Places That Were

Roughly 45 miles west of the New Mexico border, Willcox has a population of about 3700. The town was originally established as a whistlestop along the Southern Pacific Railroad, but has been reinvented several times since then.

At one time Willcox was the largest beef-producing town in America, giving it the nickname the Cattle Capital of the West.


The first thing that caught my eye was the abandoned Desert Inn Motel.

[Edit: the below picture is actually of the abandoned Desert Rose Cafe. The Desert Inn burned down several years ago. A huge thanks to the lovely people who left me comments letting me know about this]



Across the street stood an abandoned mechanic shop/car wash...


with a misleading sign in the window.


I slipped in through a broken window and had a quick look.



The pigeons that had taken up residence inside were panicked by my presence, so I didn't stick around too long. It looked like a human had recently spent time there too.


I drove another block or two before I realized Willcox is best explored on foot. Haskell Ave, the main road through town, is flanked by so many abandoned buildings, it looked like a scene out of a post-apocalyptic movie.

Willcox reminded me of Needles, California, but smaller and with less traffic.

Dilapidated motels stood as bleak reminders of declining tourism.



Empty storefronts and shuttered restaurants indicate a struggling economy.



I don't think Walt Disney would have approved of this branding:

Much of the town's economy seems to have been centered around the auto industry, as evidenced by the name of this pawn shop,


this vacant Chevy dealership,


and quite a few abandoned automotive-related businesses.



This service station attempted to find new life as a hobby shop, but was unsuccessful.


An abandoned liquor store and recreation center share the block with a series of other shuttered businesses.




Across the quiet street the remains of more closed shops languish with signs that have become weathered and illegible.



Burger-wielding statues keep vigil over the parking lot.

[Edit: Adolfo's Taco Shop is brand new and had not yet opened when I visited. If you're in town, you should stop by and have a taco! The statues have been removed, but were beloved artifacts from Carter's Hamburgers, which previously occupied the space.]



The face of Willcox is made even bleaker by an abundance of abandoned housing complexes.





The apartment complex for seniors was in awful shape, its lobby empty and most of the units trashed.


I snapped a few pictures and was about to leave when a man in a motorized wheelchair appeared out of nowhere. Thin and frail with graying skin, he spoke through an electrolarynx, which gave his voice a frightening mechanized quality that startled me when I first heard it.

"What are you doing?” he demanded.

I explained that I thought the place was abandoned and was just taking pictures.

He said he’s the only one that still lives there. I am not sure why he volunteered that information. I apologized very sincerely and felt awful to see someone living in such conditions. I got out of there in a hurry.

Later he sped past me on the sidewalk, but didn’t acknowledge me. Two American flags mounted on the back of his wheelchair waved in the breeze.


Just as I finished admiring the abandoned Sands motel, a police officer approached. He said someone had reported me as looking potentially suspicious. At first I assumed it was the guy at the senior apartments, but it had actually been a postal worker who had watched from across the street while I photographed the Chevrolet Dealer.

I told the cop I didn’t mean to cause any trouble and would stop taking pics if he wanted (I’d already taken SO many, it wouldn’t have been a problem). He said something to the effect of: "There's nothing wrong with what you're doing. It’s not like we’re in a military base. Pictures are fine." I thought that was really cool of him. He seemed surprised that someone would consider me a suspicious character. I feel like he made his mind up when he saw me and realized I wasn’t a crackhead looking for copper to pillage.

It was the first time a cop was polite and respectful and didn't approach me as if I were a criminal, a stark contrast from the way other police officers in Arizona had spoken to me. For once, I didn't feel compelled to flee the area after being stopped. I appreciated it more than I can say.

I was in a good mood after talking to the cop, I decided to stick around Willcox for a little while and do what I could to support the local economy. I went to Railroad Avenue, a cute little area that was once the business center of town and is now in the midst of revitalization. A strip of stores and bars operate out of historic buildings centered around a railroad crossing.

The old railroad depot now houses Willcox Town Hall

I stopped for a wine tasting at a beautiful little wine dealer and bought a bottle of delicious Zinfandel. I was surprised to learn that Willcox is in an up-and-coming wine region, which grows 74% of Arizona's wine grapes.

Across from Willcox Town Hall, a neat restaurant built from an old dining car beckoned to me and I couldn't resist. I enjoyed a tasty BBQ dinner at Big Tex BBQ before taking a stroll through the rest of the historic district.

Several abandoned buildings remain, but the old-west style architecture lends authenticity to the area's historic feel rather than making it seem run-down.




Plaques adorn many of the buildings, informing visitors of their historic significance. If you're ever in the area, you might consider having a drink at Headquarters Saloon, where Wyatt Earp's brother met his demise.




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Ghost stories and rumors of strange encounters surround the mysterious dome-like structures that sit abandoned in the desert of Casa Grande. A closer look at the site reveals its incredible beauty and clues as to why so many people swear the place is haunted.


South of I-8, a long stretch of pavement known as Thornton Road cuts through the parched Arizona desert. The landscape is monotonous and unremarkable as far as the eye can see, until you approach the bizarre cluster of UFO-like buildings known as the Casa Grande Domes.


Four hollow structures, one flying-saucer-shaped and three long and caterpillar-like, share the plot with the unfinished foundations of three others. A network of narrow tunnels runs beneath.




Stories tell of whispers in the dark, strange echoing footsteps, and a mysterious figure that wanders the grounds, lurking in the shadows to stalk intruders. Visitors parked on Thornton Road have heard tapping noises on the outside of their cars. Some have even reported hearing the distant muffled cries of children.

What dark history does this site possess that would account for such eerie phenomena? What gruesome events left the indelible stains that draw malevolent visitors from the netherworld? The truth is far less interesting than you might imagine.


The unusual shape and composition of the structures was chosen for its relatively low cost, speedy construction time, and efficient insulation. Each structure took approximately six weeks to build and cost about $150,000 apiece.

Construction went something like this: After the foundations were complete, giant balloons were mounted onto them, supported by steel skeletons. A coating of polyurethane foam was applied to the outside of each balloon, which hardened to form a layer several inches thick. An additional three inches of concrete was then added to form the outer shell.


As is the case with many abandoned properties, the land has been used as an illegal dump site for large pieces of trash such as furniture and tires.
The site was purchased by Daniel and Karon Peer in 2006. Ownership quickly became more of a burden than the Peers had bargained for. The government ordered them to clear the land of all the waste that had been illegally dumped over the years. It proved to be a costly and time-consuming job. The Peers also had to deal with the liability of a relentless stream of vandals, ghost hunters, and UFO enthusiasts entering the unsound buildings. It didn't help that the site was seen as an ideal location for parties, raves, and underage drinking.

With so any people stopping to check out the place, it is no surprise that visitors have witnessed elusive figures lurking nearby. I wouldn't be surprised if the suspicious dark figures were actually trespassers trying to hide when they noticed others entering the property.

Many of the reports of strange noises can also be explained. The unusual shape of the structures causes normal sounds to bounce off the walls in distorted echoes. Wind rushes through the hollow buildings, producing bizarre sounds as it passes through doorways and holes in the ceiling and beats sheets of rusting scrap metal against the walls.

After exploring the awesome Casa Grande Domes I headed toward Tucson, where I happened upon the interesting remains of several abandoned restaurants and tourist traps. Come back next week and I'll tell you all about them!


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