BlockBefore

Bisbee, Arizona

24 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1902 and the latest in 1996. It stands in the Bisbee census division. It lies in ZIP code area 85603. It lies near Moon Canyon. The Survey maps it on the Bisbee quadrangle. 4,923 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 5,538 feet above sea level.

Bisbee within Cochise County

On record in Bisbee

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 11 records

Surveyed buildings and structures 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Bisbee fell from 5,575 to 4,923 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20105,575
20204,923-652 (-12%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

14 surveys from 24 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Photographs

8 of 13 photographs shown, 1940

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Steps leading from street to houses in Bisbee, Arizona. Bisbee is a mining town built along the side of a mountain
Steps leading from street to houses in Bisbee, Arizona. Bisbee is a mining town built along the side of a mountain
Lee, Russell, 1940. Library of Congress
Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee, Arizona
Lee, Russell, 1940. Library of Congress
Miners monument in Bisbee, Arizona. This monument is cast in cement, sprayed with molten copper and mounted on a block of Colorado granite used for miners' drilling contests in the nineties. The monument was erected in 1935
Miners monument in Bisbee, Arizona. This monument is cast in cement, sprayed with molten copper and mounted on a block of Colorado granite used for miners' drilling contests in the nineties. The monument was erected in 1935
Lee, Russell, 1940. Library of Congress
Ranch in a valley. Cochise County, near Bisbee, Arizona
Ranch in a valley. Cochise County, near Bisbee, Arizona
Lee, Russell, 1940. Library of Congress
Looking down on the miners' monument at Bisbee, Arizona. Inhabitants brag that this is the largest town which has no house-to-house mail delivery, the post office department considering the streets too precipitous to make delivery
Looking down on the miners' monument at Bisbee, Arizona. Inhabitants brag that this is the largest town which has no house-to-house mail delivery, the post office department considering the streets too precipitous to make delivery
Lee, Russell, 1940. Library of Congress
Looking down the valley to Bisbee, Arizona
Looking down the valley to Bisbee, Arizona
Lee, Russell, 1940. Library of Congress
Main street of Bisbee, Arizona
Main street of Bisbee, Arizona
Lee, Russell, 1940. Library of Congress
House on side of mountain in Bisbee, Arizona, showing the timber supports needed to keep soil from washing completely away from the house
House on side of mountain in Bisbee, Arizona, showing the timber supports needed to keep soil from washing completely away from the house
Lee, Russell, 1940. Library of Congress

Every photograph of Cochise County

Fires near this place

64 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 64 fires within 5 miles of Bisbee between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,164 acres in total. 20 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined34
Natural20
Equipment and vehicle use3
Debris and open burning3
Smoking3
Recreation and ceremony1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
18 September 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreBisbee Fire Departmentnot named
16 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Officenot named
11 September 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - Southeast DistrictKINLEY
14 August 2012Naturalunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State OfficeBACKPACK
12 August 2020Natural1.0 acresArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - Southeast DistrictMULE MOUNTAIN
7 July 2010Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Office346 COMPLEX
7 July 1996Natural1.0 acresArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Officenot named
25 July 1994Naturalunder an acreArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Officenot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Cochise County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 91 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 91 workings within 5 miles of Bisbee: 75 past producers, 6 occurrences, 6 prospects, 4 producers. 4 still produce. What was taken out: Copper, Manganese, Gold, Silver, Silver, Gold. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Bisbee Coalition MinesCopper, Gold, SilverPast ProducerCopper, Gold, Silver
Boras MineCopper, Manganese, Silver, GoldPast Producer1917
Briggs MineCopper, Lead, Gold, Silver, ZincPast Producer
CampbellCopper, Gold, Lead, Silver, Zinc, Bismuth, Indium, TinPast Producer
Campbell MineCopper, Manganese, Silver, Lead, Zinc, GoldPast ProducerReplacement
Caretto Claim GroupLead, Zinc, Silver, CopperOccurrenceGalena
Cochise QueenLead, Copper, Gold, SilverOccurrence
Copper Queen MineCopper, Gemstone, Semiprecious Gemstone, Lead, Zinc, Gold, SilverPast Producer1877, 1881
CupriteCopper, Silver, Gold, Lead, ZincPast Producer
Czar MineCopper, Gold, Silver, Zinc, LeadPast Producer

Every working recorded in Cochise County

Storms near this place

24 since 1996

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Bisbee in 24 storm reports between 1996 and 2026: 16 flash flood, 3 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 2 heavy rain. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
September 2009Flash FloodBisbee$50,000Scattered thunderstorms produced locally heavy rainfall near the intersection of State Highway 80 and Old Divide Road, approximately 2 miles northwest of Bisbee. Rainfall was not excessively heavy, with radar estimates of near 1.25 inch. However, an earlier fire burned hillsides in the area in May 2009, leaving the landscape prone to flash flooding. Flooding and debris flows destroyed portions of the road and surrounding culverts, and forced the closure of Old Divide Road.
November 2019Heavy RainBisbee$20,000Three inches of rain fell in Bisbee from midday on November 27 into the morning hours of November 28. A day later, a retention wall failed as a result. The debris from this failed wall caused the closure of a section of Shearer Avenue in Bisbee.
August 2021Flash FloodBisbee$15,000Two to four inches of rain in less than two hours caused flash flooding from east of Sierra Vista to north of Bisbee to Elfrida. Floodwaters deposited several rocks on State Rte. 80 near N. Old Divide Rd. northwest of Bisbee and caused the closure of Moson and Escapule Rds and the junction of State Rtes. 80 and 90 east of Sierra Vista. Along Davis Rd. near mile post 13, six motorists were rescued from three vehicles amidst floodwaters. Courtland and Jefferson Rds, northwest of Elfrida were also closed due to flooding.
August 2005Flash FloodBisbee$10,000Water flowing across the road on State Route 92 near milepost 341 caused a vehicle to roll over.
July 2007Flash FloodBisbee$5,000Excessive rainfall and low visibility contributed to a fatal accident on Highway 92 near Hereford. The Cochise County emergency dispatch facility flooded along with Highway 80 at Davis road. In this location two vehicles were stuck in high water.
August 2005Flash FloodBisbee$5,000The police department in the Town of Bisbee reported that several streets were flooded and impassable, as well as one home impacted by flood waters.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindBisbee$3,000Damage to roof due to severe thunderstorm winds.
January 2026Heavy RainBisbee$500Heavy rainfall caused an anchor became loose leading to a power outage to 1400 people. A nearby CWOP station reported a rainfall total of 1.49 inches.
July 2022Flash FloodBisbee-Heavy rain of 2-3 in 1 hour caused flash flooding and rock slides across Route 80 northwest of Bisbee.
August 2022Flash FloodBisbee-Heavy rain of 1.5 in less than 1 hour caused flash flooding and the closure of Route 80 northwest of Bisbee.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindBisbee-A mesonet station in Bisbee measured wind gusts to 58 MPH.
August 2019Flash FloodBisbee-Around an inch of rain in the northern Mule Mountains in less than an hour caused Davis Road to become closed due to flooding flooding near mile post 13.
July 2016Flash FloodBisbee-Heavy rain caused flash flooding along Highway 80 northwest of Bisbee.
August 2011Flash FloodBisbee-Cochise County Emergency Manager reported water across Highway 90 at several locations from Sierra Vista to Bisbee.
July 2010Flash FloodBisbee-Banning Creek flooded along Highway 82. Several homes were temporarily cutoff from the main road.
August 2010HailBisbee-Law enforcement reported penny size hail covering the ground at mule tunnel northwest of Bisbee.
August 2006Flash FloodBisbee-A trained spotter reported that there was three to four inches of water covering the road at the intersection of Highway 80 and Naco Road in the Town of Bisbee.
August 2005HailBisbee-The Bisbee Police Department reported three quarter inch hail.
August 2005Flash FloodBisbee-Rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches across a portion of Cochise County caused several roads to be flooded and impassable.
July 1998Flash FloodBisbee-Thunderstorms dumping heavy rain caused flooding in downtown bisbee with reports of water up to bumpers on cars with many street closures. Washes were reported running full in the Sierra Vista area.
July 1998Flash FloodBisbee-A thunderstorm dumping over an inch of rain in one hour caused flooding of roads and streets in Bisbee making them impassable.
June 2020HailBisbee-no account filed
August 2000Thunderstorm WindBisbee-no account filed
July 1996Flash FloodBisbee-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Cochise County

Newspapers printed here

68,184 digitised pages

6 papers published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 8,330 issues, 68,184 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.

NewspaperPublished
The Weekly Orb1896 to 1900
The Arizona Daily Orb1898 to 1900
Cochise Review and Arizona Daily Orb1900 to 1901
Cochise Review1900 to 1901
Bisbee Daily Review1901 to 1971
Brewery Gulch Gazette1931 to 1987

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Highland Park0.7 miles24
Lowell2.3 miles24
South Bisbee2.5 miles24
Galena2.6 miles24
Briggs2.6 miles24
Saginaw2.7 miles24
Bakerville2.8 miles24
Tintown2.8 miles24

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on BisbeeAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q79720The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1436. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.