather effects on farming 56:25
Date Recorded: 23/04/1992
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Burnett interviewed by Beverly Woods-Sept 13, 2000
Content: Pierce 0:20, Mining 1:51, Boarding House 4:28, Pierce 4:45, Various buildings 7:01, Naco, Arizona 10:18, Mortuary 10:55, Business locations 11:45, Whorehouse madam 12:20, Business locations 13:05, Ballpark 14:54,Business locations 16:01, employee housing 19:25, German immigration 32:25, Railroad 37:20, Railroad 37:20, Schooling 42:32, School sports 46:30, Schooling 49:45, Calvary 50:45
Date Recorded: 13/09/2000
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Burnett interviewed by Beverly Woods-Sept 6, 1995
Content: Milk cow 0:13,Cattle 3:43, Ranching 4:45, Dairy Cows 6:01, Homesteading 8:05, Hereford cattle 14:45, Well digging 15:40, Cattle feed 21:01, Vegetable gardens 22:49, Windmill 24:28, Railroad 25:45, Cattle ranching 27:08, Ranch dogs 30:58, Prairie dog eradication 35:29, Snakes 35:00
Date Recorded: 06/09/1995
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Cox interviewed by Beverly Woods May 18th 1998 (One of Two)
Content: Allen Douglas Cox 00:15, Bisbee Water Company 1:10, Jones Hill 2:10, Ford Motor Company 2:15, Bisbee Water Company 3:07, Businesses Owned by Allen Douglas Cox 4:15, Great Depression 5:40, Schools in Bisbee 7:30, Grocery and Drug Stores in Bisbee 10:30, Transportation 12:50, Theatres 13:00, Phelps Dodge and Businesses 14:20, Biography and Schooling 16:15, Military 20:45, Coming Back to Bisbee 25:00, Bisbee Reunions 27:30, Central Pharmacy 28:20, Bisbee Daily Review 30:10, Things to do in Bisbee 31:30, Boy Scouts 39:00, Electricity work 43:50, Phelps Dodge Summer Hire Program 45:00, Oral History Project 57:25
Date Recorded: 18/05/1998
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJim Cox interviewed by Beverly Woods May 18th 1998 (Two of Two)
Content: Family Tree 00:05, Fashion 2:30, Family Tree 4:10, Big Baker Canyon 8:40, Different Parts of Bisbee 9:40, Businesses in Bisbee 13:30, Gangs/Kid Groups 14:35, High School Hill 18:00, Automobiles 22:05, Minerals in Bisbee 27:20, Banks 29:15 **Feedback going from 7:10-30:40(end of tape)**
Date Recorded: 18/05/1998
Interviewed By: Beverly Woods
ListenJoe ("John Doe") interviewed by Unknown
Content: Mining 0:15, Property disputes 1:25, Miners 3:40, Gold and Silver mining 6:50, Mining claims 8:29, Gold mining 9:53, glory hole 10:13, Gold veins 11:35, Mining process 12:39, St. Elmo's gold 13:23, Gold prospecting 14:24, B mountain 15:48, Mining claims 19:03
Interviewed By: Not Set
ListenJoe Berlindes with James Cox
Content: Orchestras 1:26, Loretto Academy 8:20, Father Manon 9:00, Higgins Hill Circus 10:20, Prohibition 11:47, Judges Lockwood 12:10
Interviewed By: Unknown
ListenJoe Muheim interviewed by Eppler
Content: Immigration to Arizona 1:49, Mining claim 3:30, Brewery gulch 5:10, Armed robbery 8:20, Family 9:41, Mother's Biography 10:12, Copper mines 15:45, Boarding homes 16:25, Marriage 17:05, Family tree 18:03, Mine explosion 22:30, Death 25:12, Schooling 27:32, Marriage 28:22, Family tree 32:00, Schooling 32:59, Gambling saloons 34:30, Prohibition 38:22, Mineral mining 41:54, Prospecting 43:54, English immigration 44:17,Mining claims 46:40
Interviewed By: Not Set
ListenJoe Muheim interviewed by Eppler
Content: Mining claims 0;20, Miners and Merchant Bank 0:50, Mining espionage 5:50, Banking 6:50, Board of directors 10:25, Shattuck mining company 11:02, Bank 11:50, Nacozari mine 14:09, Fiesta celebration 19:50, Cananea mine 22:28, Burro ore transport 26:50, Telegraph service 27:49, Military scouts 31:45, George Warren footrace versus a horse 34:00, Interracial relations 35:09, Bisbee citizens 37:25, San Jose gold mine location 44:30
Interviewed By: Not Set
ListenJohn "Doc" & Kelly Hill interviewed by Art Kent
Content: Central School 0:53, Family 1:15, Schooling 1:49, Coaster races 2:30, 4th of July Celebration 3:27, Dixie Canyon 4:45, Women clothing 6:10, Automobile 8:00, WWI Victory Parade 9:49, Drilling contest 12:18, Various residence 15:22, Childhood memories 16:05, Meat vendor 16:39, Baseball teams 17:19, Japanese Basketball teams 18:42, The Great Depression 19:35, Marriage 21:05, Brewery gulch 23:00, Swimming 24:31, Dance halls 25:25, Various business locations 27:03, Street car route 29:18, Transportation 31:40, Schooling 33:20, Tamale vendor 34:58
Interviewed By: Not Set
ListenJohn Caldwell interviewed by Unknown
Content: Tetracycline 0:20, Production of Tetracycline 1:48, Steroids 2:35, The University of Arizona Pharmacy college 3:46, Bio Labs 5:40, Kiwanis club 6:35, Baseball 9:33, Buildings 13:38, History of Medicinal drugs 14:50
Interviewed By: Not Set
ListenJohn Dixon interviewed by Deborah Mues-1980
Content: Coming to Bisbee 0:15, Mining and drilling 0:41,Coming to Bisbee 2:43, Schooling 3:24, Working at the Phelps Dodge store 4:01, P.D store departments 10:35, costumer service 13:30, Death 16:23, Credit department 20:30, YMCA 24:25, Miner salary 28:30, Opera house 31:55, Marriage 38:29, Mexican immigration 41:26, Various citizens 46:12, The Great Depression 49:25, University of Arizona 52:29, Death/illness 57:45
Interviewed By: Deborah Meus
ListenJohn Hamilton (1 of 2) interviewed by Alice Metz-June 25, 1987
Content: Ore Mill 1:23, Building new mill equipment 6:08, Milling ore 13:21, Mineral prospecting 16:19, Cyanide 19:38, Mineral trade prices 21:35, ore smelter 22:50, acquiring ore sources 28:19, Old milling techniques 31:35, Treating zinc/frother 34:32, Shattuck Den employees and management 44:00, Mil closing 57:45,Family and personal life 1:00:02
Date Recorded: 25/06/1987
Interviewed By: Alice Metz
Listen