Memories often fade if they aren’t preserved through writing or photographs. Fortunately, a rich history of Copper Hill was recorded by Lowery J. Ligon, who, with the encouragement of his son, wrote the memoir “Memories of Copper Hill.”
First published in 1999, an expanded, large-format edition of the book was released July 1.
The updated edition was made possible by VHA Publishing in conjunction with the Gila County Historical Museum. According to Virgil Alexander, editor of VHA Press, the new 8.5-by-11-inch edition includes larger text and photos, a new history timeline spanning from 1878 to 1936, a photo tour of the town ruins, and Ligon’s original hand-drawn map showing where neighborhood families lived.
VHA Publishing said the goal was to “create a volume that acts as both a readable memoir and a durable reference for Arizona historians.”
This new edition is available at the Gila County Historical Museum for $25.
Located about three miles north of Globe, Copper Hill was Ligon's birthplace in 1916. His memoir recounts experiences with his family, childhood toys and games, and town holiday celebrations in the once-thriving mining community.
At the time of his birth, Copper Hill was home to an estimated 700 to 800 residents, Ligon wrote. The area was initially established for silver mining, but flourished with the transition to copper extraction in 1900, eventually housing five mines during the copper boom.
While the area enjoyed several decades of rich mining, the town's fortunes declined during the Great Depression as ore deposits dwindled and copper prices fell. In the book, Ligon recalls the businesses and his family moving to Globe in 1930.
Ligon later married his wife, Alice, and together they raised five children. He died in 2006 at the age of 89, but his recollections continue to preserve the story of a once-bustling mining community in the heart of Arizona.
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