Entry No. 52 — the Phoenix file — filed under: ghost town
Old Smith Mine
Established in 1872 by P.W. 'Bill' Smith, this historic gold mining and milling site processed ore from the nearby Vulture Mine extension. A short-lived boomtown named Seymour was platted here in 1879, but it was quickly abandoned and later devastated by a massive flood in 1890 when the Walnut Grove Dam failed. Today, the site is a quiet ghost town with only a dilapidated one-room stone house and a historic ore-grinding millstone remaining on a private ranch.
The story
In 1872, P.W. 'Bill' Smith staked out a gold milling site along the Hassayampa River to process ore hauled out from an extension of the legendary Vulture Mine. By 1879, speculators had platted a mini-boomtown named Seymour on the surrounding flats, expecting a steady flow of gold dust and machinery to put the settlement on the territorial map. The dream was brief. Seymour went bust almost as quickly as it was plotted, leaving behind a handful of hardy stone walls and mine shafts.
Nature erased whatever fragile footprint remained in 1890, when the Walnut Grove Dam failed upstream and flushed a wall of floodwater down the dry river corridor. Today, the former townsite has effectively dissolved back into the desert, leaving only a dilapidated one-room stone house and an iron-hard historic ore-grinding millstone resting silently in the scrub.
What it's like
Do not expect to wander up to the stone house or examine the millstone up close—you didn't hear it from us, but the entire remaining footprint of Seymour sits on a working, private cattle ranch and is strictly off-limits to visitors. The ground around the old workings is riddled with unmonitored open mine shafts, making trespassing hazardous. The best way to catch the vibe is from a safe distance: take a drive along the backroads around Morristown and walk the public sections of the dry Hassayampa River bed, looking out over the same harsh, sun-scratched landscape that swallowed Bill Smith's 1870s gamble whole.
The move: Take a scenic drive along the historic backroads of Morristown and hike along the public sections of the dry Hassayampa River bed to appreciate the rugged desert landscape that once hosted Arizona's early gold rush.
📍 Before you go The remaining ruins of the town of Seymour and the old mine workings are located on a private, working cattle ranch and are strictly off-limits to the public, with dangerous open shafts in the area.
- 📍 Old Smith Mine
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Old Smith Mine, Arizona 85342, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Dragon Mine — Pair this view of early Hassayampa gold history with another nearby turn-of-the-century mining district in Wickenburg.
- Oro Grande Mine — Extend your drive through local mining lore by heading toward the Black Rock district, site of a short-lived 1901 gold boom.
- Tonopah-Belmont Mine — Compare Smith's modest 1870s ore site with the larger, late-1920s boom ruins hidden in the Belmont Mountains.
Good to know
Can I tour the ruins of the Old Smith Mine or Seymour?
No. The stone house, millstone, and old mine workings are located on private, working cattle ranch land and are strictly off-limits to the public.
What hazards are present in the area?
The area around the historical mine site contains dangerous open mine shafts, making off-trail wandering hazardous.
How can I legally view the surrounding historical landscape?
You can drive the backroads around Morristown and explore public sections of the dry Hassayampa River bed to experience the terrain where the 1870s gold rush took place.
What actually remains of the old boomtown?
Only a crumbling one-room stone house and a historic ore-grinding millstone survive on the private property today.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: phoenixnewtimes.com · westernmininghistory.com · maricopacountyparks.net · pastmaps.com
last checked: 2026-07-20