Arizona

The cities of Clifton and Duncan both desired to be the county seat of the newly established Greenlee County. Duncan viewed itself as an outlet to the outside world, while Clifton argued that they are geographically closer to the center of the county. Clifton was eventually chosen as the county seat to this new county. The town was founded in 1873 and lies near the union of the San Francisco River and Chase Creek. Early settlers of this area were miners, and their success allowed rapid growth for the town. At this time the town was known as Goulding’s Camp. The success of mining and smelting in this area allowed other forms of business to flourish alongside it. One great draw for the area was Clifton Mineral Hot Springs and Bath House built in 1928. Here, the thermal springs of Clifton flowed directly into the facility, appeasing those seeking the supposed natural healing properties of the springs. Additionally, theatres and opera houses blossomed during this time, attracting world known talent.

The Coronado Trail was completed in 1926 connecting Clifton and Morenci in the south to Eagar and Springerville in the north. The route, now also known as US Route 191, traces the trail Francisco Casquez de Coronado, a Spanish explorer, used in 1540. This road takes you up the White Mountains through the Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area and through spruce-fir forests. You may see some remnants of the forest fire started by a few thoughtless campers in 2011, be sure to observe the Leave no Trace ethics. This trail is now an officially designated National Scenic Byway.

Now drivers entering Clifton can see Smelter Hill, the remains of a smelter started in January of 1912. By 1929 this smelter produced close to 55 million pounds of copper every year. The smelter was shut down in 1932 when underground mining came to an end in Morenci, but reopened in 1937. The smelter remained open for a year, smelting concentrates from Bisbee, Arizona.

Additionally, the well-known Native American Geronimo, was born where Clifton now stands. Geronimo was a respected member of the Bedonkohe band of the Apache tribe, he was a leader and medicine man. His name translates to the one who yawns in English. He was a leader, but not a Chief, and participated in many of the conflicts between the Apaches and the United States. The Apache people were used to moving freely across the land, so life on reservations was not ideal for them. Geronimo did not enjoy staying on the reservations, and was eventually treated like a prisoner of war. He was transferred around until he ended up in Florida with 27 other Apaches. He became a celebrity of sorts in his later life, appearing at the 1904 World’s Fair in Saint Louis. He also sold photographs of himself as well as souvenirs. He was never allowed to return to his birthplace in Greenlee County. He died in 1909 at the Fort Sill hospital as a prisoner of war. He was laid to rest at the Fort Sill Indian Agency Cemetary along with other Apache prisoners of war and relatives.

• County courthouse – overview and history
The location of the county courthouse was controversial at the beginning. There was an argument that it should be built in South Clifton to avoid flooding. However, another group thought it should be on the east side of town, which was the more important part of Clifton at the time. The courthouse was eventually built on land in south Clifton that was donated by a local developer, Henry Hill. The architect of the new facility was E.C. Heck of Clifton. The building was completed in the fall of 1912 and not long after this completion a freestanding jail was added on the north side of the property. The building has been used by the county for office space since 1912, with a brief interruption in the late nineties. In 1999, a one million dollar renovation was completed, mostly updating the interior of the structure. This project was named the Public Works Project of the Year by the American Public Works Association.

• County Sherriff
Currently, and since 2014, the Greenlee County Sheriff is Tim Sumner, a republican. Sumner ran for sheriff on a campaign based on investing in the youth of the community. He is involved with his church as well as the youth in the community, and as a school resource officer. The vision statement for the sheriff’s office is “doing the right things for the right reasons.” In their mission, they pledge to “uphold the Constitutions and the Laws while protecting citizens and their property fairly and impartially.” They are also responsible for securing inmates in custody of the Greenlee County Jail. The Sheriff’s Office is located in Clifton, Arizona and serves as the police for the unincorporated areas of the county. The office also operates the county jail system. The current sheriff is committed to an increased presence of officers in schools interacting with students. Part of this presence is participating in lockdown drills to be prepared in the event of an active shooter on the premises. The office is also attempting to eradicate illegal drugs in the county, including Mexican cartel members traveling through the area.

• City/town police department
Clifton and Morenci have their own independent police departments while Duncan and Blue rely on the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Department. The mission of the Clifton Police Department is to provide prompt, courteous, and competent service to all people, to ensure equal and fair law enforcement, provide help to those in need, aid the injured, and provide protection and security without prejudice. The Morenci Police Department shares a similar vision. It is the goal of this department to protect the community through superior service. The Greenlee County Sheriff’s Department acts as police in areas outside of Morenci and Clifton. This office lives by the motto doing the right things for the right reasons.

• County Jail
When Clifton was first settled, criminals were usually sentenced to work in the mines as their punishment. In this scenario however it was likely that the prisoners would escape prior to their sentence completion. Early pioneers known as the Lesinsky brothers decided to solve this problem in 1881 by having an escape proof jail built. In order to ensure the jail could not be escaped, it was built into the side of a mountain, up a granite cliff. The jail consisted of two cells, one smaller for the more dangerous inmates, and one larger for the other criminals. There were only two windows in the building, ten feet above the floor. Both cells were enclosed with iron bars that measured two inches wide and almost an inch thick. The builder of the jail was stonemason Margarito Varela. According to local legend, Varela was overjoyed when the job was complete. So excited that he needed to celebrate, and chose to do so by drinking whiskey and shooting up the local dance hall. The proprietor of the dance hall was also the local sheriff at the time and arrested him. Varela became the first prisoner in the jail that he had just completed. When it was first built, the jail was elevated above the town and could only be accessed by climbing the cliff. Over time, the ground level has raised to meet the jail entrance. This was the only jail in Clifton for some time, until a flood filled it with debris and mud in 1906 and the Clifton Cliff Jail was abandoned. This structure was unused until 1929 when the mayor ordered it to be restored. The jail is now part of historic Clifton and can be visited by the public.

The current jail for the county is also located in Clifton. It is a medium security facility used by multiple jurisdictions. The population is mostly made up of probation violators, those awaiting trial or sentencing, those with short state sentences, or those unable to meet the financial requirements for release. Inmates here have access to a library, telephone, and limited recreation facilities. The jail is often overcrowded.

• The distance and general directions from the county seat to Phoenix Arizona.
The county seat of Greenlee County, Clifton, Arizona, is located slightly more than 200 miles northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. There are several ways to get to Phoenix from Clifton. The most direct route is to take US- 191 for 24 miles and then US-70 / US-191 for 86 miles. Next, continue on US-60 / East Ash Street for 80 miles, then bear right onto I-10 W and continue for 5 miles, and finally head right onto I-17 N / US 60 W for a mile or two until you reach the city.

If you want a longer drive and possibly a more scenic view, you can take the I-10 west the majority of the drive. Begin the same way in Clifton, by taking US-191 for about 24 miles, then stay on US-70 / US-191 for about eight more miles. Next, turn left onto East Lone Star Road. About a mile and a half down East Lone Star Road, make another left onto US 191 / South First Avenue, and then in 32 miles take the exit for US – 191 S / I-10 W towards Tucson and Wilcox. Approximately another 200 miles down the road, you will arrive