Discovered in the 1860s the Senator Mine was one of the longest successful mining operations even though Apache Indian attacks halted work from time to time. Mine tunnels extend over 3 miles into the mountains including many side tunnels and shafts. A stamp mill was built to process the abundant copper, gold, lead, and zinc.
Remember, stay out of mines as they are extremely dangerous.

To see photographs of the inside of this mine click here.

The mining camp was built along the steep banks of the Hassayampa River. In the early years, it contained a saloon, a store, tent homes, and a boarding house. During the 1890's, Phelps Dodge purchased the mine and the camp became a small town. The town was expanded and included hotels, restaurants, more saloons, a church, and a school.
A dam was constructed on the Hassayampa to hold water for mining operations and provide the town’s drinking water. Later the town spread along the Senator Highway and the river and was referred to as "Senator" or "Maxton".
In 1901, an official US post office was added. In 1903, a labor strike closed the mine. World War I brought a boom with the need of raw materials for the war effort. Good times continued into the 1930's. Operations halted resulting into a ghost mine and town.
One can visit this location today and old foundations, mines, mining equipment and other relics can be found if you’re diligent. The location is easy to find as it sits right along the Senator Highway south of Groom Creek. See our map for location:
 Google Map