Adamsville Ghost Town - Ghost Towns of Arizona and Surrounding States

Ghost Towns, Adamsville, Arizona

Adamsville Ghost Town
The first settlements in the Territory, included within the boundaries of Maricopa County as originally established in 1871, were made along the Gila River at Adamsville and Florence. Some claim that the first building erected was at the old town of Adamsville, about three miles west of Florence. From the best evidence at hand, both towns were located in the same year, 1866. During that year Charles Adams located at what was afterwards Adamsville. He took out a ditch there and irrigated his quarter section of land and it soon became a prosperous village. In the winter of 1866-67, the first store was opened and in the early part of 1871 the district was of sufficient importance for a post office.

After the departure of Mr. Adams, the founder of the place, who moved to the Salt River Valley, Adamsville became the headquarters of the Bichard Brothers, well known business men of the Gila Valley, who erected a modern flouring mill at that place. A flour mill and a few stores formed the hub of life in Adamsville, where shootings and knifings were commonplace, and life was one of the cheapest commodities.

On July 4, 1871, the first flour ever milled in the valley of the sun was produced. The life of this mill was short however for on September 2, 1871 the mill was burned to the ground. The cause was suspected to be arson and the loss was valued at $10,000. The value of loss in todays currency would be $232,558.14. William Bichard continued to operate a small store in Phoenix, selling flour produced at the Adamsville mill. These businesses were operated until September 7, 1868 when the Glla River flooded and swept them away.