NAME: Aztec
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 4WD
LEGAL INFO: T7S, R12W
CLIMATE: Warm winter, Hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter, fall
COMMENTS: Station on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Exit 73 off I-8.
REMAINS: Two standing buildings, foundations and scrap. One building is completely made of railroad ties. 80 miles east of Yuma. Post Office was established by Charles A. Dallen on September 12, 1889. Just off I-8. Aztec was a stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad line between Phoenix and Yuma.
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NAME: Castle Dome
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 2WD
LEGAL INFO: T4s, R19W
CLIMATE: Very hot summers, mild winter.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter.
COMMENTS: Easy access. Small museum.
REMAINS: Mining foundations, walls of a building and miscellaneous mining trash; warning, mine openings everywhere, dangerous walking.
Castle Dome was a small mining settlement which first produced silver and
later lead. Since lead is not nearly as valuable as silver, the mine did not last very long. The post office opened in 1875 and closed in 1876.
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NAME: Castle Dome Landing
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: Under water
LEGAL INFO: Colorado River
CLIMATE: Good summer fishing
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Anytime you have your scuba gear.
COMMENTS: Bring your scuba gear.
REMAINS: You'll have to ask the fish. blub, blub, blub.
Castle Dome Landing's post office was established December 17, 1875 and
discontinued June 16, 1884. Castle Dome Landing was the supply and shipping depot for mines in the nearby Castle Dome Mountains. It was the first stop for steamboats on their way up the Colorado river. A small but active town, Castle Dome Landing had a store, hotel, saloon, stage agency, smelting furnace, and a justice of the peace. As the mines played out there was no longer a need for a supply town. Today the site is covered by water after the building of the Imperial Dam. Castle Dome Landing, 1877
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NAME: Dome
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 2WD
LEGAL INFO: T8S, R20W
CLIMATE: Very hot summers, mild winter.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter.
COMMENTS: Along the Wellton-Mohawk canal.
REMAINS: One large adobe building, one small adobe remnant and foundations.
A post office was established here first under the name of Gila city (see Gila City) in 1858. The new post office was established as Dome in 1892 and subsequently opened and closed many times finally closing in 1940.
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NAME: Fortuna
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 4WD
LEGAL INFO: T10S, R20W
CLIMATE: Warm winter, hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter, fall
COMMENTS: In the Gila mountains.
REMAINS: Nothing.
Fortuna's post office was established September 30, 1896 and discontinued November 20, 1904. Located close to the Camino del Diablo or the road of death, Fortuna was a lighthouse in the dark for thirsty miners in the yuma area. The road was named as such due to the number of travelers that died trying to cross the desert. Water was very scarce, but when the Fortuna mine was found, a pump was set up at the Colorado river and water was pumped the 20 miles to the town site. First located in 1894, the claim was worked until 1904, and then intermittently after that for the next 20 years. In its heyday the town has saloons, a hotel, and a stage and freight line. You can almost feel the thirst of the stage coach drivers as they finally rolled into Fortuna after traversing the Camino del Diablo. Fortuna Wagon Trains
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NAME: Gila City
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 4WD
LEGAL INFO: T8S, R21W
CLIMATE: Mild winter, hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter, fall, spring
COMMENTS: Not worth the trip.
REMAINS: Nothing
Gila City's post office was established December 24, 1858 and discontinued July 14, 1863. Destroyed by a flood in 1862, Gila City at one time had over 1200 residents. Located on the Gila river, Gila City was one of the first boom towns in Arizona. Its life was short lived as the mines and Placer gold played out, but for a short time it was quite a town. Today, nothing is left of the site.
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NAME: Hyder
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 2WD
LEGAL INFO: 1
CLIMATE: Warm winter, Hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: All year around COMMENTS: Take Exit 87 on I-8 and drive 9 miles to north. Hyder is after Agua Caliente (on Spanish "Hot Water")
REMAINS: Almost nothing
Hyder, 3 miles to the north after Agua Caliente was one of places were general George S. Patton’s forces trained desert war in Second World War. Its very little what remains about the old camp, but veterans sometimes come back to visit this place.
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NAME: Kofa
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 4WD
LEGAL INFO: T2S, R17W
CLIMATE: Mild winter, hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Fall or winterCOMMENTS: Located on private property in
the KOFA National Wildlife Refuge, it is also located within the Kofa Game Range, beneath a military aircraft maneuvering range.
REMAINS: A few buildings and the cemetery.
Kofa's post office was established June 5, 1900 and was discontinued August 27, 1928. Kofa, which stands for King of Arizona, was plagued with scarcity of water. the first year the ore was found the mine couldn't even support a town because of the lack of water. Finally, a well was dug five miles from the town site and a mill was constructed. The ore ran out in 1910 but the town managed to survive through 1928. Kofa's mill capacity was at one time 250 tons. Today, Kofa is located within a military bombing range.
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NAME: La Laguna
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: Very wet.
LEGAL INFO: Under Mittry Lake
CLIMATE: Warm winter, Hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter, fallCOMMENTS: Under Water. Bring your scuba gear.
REMAINS: Current residences - the fish.
A town due to placer gold, and like so many others, didn't last long. About 2 years, in fact, is all. From 1860 to 1862, this small camp served placer miners and had a few merchants, a few miners, and a ferry. When the La Paz gold struck, every one left. Today the site is submerged under Mittry Lake.
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NAME: Owl station
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 2WD
LEGAL INFO: 1
CLIMATE: Extreme heat in summer-heaven in winter
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter only COMMENTS: Exit i-8 from east or west at 54 mile marker on i-8, stay on blacktop, head west, or left, through Mohawk Mountain Pass to app. 50 mile marker on old 80 highway [about 4 miles, on the
left.
REMAINS: 2 stucco cabins, sidewalks, trees.
1870's was water pickup station to make it on up and over Mohawk pass to Aztec water tower.1928 standard oil chartered service station for travelers between Tucson and Sandiego [the only road ,it was sand & gravel, still visible from owl. Cabin camp of 7 cabins, cafe, and garage was added. In 40's,soldiers came from 50 miles east & west to dances. “Best chili beans in Arizona“ truckers said. Burned down early 60's.After I-8 opened up. Bought in 1980 by J.L. Foraker. Renamed Foraker's Owl AZ.
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NAME: Polaris
COUNTY: Yuma
ROADS: 4WD
LEGAL INFO: T1S, R17W
CLIMATE: Warm winter, hot summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Winter, fall, springCOMMENTS: Located on private property in the KOFA National Wildlife Refuge.
REMAINS: Nothing.
Polaris' post office was established June 17, 1909 and was discontinued July 31, 1914. Felix Mayhew discovered the outcropping responsible for
Polaris and sold it for a cool $350,000. Polaris was named for the North Star and reported about 150 residents. The mines played out in 1911 and Polaris was no more.