Nestled in the rugged hills of Santa Cruz County in southern Arizona, just north of the Mexican border, Ruby stands as one of the most well-preserved ghost towns in the American Southwest. Once a bustling mining community driven by the extraction of lead, zinc, silver, gold, and copper, Ruby’s history is a tale of frontier ambition, industrial boom, violent crime, and inevitable decline. Founded in the late 19th century amid the mineral-rich Oro Blanco Mining District, the town peaked in the 1930s with a population of around 1,200 before fading into obscurity by 1941. Today, it remains frozen in time, offering a poignant glimpse into Arizona’s mining heritage, though access is restricted due to private ownership.
Early History and Founding
The story of Ruby begins with early European exploration in the region. Spanish conquistadors ventured into the area in the late 1500s, but sustained mining efforts didn’t take hold until the 19th century. In 1854, American prospectors Charles Poston and Henry Ehrenberg revived placer mining operations in Montana Gulch, targeting gold deposits. However, Apache resistance, limited water supplies, and rudimentary extraction methods hampered progress for decades.
By the 1870s, the settlement known as Montana Camp emerged at the base of Montana Peak in Bear Valley, drawing miners to the promising veins of the Montana Mine. The first formal mining claim was staked in 1877, focusing initially on gold and silver. The camp’s name reflected its location, but it was officially rechristened Ruby in 1912 when postmaster Julius Andrews established a post office and named it after his wife, Lillie B. Ruby Andrews. The Ruby Mercantile, opened in the late 1880s by George Cheney and later acquired by Andrews in 1891, served as the town’s commercial and postal hub. A post office followed in 1912, marking Ruby’s transition from a transient camp to a more permanent community.
Mining Operations and Boom
Mining defined Ruby’s existence, with the Montana Mine evolving into a major operation. Early efforts were small-scale, but by 1915, the mine was leased to the Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company, which ramped up production and positioned Ruby as a key lead producer. The real transformation came in 1926 when the Eagle-Picher Lead Company took over. This Kansas-based firm invested heavily in infrastructure, including dams, a 15-mile water pipeline from the Santa Cruz River, and electricity generation. The mine operated around the clock, employing up to 300 workers and employing advanced milling techniques.
From 1934 to 1937, the Montana Mine was Arizona’s leading producer of lead and zinc, and it ranked third in silver output in 1936. The town’s population swelled to approximately 1,200 by the mid-1930s, supporting a school, jail, infirmary, machine shop, and over 50 residences. Infrastructure included a two-story hotel, a dance hall, and recreational facilities like baseball fields. The Oro Blanco District’s total mineral output from 1909 to 1949 exceeded $10 million (in period value), underscoring Ruby’s economic significance during the Great Depression era, when mining provided vital employment.
The Ruby Murders: A Dark Chapter
Ruby’s prosperity was marred by lawlessness, epitomized by the infamous “Ruby Murders” of the early 1920s—a series of brutal robberies that terrorized the town and sparked one of the largest manhunts in Southwestern history. The violence began on February 27, 1920, when brothers John and Alexander Fraser, operators of the Ruby Mercantile, were gunned down during a robbery. Alexander was shot in the back and head near the cash register, while John succumbed hours later to a bullet through the eye. The bandits cut telephone lines, stole cash, horses, and cattle, and escaped southward, likely into Mexico. Suspected Mexican vaqueros were rounded up, but no charges stuck.
The horror escalated on August 14, 1921, with the savage murder of the Pearson family. Storekeeper Frank Pearson was shot twice in the back while reaching for tobacco. His wife, Myrtle, suffered a fractured skull, neck wound, head shot, broken jaw, and teeth knocked out with a gun butt in a frenzied attack. Frank’s sister Elizabeth was grazed by a bullet, while his daughters Irene and Margaret hid in terror. Seven masked robbers ransacked the store, matching descriptions from the Fraser killings. A $5,000 reward per outlaw fueled a massive investigation.
Justice came slowly. Manuel Martinez was identified by stolen gold teeth from Myrtle Pearson, and Placido Silvas emerged as a key suspect. After three trials—the longest in Santa Cruz County history—Silvas was convicted of first-degree murder. Martinez confessed but pleaded not guilty; his trial lasted just 40 minutes, ending in conviction. In July 1922, Martinez was sentenced to hang, and Silvas to life imprisonment. En route to prison, the pair escaped after bludgeoning their guards, killing Sheriff George White and mortally wounding Deputy L.A. Smith. A 700-man posse, bloodhounds, and—remarkably—the first airplane used in an Arizona manhunt pursued them for days across 70 miles of the Tumacacori Mountains. Recaptured, Martinez was hanged on August 10, 1923, after repeated stays of execution. Silvas escaped prison in 1928 and was never recaptured. These events, steeped in local lore including a supposed curse on the mercantile, cemented Ruby’s reputation for frontier mayhem.
Decline and Abandonment
The ore veins began to play out by 1940, forcing the mine’s closure. Eagle-Picher dismantled the mill and relocated it to Sahuarita, stripping the town of its economic lifeline. By late 1941, the post office shuttered, and Ruby’s residents dispersed, leaving behind a near-empty shell. World War II demands for metals ironically came too late to revive operations, as the remote location and depleted resources proved insurmountable. The once-vibrant community faded into a ghost town, its buildings succumbing to weather and neglect.
Current Status
Ruby endures as one of Arizona’s two best-preserved mining ghost towns, boasting about 25 original structures, including the jail, schoolhouse, miners’ homes, and remnants of mine machinery like a 700-foot main shaft with 2,000-foot lateral tunnels. The site also features two dams forming scenic lakes, a cemetery, and habitats for wildlife, including 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats in the abandoned shafts. Owned privately since the 1970s, Ruby offered guided tours for three decades, drawing history enthusiasts. However, due to vandalism and safety concerns, public access was permanently closed on June 3, 2024. Visitors can still view the town from afar via nearby trails, but the structures remain off-limits, preserving this slice of Old West history for future generations.
Ruby, Arizona, encapsulates the boom-and-bust cycle of America’s mining frontier: a magnet for dreamers and workers, shadowed by violence and hardship, ultimately yielding to economic realities. Its legacy endures not just in the tangible ruins but in the stories of resilience, crime, and transformation that continue to captivate historians and adventurers alike. As a protected relic, Ruby reminds us of the human cost and fleeting glory of resource extraction in the American Southwest.