No, Bisbee is not a variety of Frisbee, although it does sound like it could be. Actually, Bisbee is a small, historic town located about 90 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona. It has a lot in common with 1000 Markets because many of its shops and galleries are owned by artists and artisans and feature handcrafted items.
I had been there several years ago for a friend’s wedding but had had only a few minutes to check out some of the shops on Main Street before heading to the wedding. Yesterday my daughter and I spent a few hours there browsing the eclectic mix of shops and galleries. It was a mild day, just perfect for driving there and then strolling along the twisty, hilly commercial street where we found a mix of restaurants, pubs, art galleries, historical attractions, antiques stores, and specialty shops.
To reach Bisbee, we drove through Mule Pass Tunnel which cuts through the Mule Mountains and leads to the town itself. We took a somewhat roundabout route to Main Street, passing many small lodging houses and bed and breakfasts. Streets are somewhat narrow as they wind through the hilly terrain where many houses seem precariously perched on the on the hillsides.
Bisbee was founded in 1880 and became a booming mining community, “producing nearly three million ounces of gold and more than eight billion pounds of copper, not to mention the silver, lead and zinc that came from these rich Mule Mountains,” according to information available on the Visitor Center website.
The commercial area was reconstructed after a devastating fire in 1908 and has been preserved to the present. When mining became unprofitable in the 1970’s and many longtime residents left, Bisbee reinvented itself as a retirement community and haven for artists and artisans. It retains its small-town, historical feel and is a popular destination for winter visitors to southern Arizona.
While in Bisbee I wanted to check out the shop of Kate Drew-Wilkinson, well-known bead maker, teacher of lampworking, and jewelry designer. Her Uptown Tribal shop also serves as her work studio, so passersby can watch her melting glass and making beads through a large window that overlooks her torch and work space. Unfortunately, she was not in the shop, but I did have a chance to view the beads and wire-wrap jewelry for which she is so well known.
It’s just as well that I didn’t get to meet and talk with Ms. Drew-Wilkinson—now I have a reason to visit Bisbee again!
(Photos: 1-a look down Main Street; 2-hillside with letter B; 3-side view of Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum with the Copper Queen Hotel in the background; 4-former JC Penney store now a large bookshop; 5-Lavender Pit, a former open pit copper mine.)
I had been there several years ago for a friend’s wedding but had had only a few minutes to check out some of the shops on Main Street before heading to the wedding. Yesterday my daughter and I spent a few hours there browsing the eclectic mix of shops and galleries. It was a mild day, just perfect for driving there and then strolling along the twisty, hilly commercial street where we found a mix of restaurants, pubs, art galleries, historical attractions, antiques stores, and specialty shops.
To reach Bisbee, we drove through Mule Pass Tunnel which cuts through the Mule Mountains and leads to the town itself. We took a somewhat roundabout route to Main Street, passing many small lodging houses and bed and breakfasts. Streets are somewhat narrow as they wind through the hilly terrain where many houses seem precariously perched on the on the hillsides.Bisbee was founded in 1880 and became a booming mining community, “producing nearly three million ounces of gold and more than eight billion pounds of copper, not to mention the silver, lead and zinc that came from these rich Mule Mountains,” according to information available on the Visitor Center website.
The commercial area was reconstructed after a devastating fire in 1908 and has been preserved to the present. When mining became unprofitable in the 1970’s and many longtime residents left, Bisbee reinvented itself as a retirement community and haven for artists and artisans. It retains its small-town, historical feel and is a popular destination for winter visitors to southern Arizona.While in Bisbee I wanted to check out the shop of Kate Drew-Wilkinson, well-known bead maker, teacher of lampworking, and jewelry designer. Her Uptown Tribal shop also serves as her work studio, so passersby can watch her melting glass and making beads through a large window that overlooks her torch and work space. Unfortunately, she was not in the shop, but I did have a chance to view the beads and wire-wrap jewelry for which she is so well known.It’s just as well that I didn’t get to meet and talk with Ms. Drew-Wilkinson—now I have a reason to visit Bisbee again!
(Photos: 1-a look down Main Street; 2-hillside with letter B; 3-side view of Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum with the Copper Queen Hotel in the background; 4-former JC Penney store now a large bookshop; 5-Lavender Pit, a former open pit copper mine.)
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