A yellow tinted black and white postcard of the post office, library and the Bank of Bisbee. The front caption at the bottom reads: “Main Street, Bisbee, Arizona”. The postcard is unused, and the publisher is unknown. Edward Francis Collection

In 1880, Members of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company arrived in town to find the body of a man who had been hung the night before. They were so shocked that they decided the town needed more civilized diversions then the brothels and saloons. In 1882, the first Copper Queen Library with 400 books was established in the east end of the Copper Queen Mercantile Store. Edward Francis Collection. By 1885, the Copper Queen Library had its own building, white two-story wood building housed both the library and the post office on the lower floor. The second floor was for lodge meetings, church services, dances and other social gatherings. The Sign above the door read: “Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Co. Library Reading Room” In 1887, Reverend J.G. Pritchard became the first paid librarian at the Copper Queen Library. He also served as the postmaster until the volume of mail became too much for a single person to handle. In 1888, the fire that swept through Bisbee claimed the first library, burning the building and all of its books. In 1892, the second library was constructed with brick in the same Italianate style as the Phelps Dodge building. This second library lasted for fourteen years and was torn down in 1906 to make way for the third and final Bisbee library. Designed by Frederick C. Hurst, the third Copper Queen Library celebrated its opening in March 1907. The first floor served as the post office, the second floor as the reading and game room and the third floor was the library. By 1908, the lack of home delivery of mail insured that the Bisbee post office had the most rented mailboxes in the country- 3,200. And had an all-female staff. The building survived both the flooding in August 1908 and a fire in October 1908 that claimed much of the commercial district. In April 1976, the Phelps Dodge Corporation gave the Copper Queen Library to the City of Bisbee.

1980.65.18