This small community really flourished when the mining-company which owned the town bailed out in the mid-seventies and hippies from all over moved in. There is a great community here, with a co-op and lots of hippy artists living out in the desert. Check it out for yourself! Have a brew and a few games of nine ball at the Bisbee Grand, or play hacky sack in the grassy park in front of the mining museum right in downtown.
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I found Bisbee in the 70’s…Theres quite a diverse group of interesting people..always something going on. Many non-conformists..you can be whoever you choose to be in Bisbee, the TOWN TOO HIGH TO CARE..
Two words for anyone going to Bisbee: EARWIG FACTORY
never been there (yet), but what’s an “earwig factory?”
Bisbee is okay but like everywhere else, don’t stand out too much. ya know, keep your freak flag in your pocket, and if you’re gonna stay learn some Spanish, after all it’s only seven miles from Mexico.
I agree with Dallas, “hide your freak flag” in Bisbee! Have you ever heard of the trouble that Grandpa Woodstock had in Bisbee? The Bisbee merchants called him a “public nuisance” for simply waving his freak flag and protesting for peace! So much for the days of hippie loving Bisbee!Like just about everywhere else in Arizona, Bisbee has become very commercial and yuppie, mainly focusing on the tourist industry. On the plus side (yes, there is a plus side) Bisbee is physically a uniquely structured town where there is simply no other place quite like it (at least in Arizona). In addition, Bisbee does have some of the most distinctive antique shops around. So Bisbee is an ok day trip but I certainly would not call it a “hippie haven” or even dream of living there.
When you come down the grade from Mule Pass tunnel and enter the town of Bisbee from the Tombstone direction, you get a great first-impression of a unique old mining town that is pasted to the sides of a beautiful close canyon. After the mining at the Lavender Pit and below-ground sites petered out in the 60s and 70s, Bisbee began the death crawl towards “ghost town” status on a Rand McNally. But, Bisbee refused to go quietly into that sweet night. Personally I give credit for her survival to the Hippie minded people who lived or moved there during that same period. Many old dwellings fell to ruin or were arsoned, but slowly creative new blood was infused into the town over a period of several years, building on a foundation of artisans, cafe and coffee shop owners, antique peddlers, and unique shop owners. Bed and Breakfast places were up-graded or established, and all with a flavor that was very fitting with such a town, nothing overly gaudy. It’s that part that makes Bisbee a comfortable place to visit or even stay. The small grassy area in front of the Mining Museum is the parochial clearing house for local teens to hang out at, for hippie types to stretch out on on a warm day, or for crafts people to set up makeshift showrooms for their wares. Brewery Gulch has great places to have an ice cream on the sidewalk or a beer with a decent live band. In winter you find people and their backpacks in front of cafes and coffee houses. Bisbee isn’t set up to handle a lot of transient traffic, and the class of people the town seeks to attract may not be the kind who might be reading this. Bisbee seems to ride the border between what I call California Kitsch and old town rough-n-ready. Whatever it is, it works. I go to Bisbee to relax and get away. It’s slow paced and fun, but more artisan than Hippie. Great destination for bikers, cyclists, and anyone that likes a taste of an old town (Young Guns II had a scene shot in Brewery Gulch). Once upon a time Bisbee was choice for Hippies, but the rent has gone up and they now use Hendrix in car commercials. Still, Bisbee’s cool…check it out!
I recently moved to Bisbee. I had been living in San Diego for the past 12 years and spent my last few years there in Ocean Beach. I loved the hippie element in OB and when forced out by the high prices and police dominance, I looked for a better place to be. I found Bisbee through an online search for “hippie friendly places to live”. Three days after being in Bisbee, I bought my first home. It was a little tough getting used to the different pace of life here and the colder winter, but now I am aclimated and I love it. The people are very tolerant (for the most part). I have been able to slowly drop the barriers I had put up while living in California and I feel liberated. I’m not one to fly a “freak flag” to begin with, but I don’t feel that I couldn’t if I wanted to. Many of my friends here are the “freaks” by some standards. I love them and they love and accept me for being me. That is what I was looking for and I’m glad that I found Bisbee.
All I know, is Bisbee is amazing. The rich history, the freedom, and the culture all make Bisbee an amazing town. I moved there after my life in the city, and I love the small towns now. The arts and crafts community, (if a bit strange at first) are excellent, and people truely appriciate the arts. There is a metal works shop called “Metalmorphasis” here, and they make everything from small light switch covers, to giant dinosaur skeletons. I rate Bisbee as an amazing place to retire.
Bisbee ties with Amsterdam as the best place I have ever been in the world, hippie or no. I lived there for six months and have since lived in Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Madison, WI. Each of these have their advantages, but Bisbee is the best!
If you are looking for a place which smiles in your face and all the time wants to stab you in the back while trying to get every penny out of you…… then move to Bisbee, Arizona. There you will find out what is means to live, work and play in a “Quirky” environment which honors, praises and even encourages hate and corruption.
Spent 6 months in Bisbee recently. It’s a unique place and if you manage to find some people you can fit in with it’s OK, but if not it’s very easy to feel like a permanet outsider. Cliquish artist types. The place is developing and will be experiencing a real estate boom once they get a new sewer system and the building moritorium is lifted. Carl, who ran the Earwig Factory left for Tucson. Grampa Woodstock got thrown in jail. Pot is low grade mexican though cheap. Rents are too steep for what you get. Everything seems to be for sale or in transition. Perhaps I just didn’t fit in but 6 months was enough for me.
It’s a great place to spend a weekend and the climate is wonderful. Everyone who visits say they want to move there. First impressions you know…
Worth a visit to check it out. St. Elmo’s in the Gulch is the best deal on beer and is the low rent type hang-out. Halloween in Bisbee is too cool, I have to give it that.
James
I spent a while here this place is greatI loved it and I wish i could go back every day i meet some great people here there is always somthiing to do there is some of the best smoke around and its cheap u just have to know where to look for it the people are great I truly felt welcome there there were only a few dueshbags. I MISS YOU BISBEE IL BE BACK SOON.
I lived in Bisbee in 2000, and enjoyed it. I was only there for about 6 months. The people are friendly, but I felt like an outsider much of the time. The beauty of the city was awesome, and taking long walks was a fun experience. As you might imagine, there isn’t much to do there, they roll up the sidewalks at 5pm, but then thats your typical small town. Bring some money, because there aren’t any jobs. My favorite hangout was Elmo’s. I left because I missed making a decent salary. If your ok with being broke, and just hanging out then bisbee is for you.
Hi, I grew up in bisbee. I have been away for five years now. I miss the small town mentality. I have never considered anywhere else to be home. The community is a great place to live. The one thing that I have always admired there is that, no matter what their differences the peole in that town manage to always come together to overcome anything that could threaten their way of living. I miss home!
HIYA DILLON IS THAT YOU ..???? THIS IS DIANNA REMEMBER ME & JOHN WE USE TO LIVE IN YOU GRAMS APPARTMENTS WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE KID.!!! HOWS YOUR GRAND MA DID SHE MOVE TO MEXICO..??? SO DILLION WERE DID YOU GO .??? I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU AROUND BISBEE LATELY…?? WELL I HOPE YOU ARE OK AND DOING WELL. WERE IS THE BIG BIRD…?? WE ARE STILL IN BISBEE WE BOUGHT A LITTLE PLACE AND LOVE IT HERE BISBEE THE BEST TOWN IN THE U.S.
DYLAN SORRY I FORGOT HOW TO SPELL YOUR NAME…. ; )
jennifer of reflectingwaves. contact atalanta book store.
Hello Bisbee!
We are a couple of elders from Takilma, Oregon headed your way in a volkswagon van. We need to get some new teeth in Mexico and are looking for a place to rent (a room,cottage or whatever??) for approximately one month. We have our beloved dog traveling companion but in a pinch we could leave her at home. We would like to travel approximately mid January to mid February. You can reach us at wolfaccess@aol.com or telephone (541) 592-6388. Love and Gratitude!
Hello Bisbee!
We are a couple of elders from Takilma, Oregon headed your way in a volkswagon van. We need to get some new teeth in Mexico and are looking for a place to rent (a room,cottage or whatever??) for approximately one month. We have our beloved dog traveling companion but in a pinch we could leave her at home. We would like to travel approximately mid January to mid February. You can reach us at wolfaccess@aol.com or telephone (541) 592-6388. Love and Gratitude!
hey guys well i’m interested in moving on to another great adventure, there are two of us, me and my lovely lady, will work trade…. need a place to go….handy guy know alot about construction and learning how to garden….if u know of anything email me at chfn247@yahoo.com
To the many reviewers of Bisbee, 80% of you got it right…. there is something very special about Bisbee. I enjoyed five years there, and still visit regularly. But don’t take anybody’s word for it. Many with rave reviews seem to have experienced only a part of Bisbee’s charm. Those with negative reviews seem to have experienced even less. See for yourself … “Are you experienced?” = Jimi Hendrix
I moved here to Scottsdale from California a few years ago. I kept hearing someone at work talk about what a nice town Bisbee is, so I decided to drive there on a weekend and check it out. Man what a boring little crap hole! I don’t understand how anyone could want to live there. I’ve been all around the world and Bisbee is pretty much the most boring place I’ve seen. It might be okay for a quick drive through visit, but staying more than half an hour is pointless.
shit i fuckin love it there i lived there for over 12 yrs,im goin home after i visit hawaii,bisbee is home 4 me,even though i was born in oregon.i know everyone there that matters and i miss it!any one know where dylan is and how to get a hold of marshal and kathrin.
I think it’s a crack up that anyone from Scottsdale, the most “plastic fantastic” place on the planet – would put down Bisbee- it doesn’t get any lower than that place! The whole Phoenix area is utterly discusting it’s like a giant dirty diaper roasting in the sun!