A black and white postcard of the Lowell Shaft. The front caption at the bottom left reads: “Lowell Shaft, Bisbee, Arizona” The postcard was postmarked Littleton, Colorado July 22 1907, 2 Pm and was sent to Mr H.H. Ludd, Littleton, Colorado. The postcard was published for the Bisbee Drug Company by the Newman Postcard Company, Los Angeles, California.

In 1879, the mining claims that would become the Lowell Mine were discovered by W.S. Salmon and was bought by Frank Hanchett in February 1899. Hanchett came from Lowell, Massachusetts and named his mining company the Lowell & Arizona Copper Mining and Smelting Company to honor his origins. The Lowell mine had a double compartment shaft and in one month was sunk to the depth of 900 feet. They employed 60 men and later struggled with water below the 1100-foot level. The Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company acquired the Lowell Mine in October 1902. The mine suffered a serious fire in 1911, the sulfur dioxide produced from the flames damaged the shaft. A second shaft was sunk to provide ventilation, the Dallas shaft. When ore reserves at the Lowell mine ran out, it’s headframe was removed to be reinstalled at the Campbell Mine. Portions of the Lowell Mine were leased out starting in 1935 but all mining ceased in 1940 with the final depth measuring 1,603 feet.

2021.7.10