In a recent Thursday Doors post, I highlighted our visit to the Arizona mining town of Jerome. We had been there a couple of times before and we enjoyed another opportunity to poke about the quirky community perched on the side of a hill.
In south-eastern Arizona – almost to the border of Mexico – is another fun and funky old mining town called Bisbee. Over a period of almost 100 years, Bisbee produced around 8 billion pounds of copper. Silver, gold, lead, zinc and manganese were also mined in significant quantities. Similar to Jerome, after the mining interests pulled out (the last operation ceased in 1974), artists and hippies started moving in, attracted by the inexpensive real estate and wide-open scenery.
As a wanna-be artist and hippie at heart, I love these types of communities. At home and on our travels, we see too many big box behemoths, interchangeable chains, and soulless strip malls. It’s nice to visit a place that values out-of-the-ordinary and one-of-a-kind. Bisbee had been on my want-to-see list for a while, so I was happy to finally make it there.
It’s pretty easy to get around Bisbee on foot, as long as you don’t mind a few hills. Most of the shops, restaurants, and art galleries can be found along the main street so once we parked our car, it didn’t move until the next afternoon when we left town. Our hotel was in an old building (all buildings in Bisbee are old) but it was the nicest room we stayed in during our 2 ½ week road trip.
Between the historical buildings, street murals, galleries, and colorful town folks, there was a lot to see and photograph in Bisbee, including a few doors… in fact one of Bisbee’s slogans is Be Inspired. (I also saw a bumper sticker that read “Bisbee… like Mayberry on acid” but I’m going with Be Inspired).
Bisbee’s Cochise County Courthouse is a prime example of the Southwest regional variation of the Art Deco style.
Bisbee is known for its Art Cars and we were happy to spot one close to our hotel. Nearby Douglas, Arizona has a entire museum dedicated to this artform.
After many years of hearing about Bisbee’s rich history and thriving art scene, I was thrilled to finally see it for myself. It really is Bee-utiful!
Please check out Dan’s blog to see some more Thursday Doors… and maybe link a few of your own.
Copyright © 2025 RetirementallyChallenged.com – All rights reserved.
Discover more from Retirementally Challenged
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Retirementally Challenged 
You know the most interesting places! And take such great photos when you get there. I don’t know which I like best, but the Art Car fascinates me because the owner can actually travel in it.
I love Art Cars! I’ve seen a few where I live and also several on my travels… and I always take pictures of them. I talk to the owner whenever I can because they typically have wonderful stories about their creation.
Loved the Moto Chapel and Angels. …..( stairway to heaven?) What an interesting place!
Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. I wonder if that’s what the artist had in mind.
Hi, Janis – I absolutely love the sign ‘Bisbee – like Mayberry on Acid!’ How cool is that?!!
I also more than absolutely love that you are as artist as well as a wannabe hippie at heart. That’s one of the many reasons that you are high on my list of favourite people.
You made me smile, Donna 😘.
We had heard a lot about Bisbee before we finally had a chance to visit a few years ago. As a matter of fact, we wanted to check it out to see if we could live there one day. Well, the affordable house prices had long gone, but we did like the atmosphere of this cute and artistic town. The winters still get too cold there for us, though.
I took a few photos of doors thinking I’d post them for the Thursday Doors theme, but that never happened. No time. And many other topics to blog about. 🙂
At over a mile high elevation, it probably does get cold in the winter. We were happy to have puffy coats when we were there. I didn’t check the home prices but I imagine they’ve gone way up like just about everywhere.
Wowsers! That art deco building and those doors are over the top. The art vehicles sort of remind me of what tap taps trucks look like in Haiti (although there they haul people). What an interesting place! Thanks for sharing. We ate thinking of an Arizona trip in January so will look at the map and see if this is doable.
Arizona in January should be really nice. Bisbee is quite a ways south so it might be more of a drive than you’d like. I hope you plan to visit Tucson. Much nicer (and less congested) than Phoenix. Let me know if you’d like some suggestions.
Ah thanks Janis. If we end up going I will take you up on that offer.
Looks like a load of fun, Janis! Those blue gates are fabulous! To take your mind off climbing all those steps?
Funny thing about those stairs… since Bisbee was built on a hill, there are stairs everywhere. They have an annual 1,000 stair climb that is very popular. I’d love to see it… not as a participant, obviously 🙃
🤣💙
Absolutely wonderful examples of a variety of skilled artists. Applause to each and every one. I loved the Bisbee way sign, the Moto Chapel, gate, and art cars. The stairway behind the door just made me smile because I’m always in awe of an artist who can create a life-like painting and that’s a beauty.
I know I just scratched the surface capturing all the different artistic expressions found in Bisbee. Btw, I saw a fabric crossbody bag I loved (and for some stupid reason didn’t buy). I’ve tried to find a pattern for it but haven’t been able to so far. Do you have a go-to source?
This is the pattern I used for my bag. https://sewingtimes.net/diy-easy-fanny-pack/
A friend who I refer to as the Queen of Quilting uses this pattern and sells a lot of them.
https://sewhungryhippie.com/products/emerson-crossbody-quilted-bag-pattern?srsltid=AfmBOoo18MyIAJ2pFLdR8qZszw3SVJLVJSmGQbeDNFQ1j_GKiSZ1mt6tBaI
Enjoy your sewing.
Thank you for these links. I’m still not finding the pattern I want. Maybe I’ll have to figure out how to make it myself. It’s not too complicated, I think, but getting the piece sizes and steps right will be a challenge.
Janis, you do manage to find the most interesting places to visit. I love the gates behind the gates and the faux staircase. It is great that these old towns still offer a glimpse into the past.
I really loved that fanciful gate… did you see the two kitties depicted in the top gate? I wish we had had more time to wander into more of the residential areas. I bet there were some fabulous artists’ homes. Next time, I guess.
Janis, I did see the cats. I actually studied the one on the right for a while before deciding it was a cat. That one looks a bit menacing, like it is tracking a mouse.
From one aging hippie to another, nice pics dude!
Haha! Thanks back atcha, dude.
I love nothing more than finding little treasure towns to meander in and explore. Looks like Bisbee is a wonderful community to do just that!
“Treasure towns” I love that! I know it’s hard for little towns to maintain their core values when big money is offered by a chain but, as someone who loves them for their uniqueness, I’m so happy when they resist. I also try to spend money in the various shops to support the effort.
I love that Janis. I live in a smaller town and work part time in a little local shop. I can tell you your “buy local” support is very much appreciated 💕
I love everything about this place, Janis. Ummm, except the relentless heat during 80% of the year! HA! Wonderful trip and seems like perfect timing for you to take it. Been to Tubac – similar vibe (at least when we visited back in the early 2000s)
It is certainly best to avoid summer in Arizona! Our timing was good, weather-wise: not too hot, not too cold. I’ve heard of Tubac also and would love to add it to our itinerary next time we are traveling that way.
When we were camping at Catalina State Park in Tucson this fall, Alan and I drove down to visit Tombstone and Bisbee. We were fascinated by the way so many of the homes in Bisbee were built into the hillsides in the area. Truly a unique town with an exceptionally interesting history!
We drove through Tombstone to get to Bisbee but decided not to stop. It seems like Tombstone allowed itself to get touristy while Bisbee just got funky. I’ll pick art galleries over an reenactment of a shoot-out any day! I’m glad you got to Bisbee too!
Wow, another cool artsy town, Janis! I agree that the shops in these small towns are so much more fun with eclectic goods than stuff sold commercially. Great shots, very inviting!
It’s a bit of a drive south of Tucson, but worth it. Thank goodness for artists and hippies for rescuing these towns from total decay.
What fun! It’s great that you’re finding these less well-known places to explore. I particularly liked the painting of a staircase behind a door. Very clever. Looks like a fun place for sure!
I loved that door painting too. The gallery wasn’t usually open the day we were there but the owner caught us looking through the front windows and took pity on us. I love when those things happen.
That’s amazing!
Bisbee looks like a wonderful town, Janis. I love that courthouse. You r first photo is beautiful. That would certainly make me want to park the car and wander around for a while.
We were pretty surprised to see an Art Deco style building in a town made up mostly of wooden structures. Driving to Bisbee took us out of our central Arizona loop, but it was worth it!
Fabulous selection of doors, Janis.
Thank you! It was fun to discover what Bisbee had to offer.
Janis, I haven’t been to Bisbee, but I’m putting it on my bucket list. What beautiful pictures and an interesting backstory. I love the patina gate and the art deco courthouse.
I hope you can get there at some point, I know you’d love it. We didn’t have time to take a mine tour but I understand that it’s really interesting.
We didn’t do a tour, but there is a museum in Jerome that we went to. Have you been to Tuzigoot? They talk about the effect of mining on the soil.
No, we missed Tuzigoot (great name!). Another reason to visit Arizona again.
It looks like a really neat place to explore. The faux stairway behind the door reminded me of Sarah Winchester and her Mystery House in San Jose, Ca. She had lots of doors that opened up to faux stairways that lead to nowhere. If I remember correctly she had those built to fake out ghosts who she thought were haunting her?
Thanks for sharing this cool town with us!
The Winchester House was pretty amazing. I don’t remember the doors, but I do recall a lot of rooms, etc. that made no sense. It sounds like a great subject for a Thursday Doors post 🙂
I’ve never heard of it. Bisbee looks like such an interesting place!
It was interesting. I also think we picked a good time to go. Not too hot, not too cold, and not a lot of tourists.
What a lovely, quirky place. Definitely better than homogenised malls.
Absolutely! I think it is sad how many places are losing their unique character by offering the same chain stores and restaurants.
“Like Mayberry on acid” … sounds like my kind of place 😉 I do love these quirky towns that value art and creativity. I have never heard of Bisbee so thank you for sharing your trip. Great photos too!
I thought that bumper sticker was pretty funny :). I love quirky too… there isn’t much of that left nowadays.
You find some great highlights! We did not walk around on my last visit – too hard to find a place to park the van!
I think we timed our visit well. We found a spot to parked close to our hotel and were able to leave our car there until we left the next day… free!
What a fun place to visit Janis and I would love all the creativity and artwork here as well. I understand that there are places in Detroit that have some very cool murals and a lot of artwork, but I’d be concerned about going down there alone. You and your husband have had an exciting travel year!
Street art is great… maybe you could find someone to go with you to see the ones in your area sometime. Sometimes people offer tours, which I would think would be safe.
My husband and I were just talking about all the trips we took this year… I hope we can continue the streak into 2024.
Yes, I’d like to do that Janis. I’ve been following a local tour group that books tours to other states as well as locally. I may look into that for next year. Yes, you had a great year for traveling – keep up that streak in 2024!
We love Bisbee! We’ve visited several times and always enjoy the anything-goes creative vibe. The art cars crack me up, and wandering around the town and taking all of the stairways reveals so many surprises. You captured the spirit of Bisbee so well in your photos! Long live Bisbee!
Hi Laurel! Bisbee was such a funky, quirky town. I could have spent a few more days there for sure. It was at the end of our trip, though, and we wanted to get home and sleep in our own beds.
I really liked the artwork and message of “Do the Bisbee Way.” I think I’d like this town too, Janis. Old hippie/artist communities are a pleasure. Thanks for sharing some of the artwork, especially that amazing “angel gate” and the art cars. How fun are those! I enjoyed the virtual tour. 😀
I know that you’d enjoy Bisbee, Diana. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by creative, free spirits.
I really like funky, creative art too. 🙂
Wow Janis, another gorgeous hippy artist’s community – beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
I have a t-shirt that says The Hippies Were Right… and maybe they were 🙂
I also love those kind of communities! (And I kind of like the “Mayberry on acid” slogan too……LOL!)
I thought that bumper sticker was so funny and captured the essence of the town.
The courthouse doors and that gate! I love posts about places I’ve never heard of. Thanks Janis!
That deco courthouse was gorgeous! It was so different from the other buildings in Bisbee. I’m happy you enjoyed the tour!
I think ol’ Barney Fife might have benefited from some acid in Mayberry. The dude always seemed like he was in need of a chill pill.
Bisbee looks quaint and fun. I’d be down for a visit!
Haha! Barney on acid… hard to imagine him being even odder. Good thing his gun wasn’t loaded.
Wonderful quirky find.
I thought so too! I just love these little towns that don’t allow themselves to become cookie cutters.
Yes those are the places that people enjoy visiting.
Such a cool little town. I love the art deco building!
I thought it was pretty nice too. They had some beautiful artwork from that era inside, but we couldn’t get past the guards (even though I asked very nicely 🙂
I thought that was a real staircase until I read your caption! Cool place – want to visit!
I loved the painting and, even more, that someone thought it would be a great idea to paint that and install a door in front of it.
It is always fun to discover an interesting town like Bisbee. It certainly looks like a place you could spend a day or two admiring not only its history but its uniqueness.
I think I would have enjoyed extending our stay a day or two. I feel that we just scratched the surface.
I wonder if the Moto Chapel does weddings?
Haha! I sure it could be arranged 🙂
Ha ha! With this mounting lug, I thee wed…
Does Bisbee have any great ‘ghost’ occupied landmarks or tales, as Jerome certainly does? These old mining towns lend atmosphere to those old sightings of the spookiest!
Yes, they offer ghost tours too. I don’t know what it is about mining towns and ghosts… maybe the ghosts just like hanging around. Sadly, we didn’t see – or hear – any. 🙂