“It’s Your Money – Spend It In Wickenburg.”
Vulture City Ghost Town. History, the paranormal, and an event destination? If you’re looking for a fun trip where everyone can have an enjoyable time, look no further than Vulture City Ghost Town in Wickenburg, Arizona.
About Vulture City Ghost Town. Robin Moriarty’s husband, Rod Pratt, was one of the initial investors when efforts were underway for Vulture Mine to go back into operation. After the mine was in operation again around 2014, Robin and Rod were approached by a UK entity that desired to purchase the gold mine. Amidst negotiations, Robin and Rod were asked if they wanted to keep the ghost town, as the UK company had no interest in restoring the buildings, running tours, or keeping up the historical site. Because Robin and Rod didn’t want the UK company to bulldoze the historical buildings, they carved off 35 acres to save as many of the old buildings and equipment remains as possible. The couple moved over the old head frame and black smith shop, and the pump was relocated to the side of the property. Thus, reconstruction efforts were underway.
In the beginning, owners Robin and Rod didn’t plan to reconstruct the entire town. Instead, they just intended to save the main building—the coolest one on the property—which is the assay building where gold ore samples were processed so that miners were able to follow the vein to ensure they were mining in the correct area. The main building also included a vault room and guards’ quarters. It’s a beautiful old stone building that was built out of the ore from the property. By the time Robin and Rod started restoration efforts, the roof had caved in. Most of buildings’ walls were crumbling in. Artifacts were scattered everywhere—piles of relics in different random rooms. Robin adds that they thought, “Okay, well, let’s start with the cookhouse first, where the whole front half of the building was made out of wood, and the side walls were stone and had collapsed.” The specialist Rod and Robin brought in did such a stunning job that Robin and Rod decided they would restore the other buildings. In total, 15 buildings were restored. Because the site is privately owned, it was entirely funded by Rod.
Vulture City Ghost Town’s History. In 1863, prospector Henry Wickenburg uncovered a quartz outcropping that contained gold. Thus, the town of Vulture City was founded. From 1863 to 1942, the mine generated 340,000 ounces of gold, as well as 260,000 ounces of silver. However, the mining production quickly ended as a result of World War II, as all non-essential mines had to close in order for the war efforts to remain at the forefront of the nation’s focus.
Today, history enthusiasts can tour the historic buildings, viewing the 2 ½ or 3 years of work that Robin and Rod invested in the once-abandoned town. What’s more, curated rooms boast organized artifacts, as well as exhibits. Currently, a drilling exhibit exists, with plans to put in a working blacksmith shop. There’s also gold panning—the entire town acts to draw visitors back to a simpler time.
Vulture City Ghost Town’s Paranormal. For those interested in the paranormal, ghost hunting is also available through celebrity paranormal investigators, Jay and Marie Yates, who live in Buckeye. Robin and Rod were introduced to Jay and Marie a few years ago—they love history and are well respected in the industry. That’s why Robin and Rod partner with the team for everything paranormal. Ghost and legend tours are available, as well as overnight lockdowns. What’s more, there’s also an annual event called Vulture City ParaCon. Vulture City Ghost Town also had three different Travel Channel shows filmed on site in 2020, which will be airing this year.
Weddings & Tours. Looking for a stunning wedding venue? Look no further than Vulture City Ghost Town, where wedding ceremonies can be hosted, complete with a beautiful grass area with an altar. In addition to being a spectacular wedding venue, Vulture City Ghost Town also has weekend tours at 10 a.m. (the tours are two hours on Saturdays and Sundays). However, Vulture City Ghost Town is open 7 days a week to the public for self-guided tours.
Let Vulture City Ghost Town transport you to a bygone era. Contact them today!
Call them at (877) 425-9229.
Visit the Vulture City Ghost Town website.
Vulture City Ghost Town Reviews
“Such an amazing and totally authentic ghost town with friendly staff and a really nice owner! I hope I get a chance to go back to Arizona and see it again once the renovations are complete!”—Court S.
“Interesting and nice walk. Staff was very nice.”—Justin S.
“Vulture city is amazing, we visited during a winter storm and even though they were closed they allowed us to explore the ghost town. So we had the entire ghost town to ourselves. the grounds keeper that was on site was super friendly and helpful we were so appreciative that the owner allowed us on their grounds.”—Christopher L.
“A lot of fun, friendly staff, loved the ‘history’ lesson!”—Jess R.
“I took over 80 pictures there. I really enjoyed learning about the history of this place. Very kid friendly.”—Lynnette B.
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