Clifton (pop. 2,840) is an old mining town founded in the 1870's. The town of Clifton is known as the "Gateway to the Coronado Trail" as the famous trail leads from Clifton north to the town of Springerville. The Coronado Trail is considered one of the most scenic drives in Arizona.
Clifton has about 45 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Built in 1913, the Greenlee County Historical Museum serves as a home for the relics of an age of mining and community long since past. The exhibits and artifacts housed within tell the stories of an industry and its people who have since been supplanted by newer technologies and largely automated mechanisms. But while visitors to the modern mine are unlikely to see anyone swing a pick-ax or light a gas lantern, any patron of the museum will be able to step back in time and feel the power of an industry and its community built on the backs of intrepid men and daring women.
Additional exhibits include displays about Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Apache warrior Geronimo, and Ted De Grazia, who were all born nearby.
Hours:
2pm-4:30pm; Closed: Sun, Mon, Wed, Fri
Disability Access: Full facilities for persons with disabilities.