A Portrait of Ajo, Arizona
Odometer: Trip: I’ve wanted to write this blog for a long time now. Joan and I have been coming to Ajo and southern Arizona for over 24 years. We both have a strong affection for the architecture that is common in the southwest. I have put together a collection of photos of some of our favorite local businesses and homes to show you, and I’ll add to this collections as we discover more interesting architecture. But first let’s talk about Ajo the town. Accounts dating to the early 1800s note that the Ajo area had been prospected and mined by the native Indians, and Mexicans. (It was still a part of Mexico until 1853) After the Gadsden Purchase of 1853 the first commercially successful mine in Ajo was created by a consortium called the Arizona Mining and Trading Company. They found the ore plentiful and rich, but were hampered by the lack of water and not having any nearby ore refineries. The ore had to be packed out to San Diego...
