Gleeson, Arizona

The jail, built in 1910, replaced a tiny wooden jail which once stood nearby. Constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, it has withstood a hundred years of weather, escape attempts, vandals, neglect, and pillagers (official and otherwise). It stands at the center of the town of Gleeson, whose population at one time exceeded one thousand residents, stretching north for over a mile, and east-west along Gleeson road as well. Primarily a mining town, Gleeson's fortunes largely rose and fell with the price of copper. When the mines shut down in 1958, most of Gleeson disappeared as well, leaving only a few nearby ranchers. Renovation began in October of 2008, and the building serves as a center for area research and community gatherings.

From a sign at the site

The jail, built in 1910, replaced a tiny wooden jail which once stood nearby. Constructed entirely of reinforced concrete, it has withstood a hundred years of weather, escape attempts, vandals, neglect, and pillagers (official and otherwise). It stands at the center of the town of Gleeson, whose population at one time exceeded one thousand residents, stretching north for over a mile, and east-west along Gleeson road as well. Primarily a mining town, Gleeson's fortunes largely rose and fell with the price of copper. When the mines shut down in 1958, most of Gleeson disappeared as well, leaving only a few nearby ranchers. Renovation began in October of 2008, and the building serves as a center for area research and community gatherings.

From a sign at the site