Walking Around Historic Patagonia

"Although it is agreed that humans have lived in the area for about 12,000 years, details of the early years are sparse. Father Kino was in the area as early as 1692 carrying out his missionary efforts" (townofpatagonia.com/about/history). So begins the town of Patagonia's (AZ) web page.

La Mision de San Miguel, 1915, adobe building

"The Apaches were also nearby and in the mid- to late-1700s, the Apache began raiding the farms and small villages of other Indian tribes. Continuing raids by the apaches inhibited efforts at mining and cattle raising as well as intimidating and driving away the other tribes so that at the time of the Gadsden Purchase in 1853 reports indicated that the area was so ravaged that little was left in the area.

Mesquite Grove Gallery, the former adobe home of Patagonia founder, Rollin Rice Richardson

"In 1867 with the Civil War done, the army was sent back into the area and mining and ranching activity picked up one again.... In 1891, Civil War veteran and rancher R.R. Richardson began investing in mines in the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountains. In 1893, Richardson began to develop a portion of his ranch, where the new railroad crossed Sonoita Creek, into a town, eventually named 'Patagonia' after the nearby mountains.

Patagonia Community Church, built in 1922 by volunteers using hand-poured concrete

The three photos above show structures on McKeown Avenue in the three blocks beyond the business district (shown in yesterday's entry). Two blocks to the southeast and parallel to McKeown is Duquesne Avenue and except where noted the structures shown below are on Duquesne.

The Duquesne Bed and Breakfast, an adobe row house built in 1898 to house the railroad workers and miners.

Lopez Pool Hall, c. 1940, built of adobe

Cady Hall, formerly the Patagonia Hotel, built between 1901-1912.

It served as a restaurant, dance hall, and skating rink. Since 1957, it has been home to the Patagonia Public Library.

Adobe, built c. 1901

Patagonia Elementary School, 1914

This is the longest continuously utilized elementary school facility in Arizona

View from the school overlooking the town

Adobe, 1925

A park runs the length of town with McKeown Ave. and shops on one side of the park and Naugle Ave. on the other side of the park with some...interesting...businesses facing the park.

Wagon Wheel Saloon, est. 1937, Patagonia's Original Cowboy Bar

Mercedes Café

Camel Parts Bed & Breakfast

Community Art Center & Theater

P.I.G.S.

I have not been able to find out anything more about the Politically Incorrect Gas Station.

The Market

Velvet Elvis Pizza Company

Just a block off of McKeown Avenue was this old homestead and

this vehicle and

no other information.

But more on the colorful details of Patagonia tomorrow.