A black and white photo postcard captioned: "El Paso & Southwestern Depot" circa 1906. There is a dentist's sign on the second floor of the store; below it is a sign listing merchandise. The plaza is full of horses and wagons. Sacramento Hill is in the background. Written on the bottom in ink: “This looks like the Short Depot. I will write soon, your son G.S.” The postcard was published by Humphries Photo Company, El Paso, Texas. Al Ring Collection.

The expansion of the railways was pivotal to Bisbee’s development. For new arrivals into town the train provided a far faster, smoother mode of transport as compared to horse or mule drawn stagecoaches. It accelerated the flow of ore outgoing ore and incoming flow of people and product into town. The Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company built their own railway that laid thirty-six miles to reach the town of Fairbank. The Arizona and Southeastern Railroad Company incorporated on May 24th, 1888 and Ben Williams served as its president. The main line was laid out by El Paso & Southwestern that laid 1,100 miles of train tracks. The train depot in front of the Phelps Dodge Mercantile Warehouse was the gateway for new visitors to Bisbee. In the area were the train depot once stood stands three flag poles bearing the American, Arizonan and Mexican flags.

1995.1.12