This building was constructed by the Arizona copper Company as their general office. The ACC reduction works were located a quarter mile away where the Circle K is today. Valley National Bank had their offices here for many years. Earl Rogge had his law office on the right and the Elks Lodge was upstairs.
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Stanton Stadium in background; Reardon Hotel is center left; Rogge's Food Palace (white building) is center right. Note the 3 sets of railroad tracks through the town of Clifton.
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The Greenlee County Courthouse was built in 1911.
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The Fernandez Mercantile Company on Chase Creek in Clifton--circa 1910.
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Originally built in 1901 as the Clements Drugstore, this building became the Shannon Copper company general mercantile in 1910. The building served as a boarding house during the thirties and forties.
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The Shannon Smelter built in 1901. It was purchased by the Arizona Copper Company in 1919.
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In this photo of Eastside Clifton, you can see the Clifton Hotel in the center left, the San Francisco River and the Arizona Copper Company reduction works.
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Behind this funeral procession you can see the North Clifton School (aka Colquhoun School) in the background.
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The Hot Springs Swimming Pool in Clifton was dedicated on July 4, 1927.
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This is the Arizona Copper Company Reduction Works circa 1912. The Circle K is now located just to the left of the smoke stack which is in the center left of the photo.
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This photo shows the converter inside the Arizona Copper Company Reduction Works.
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The Chase Creek Store circa 1918. You can see Sacred Heart Catholic Church in the background.
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Troops from Clifton boarding the train departing for their service in WWI.
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The Lisinski Mercantile is in the center and the tennis court is center right and you can also see the Clifton Hotel.
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Pictured is the Arizona Copper Company Smelter circa 1913 which was two miles south of Clifton.
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Burro races were held in North Clifton.
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Looking west up Chase Creek in Clifton.
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This group is the Greenlee County Cattle Growers Association gathered in front of the Princess Theater in Clifton.
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A picture of the Clifton Train Depot.
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the Cinco de Mayo Celebration in 1916. You can also see the Train Depot in the upper left back and the Clifton Post Office in the upper center back.
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A funeral being held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Chase Creek in Clifton.
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Celebrating July 4 in Clifton. You can see the Reardon Hotel in the background.
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A locomotive turn-around in Clifton.
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The Park Avenue Bridge shown during the flood of 1983. The Park Avenue Bridge in Clifton brings Park Avenue over the San Francisco River and was long the one link between east and west sides of the town.It is a historic through truss bridge, built during 1917-18, and is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It has also been known as the Clifton Bridge and the Riley Bridge
It is significant historically as the only pinned Parker vehicular truss in the state of Arizona.
Photo contributed by Michael Acosta
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The Clifton Furniture Building during the Clifton Flood of 1983.
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Debris gathered along the railway tracks during the Clifton flood of 1983.
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Flooding during the Clifton 1983 flood.
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1983 Flood destroys the Ford Dealership in Clifton. This is presently the site of Tyler's Taste of Texas BBQ.
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Flooding in Clifton in 1983 reaches the railway tracks and bridge over the San Francisco River between Park Avenue and Riverside Drive.
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The Clifton Lumber Yard was destroyed along with other businesses in the 1983 flood.
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Flooding in 1983 destroys Riley's Drug Store.
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The Rode Inn was severely damaged during the 1983 flood but is still in operation today in Clifton
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The 1983 flood destroyed the Sears store in Clifton.
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The Martin Theater was damaged in the flood but was remodeled and used for a training center until a few years ago. The abandoned building is in the process of being demolished now.
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Flood waters in 1983 from the San Francisco River reached westward to the cliffs damaging the Clifton Train Depot. This is the small building at the left edge of the photo.
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This is a view to the south of the town of Clifton which was severely damaged during the 1983 flood.
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Baylor and Charles Shannon, miners and owners of the Shannon Copper Company.
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Clifton businessman and partner in the LongfellowCopper Mining Company, Henry Lesinski
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James Colquhoun was an engineer and General Manager of the Arizona Copper Company. He pioneered a plan that helped the company profit from obtaining low grade copper ore.
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James Douglas was president and CEO of Phelps Dodge in the early 1900s. He was recruited by the company in the late 1800s because of his work patenting an extraction process for extracting copper from its ore in the 1880s.
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Al Fenn had worked with boxing in the Gila Valley Recreation Association and eventually helped organize the Clifton Athletic Club. Others who helped were Pat Provencio, Flilario Jiminez, Armando Sanchez, Tony Roybal,Pablo Hernandez, F.H. Toledo, Robert (Sandia) Ochoa, Ignacio Vasquez, Tony Rodriquez, Rafael Armijo, Chapo Onate, Art Castaneda, Tom Tena, Rafael Verela, Joe Baray, Rafael Scott, Ray Nararrate, Ed Marquez, Albert Mendoza, Ernie Castaneda, Junior Trujillo, Frank Perea, Frank Gabusi, Albert Alvarado, Fenton McDonough.
The club did a number of sports but in 1950 the boxers went to Phoenix and brought home the Arizona Team Championship. The boxers who were on that first winning team included Ernie Castaneda, Joe Martinez, Wilson Yazzie (Yeizzie) and Hilberto Quintana.
Al Fenn, an athlete, trainer, manager, and boxer, was known as "Mr. Golden Gloves” because of his involvement in the program and he held the position of president of the Arizona Golden Gloves for 35 years. He was also the editor of "The Copper Era” for 15 years and wrote a book called "Clifton Editor: During Greenlee County's Golden Years” (a copy is available at the Duncan Public Library). He was also a noted historian researching Geronimo, the Apache Chief with ties to Greenlee County.
Fenn trained Zora Folley (National Golden Gloves Champion), Ernie Castaneda, Tito Carrillo, Hilberto Quintana and Wilson Yazzie. His hard work and dedication earned him a place in the Arizona Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame.
Ernesto "Sorra” Castaneda was born in Metcalf and graduated from Clifton High School. He was the 1950 Arizona Golden Glove Champion Featherweight, and 1951 and 1952 Arizona Golden Glove Champion Bantamweight. Castaneda also coached the 1988 Olympic trials. He coached amateur boxing for over 40 years. His amazing career earned him a place in the Arizona Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame.
Tito Carrillo was also inducted into the Arizona Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame. He was considered one of the greatest amateur boxers in Arizona’s history. He was born in Greenlee County and continues to live here. His boxing achievements include 1953 Arizona Golden Gloves Champion Featherweight runner-up, 1954 Arizona Golden Glove Champion Lightweight runner-up, 1955 Arizona Golden Glove Champion Welterweight, 1956 Arizona Golden Glove Champion Middleweight, Regional Champion for Arizona and California in 1955 and 1956 and runner-up in the National Tournament in Chicago in 1956.
Article contributed by Michael Acostaphoto id: 175
Zora Folley was a heavyweight boxer and earned his first boxing title in the Army where he won the 6th Army Championship in 1948. He signed a professional boxing contract with Al Fenn, who was then in Phoenix.
Folley brought his style of boxing to the Apache Grove arena which was part of the Apache Grove Dance Hall. He knocked out Battling Blackjack, Kid Percy and Kid Zanzibar in 1954 at the Grove. While his appearance in Apache Grove would not bring him fame, he became a top contender with wins against a number of notable boxers including Jimmy Ingram, Henry Cooper, Eddie Machen, George Chuvalo, Bob Cleroux, and Oscar Bonavena.
Folley was finally given his shot at the heavyweight title in 1967. The 35 year old veteran challenged Cassius Clay, the boxer who had just adopted the Muslim name Muhammad Ali and was embroiled in national controversy over his refusal to join the army after being drafted. Folley demonstrated his respect for others by referring to Clay as Muhammad Ali at a time when many sportswriters refused to do so and earning Ali‟s admiration because of that. Ali defended his title, defeating Folley, and they left the ring together, a sign of mutual respect in the boxing community. Folley retired 3 years later and became involved in Chandler, Arizona, politics for many years.
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Wilson Yazzie fought for Al Fenn in the 1950's Golden Glove era.
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The Clifton winning Golden Glove team included Johnny Aguirre in the 1950s
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Tito Carrillo was considered one of the greatest amateur boxers in Arizona’s history. His boxing achievements include 1953 Arizona Golden Gloves Champion Featherweight runner-up, 1954 Arizona Golden Glove Champion Lightweight runner-up, 1955 Arizona Golden Glove Champion Welterweight, 1956 Arizona Golden Glove Champion Middleweight, Regional Champion for Arizona and California in 1955 and 1956 and runner-up in the National Tournament in Chicago in 1956.
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The Clifton Bud Rainey Boxing Club is well represented by Wilson Yazzie in this bout in Los Angeles.
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Ernesto "Sorra" Castaneda, Hilberto Quintana and Joe Martinez headed to the Golden Glove tournament in California in February of 1954.
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