Inspiration, Arizona

Abandoned town in Gila County, Arizona, US

Populated place in Arizona, United States

Inspiration, Arizona

Populated place

Inspiration Mine in 1916

Inspiration

Location within the state of Arizona

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Inspiration

Inspiration (the United States)

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Coordinates: 33°24′45″N 110°53′00″W﻿ / ﻿33.41250°N 110.88333°W﻿ / 33.41250; -110.88333
Country| United States
State| Arizona
County| Gila
Elevation

[1]

| 3,927 ft (1,197 m)
Time zone| UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)| UTC-7 (MST)
Area code| 928
FIPS code| 04-35450
GNIS feature ID| 30392

Inspiration is a ghost town in Gila County, Arizona, in the United States.[2] It has an estimated elevation of 3,927 feet (1,197 m) above sea level.[1] Inspiration was the company town for the Inspiration copper mine.

The old Inspiration townsite is on company property, and is not accessible to the general public.

## History

[edit]

Inspiration had its start as a copper-mining settlement.[3] According to tradition, the area was so named when a local prospector dreamed of finding a mine, and his dream came true.[4] A post office called Inspiration was established in 1917, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1983.[5]

At its peak population, Inspiration had between 350 and 400 people. There were 89 houses, three duplex apartment houses, the Benjamin Franklin School, the Warrior Store and service station, the Inspiration Post Office, and the telephone office. As of 2013, only the school building, the gas station, and some walls and foundations remain.[6]

## Inspiration mine

[edit]

The rich Inspiration copper mine opened in 1911. It was promoted by Boyce Thompson, who owned the nearby Magma Mine in Superior, Arizona. He retained a 15% interest in the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Company when that was founded in 1915. The mine is currently operated by Freeport-McMoran, which renamed it the Miami Mine.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Feature Detail Report for: Inspiration". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
2. ^ "Inspiration (in Gila County, AZ) Populated Place Profile". AZ Hometown Locator. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
3. ^ Moyer, Armond; Moyer, Winifred (1958). The origins of unusual place-names. Keystone Pub. Associates. p. 68.
4. ^ Blackwood, Alisa (April 15, 2001). "Whimsical names mark Arizona towns". Reading Eagle. pp. E11. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
5. ^ "Gila County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
6. ^ Inspiration ghost town. Accessed June 24, 2018

Malachite-Quartz-Chrysocolla from Inspiration Mine. The white quartz crystals are on a layer of malachite, which is in turn on a layer of chrysocolla. Size: 15.2 x 13.4 x 6.4 cm.

Featured in the film "A Kiss Before Dying " 1956 MGM Robert Wagner Joanne Woodward.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inspiration Mine.

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Municipalities and communities of Gila County, Arizona, United States

County seat: Globe

City|

* Globe

Towns|

* Hayden‡
* Miami
* Payson
* Star Valley
* Winkelman‡

CDPs|

* Bear Flat
* Beaver Valley
* Canyon Day
* Carrizo
* Cedar Creek
* Central Heights-Midland City
* Christopher Creek
* Claypool
* Copper Hill
* Cutter
* Deer Creek
* Dripping Springs
* East Globe
* East Verde Estates
* El Capitan
* Flowing Springs
* Freedom Acres
* Geronimo Estates
* Gisela
* Haigler Creek
* Hunter Creek
* Icehouse Canyon
* Jakes Corner
* Kohls Ranch
* Mead Ranch
* Mesa del Caballo
* Oxbow Estates
* Peridot‡
* Pinal
* Pine
* Rock House
* Roosevelt
* Roosevelt Estates
* Round Valley
* Rye
* San Carlos
* Six Shooter Canyon
* Strawberry
* Tonto Basin
* Tonto Village
* Top-of-the-World‡
* Washington Park
* Wheatfields
* Whispering Pines
* Young

Populated
places|

* Bonita Creek Estates
* Burch
* Grapevine
* Little Acres
* Midland City
* Punkin Center

Indian reservations|

* Fort Apache‡
* San Carlos Apache‡

Ghost towns|

* Bellevue
* Christmas
* Chrysotile
* Inspiration
* McMillenville
* Seneca

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Arizona portal
* United States portal

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

|

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