827:
376:. He then circled around the hill and managed to come out in front of the two suspects. When he approached, Bright called out to them to see if they were armed and the reply was: "Yes, you gringo Son of a Bitch, I have a gun!" The bandits then opened fire and a gunfight ensued. Bright was wounded in one of his legs, but, just before taking cover behind a mound of dirt, he fired five shots in return. A few minutes later, Bright made good on his escape by crawling back to Leadville Canyon, which was later found to have been unnecessary. When a
190:
384:
697:
400:
295:
prisoners time off their sentence in exchange for working on roads. This caused other problems because many of the prisoners chose to stay in jail rather than work. Not only was the town short of workers to build and maintain the streets, records indicate that the county had to pay a considerable amount of money to feed inmates, who referred to the jail as "The Bright Hotel."
284:"jail" was a small derelict mine shaft with a wooden door. On the morning of June 2, 1909, the prisoner being held in the jail attempted to escape by placing his mattress up against the door and lighting it on fire. When Deputy John Henry Bright brought the prisoner breakfast the next morning, the prisoner was unconscious and had to be dragged out.
264:", the organization is conducting ongoing Class III Cultural Resource Studies necessary to make Courtland eligible for the National Historic Register. As part of the efforts to preserve the history of Courtland, tours of the ghost town are now offered where visitors can go into a 19th-century mine, see pre-Hispanic
353:, during which Danielson pulled out his revolver and fired it at the corner of a liquor cabinet Parker was standing near. Danielson then put the weapon inside the drawer of the bar, but, a few minutes later, Parker grabbed it and shot the man in the back. Parker was arrested by Deputy Bright and put on trial in
371:
The first and only shootout at
Courtland occurred on August 12, 1916. That day two Mexican outlaws broke into a local man's house and stole a pair of pistols, boxes of ammunition, and other items. Deputy Bright was informed soon after, and when he was done searching the town he mounted up and rode to
348:
Although several murders occurred on the road in between
Gleeson and Courtland, only one took place within town limits. On January 26, 1913, 18 year-old waitress Jennie Canady Parker shot and killed her old boyfriend, Dan Danielson. According to Glenn Snow, an Arizona historian, Danielson and Parker
283:
Today, the
Courtland jail is the only structure remaining standing at the town site. After the exodus, many of the buildings were sold and moved, or were destroyed over time. The Courtland jail was built in June 1909, after an incident with a Mexican man who was imprisoned in the old "jail". The old
294:
Because most of
Courtland's inhabitants lived in cabins, shacks or tents, spending the night in the jail was appealing to some miners. This resulted in overcrowding, although there were only between four and eight prisoners incarcerated at one time. The town court created a system which allowed
322:, or jailer. In 1908, as soon as Courtland was established, Bright was appointed deputy and he remained in the town until 1916, when the county abolished his position. During his time as a lawman, Bright fought in two shootouts and was involved in at least one murder case.
252:
The boom did not last long. Within ten years the profits from the mines began to shrink, and in 1921 a "mass exodus" occurred. At first the
Dragoons seemed to be rich in copper. Beginning in 1917, one mine shaft after another tapped into a layer of
244:
track, and more necessary buildings, such as houses, hotels and county branch jail. The
Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1911 and the first item on the agenda was to supply the town with water. Within a matter of months, five miles of
298:
The jail was largely unused after 1916, and it remained in good shape until April 1938, when the county tore out the metal gates and the barred windows for use in the construction of a new jail in
1211:
1221:
380:
investigated the scene of the shootout later that day, they found that all five of Bright's bullets had been effective. Both of the
Mexicans had been hit between the waist and the shoulders.
287:
The new jail was made of reinforced concrete and steel. At least some of the material used in its construction was scrap, such as railroad ties and rails. The building, which cost the county
260:
In 2017, Courtland's historic town and patent mining claims were purchased by
Arizona Land Project in an effort to preserve the ghost town's history. Operating under the name "
1196:
740:
1201:
329:, in which Courtland is located, was a wild place in the early 1900s. Between 1908 and 1915, the valley was the scene of raids and skirmishes involving
372:
the top of a nearby hill, which provided a good view of the surrounding area. From there Bright saw the two
Mexicans walking north towards the town of
43:
345:. A skirmish began and lasted until over thirty shots had been fired. Nobody was hurt and it ended when an armed citizen got the drop on Chavez.
341:
Francisco Chavez assaulted a local, Gregorio Barela, so Cates and Bright attempted to make an arrest. Chavez resisted, and armed himself with a
1226:
733:
291:
1,000, had two cells, 14 x 14 feet, connected by an office in the center that was 6 x 8 feet. There was a sink and a toilet in each cell.
1206:
460:
333:
and his men. Bright's first shootout while serving as
Courtland's deputy occurred in 1912. It was at nearby Gleeson. Bright was the
206:
310:, was built in 1910 in the same style as the Courtland Jail. In 2008, the Gleeson Jail was restored and transformed into a museum.
485:
1143:
726:
224:
printed its first newspaper. At its height, Courtland had a population of 2,000. By the time it became a ghost town there was a
1216:
918:
257:
300 feet down. This eventually led to abandonment of the mines, although a post office remained open until September 30, 1942.
337:
of Gleeson's deputy, Wesley Wooten Cates, and must have been visiting him at the time. On the morning of September 5, Mexican
556:
413:
32:
718:
377:
122:
97:
201:
and the Leadville, began mining copper ore in the Dragoon Mountains. Hundreds of settlers arrived and established a
990:
210:
1083:
1068:
75:
888:
855:
750:
518:
435:
159:
102:
1166:
995:
960:
845:
326:
189:
1025:
970:
806:
126:
197:
Between 1908 and 1909, four large mining companies, the Great Western, the Calumet & Arizona, the
1173:
1153:
1113:
1078:
903:
668:
592:
302:. Since then, weather and vandals have caused more damage, although the building remains intact. The
1118:
1063:
1005:
955:
943:
362:
318:
John Henry Bright was the only man to serve as the deputy sheriff of Courtland and he was also the
383:
1148:
933:
913:
908:
898:
811:
354:
178:
271:
and see a 20th-century copper acid leach plant. In 2018, Courtland Ghost Town was featured in
1133:
1093:
1058:
1010:
980:
928:
923:
562:
552:
456:
365:
358:
198:
181:, and was named after Courtland Young, one of the owners of the Great Western Mining Company.
174:
1128:
1123:
985:
975:
965:
873:
868:
816:
801:
307:
272:
229:
361:, which began on April 28, 1913. She was released in May 1914 and granted a full pardon by
1138:
1098:
1053:
1035:
1020:
1015:
1000:
883:
878:
796:
791:
772:
700:
373:
299:
696:
1030:
863:
783:
489:
449:
405:
350:
334:
268:
237:
225:
706:
1190:
1088:
893:
233:
205:
almost overnight. In a short time, the Mexico & Colorado Railroad (owned by the
330:
303:
241:
357:, where she was sentenced to serve an unspecified amount of time at the prison in
712:
621:
1108:
765:
217:
1103:
1045:
642:
436:
U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Courtland, Arizona
395:
246:
155:
85:
58:
45:
319:
254:
202:
117:
582:
Arizona Highways Magazine, October 2018 Issue "Ten Ghost Towns of Arizona"
669:"Brothers-In-Law: The story of Deputies W.W. Cates and John Henry Bright"
170:
265:
163:
90:
338:
261:
167:
249:
were installed by the newly formed Courtland Water and Ice Company.
382:
342:
188:
837:
566:
349:
had gotten into an argument about another woman in the former's
722:
288:
825:
480:
478:
476:
474:
472:
220:
was established on March 13, 1909, and during that year the
486:"Ghost Town Trails – Courtland, Cochise County, Arizona"
513:
511:
509:
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
275:
as one of the thirteen best ghost towns in Arizona.
213:), built lines to the town to accommodate settlers.
209:, and the Arizona & Colorado Railroad, owned by
1212:
Buildings and structures in Cochise County, Arizona
1044:
942:
854:
836:
782:
547:Varney, Philip (1980). "Ten: Tombstone Territory".
141:
133:
116:
108:
96:
84:
74:
23:
1222:Former populated places in Cochise County, Arizona
448:
551:. Flagstaff: Northland Press. pp. 109–110.
447:Sherman, James E.; Barbara H. Sherman (1969).
734:
715:– Ghost Town of the Month at azghosttowns.com
387:A panorama of Courtland in 1909, facing east.
8:
193:The Crescent Cafe in Courtland in July 1909.
622:"The Story of the Gleeson Jail Restoration"
741:
727:
719:
20:
173:. The town is located at the foot of the
1197:1909 establishments in Arizona Territory
425:
132:
115:
107:
73:
431:
429:
306:, located at the nearby ghost town of
140:
95:
83:
7:
578:
576:
166:, that was founded in 1909 due to a
18:Ghost town in Arizona, United States
177:, about fifteen miles northeast of
1202:History of Cochise County, Arizona
749:Municipalities and communities of
593:"Gleeson Arizona: Laws and Lawmen"
14:
519:"Coutland Arizona: Law and Order"
1144:Presidio Santa Cruz de Terrenate
695:
455:. University of Oklahoma Press.
398:
414:Cochise County in the Old West
1:
1227:Mining communities in Arizona
703:travel guide from Wikivoyage
112:4,842 ft (1,476 m)
1243:
1207:Crime in Arizona Territory
549:Arizona's Best Ghost Towns
207:El Paso & Southwestern
1162:
823:
763:
273:Arizona Highways Magazine
39:
30:
314:Courtland deputy sheriff
752:Cochise County, Arizona
1217:Ghost towns in Arizona
919:Sierra Vista Southeast
830:
451:Ghost Towns of Arizona
388:
368:on November 28, 1916.
327:Sulphur Springs Valley
194:
59:31.77000°N 109.80861°W
829:
386:
192:
1175:United States portal
643:"Benson Jail Marker"
262:Courtland Ghost Town
64:31.77000; -109.80861
222:Courtland Arizonian
142:Post Office Closed:
134:Post Office Opened:
55: /
831:
649:. October 19, 2011
492:on April 17, 2012.
389:
279:The Courtland jail
195:
145:September 30, 1942
1184:
1183:
991:Kansas Settlement
366:George W. P. Hunt
175:Dragoon Mountains
149:
148:
1234:
1176:
1169:
828:
775:
768:
758:
753:
743:
736:
729:
720:
709:– ghosttowns.com
699:
683:
682:
680:
678:
673:
665:
659:
658:
656:
654:
639:
633:
632:
630:
628:
618:
612:
611:
609:
607:
597:
589:
583:
580:
571:
570:
544:
538:
537:
535:
533:
523:
515:
494:
493:
488:. Archived from
482:
467:
466:
454:
444:
438:
433:
408:
403:
402:
401:
230:ice cream parlor
211:Southern Pacific
70:
69:
67:
66:
65:
60:
56:
53:
52:
51:
48:
21:
1242:
1241:
1237:
1236:
1235:
1233:
1232:
1231:
1187:
1186:
1185:
1180:
1174:
1167:
1158:
1084:Dragoon Springs
1069:Contention City
1040:
947:
945:
938:
850:
832:
826:
821:
778:
773:
766:
759:
756:
751:
747:
692:
687:
686:
676:
674:
671:
667:
666:
662:
652:
650:
641:
640:
636:
626:
624:
620:
619:
615:
605:
603:
595:
591:
590:
586:
581:
574:
559:
546:
545:
541:
531:
529:
521:
517:
516:
497:
484:
483:
470:
463:
446:
445:
441:
434:
427:
422:
404:
399:
397:
394:
316:
281:
269:bedrock mortars
187:
63:
61:
57:
54:
49:
46:
44:
42:
41:
35:
26:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1240:
1238:
1230:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1189:
1188:
1182:
1181:
1179:
1178:
1171:
1168:Arizona portal
1163:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1081:
1076:
1071:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1050:
1048:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
952:
950:
940:
939:
937:
936:
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
889:Miracle Valley
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
860:
858:
852:
851:
849:
848:
842:
840:
834:
833:
824:
822:
820:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
788:
786:
780:
779:
764:
761:
760:
748:
746:
745:
738:
731:
723:
717:
716:
710:
704:
691:
690:External links
688:
685:
684:
660:
634:
613:
584:
572:
557:
539:
495:
468:
462:978-0806108438
461:
439:
424:
423:
421:
418:
417:
416:
410:
409:
406:Arizona portal
393:
390:
335:brother-in-law
315:
312:
280:
277:
238:baseball field
226:car dealership
186:
183:
160:Cochise County
147:
146:
143:
139:
138:
137:March 13, 1909
135:
131:
130:
120:
114:
113:
110:
106:
105:
100:
94:
93:
88:
82:
81:
78:
72:
71:
37:
36:
31:
28:
27:
24:
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1239:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1194:
1192:
1177:
1172:
1170:
1165:
1164:
1161:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1089:Ewell Station
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1049:
1047:
1043:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
996:Lewis Springs
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
961:Black Diamond
959:
957:
954:
953:
951:
949:
941:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
861:
859:
857:
853:
847:
846:Huachuca City
844:
843:
841:
839:
835:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
789:
787:
785:
781:
777:
776:
769:
762:
757:United States
754:
744:
739:
737:
732:
730:
725:
724:
721:
714:
711:
708:
705:
702:
698:
694:
693:
689:
670:
664:
661:
648:
647:Bill Kirchner
644:
638:
635:
623:
617:
614:
602:. August 2009
601:
594:
588:
585:
579:
577:
573:
568:
564:
560:
554:
550:
543:
540:
527:
520:
514:
512:
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
500:
496:
491:
487:
481:
479:
477:
475:
473:
469:
464:
458:
453:
452:
443:
440:
437:
432:
430:
426:
419:
415:
412:
411:
407:
396:
391:
385:
381:
379:
375:
369:
367:
364:
360:
356:
352:
346:
344:
340:
336:
332:
328:
323:
321:
313:
311:
309:
305:
301:
296:
292:
290:
285:
278:
276:
274:
270:
267:
263:
258:
256:
250:
248:
243:
239:
235:
234:movie theater
231:
227:
223:
219:
214:
212:
208:
204:
200:
191:
184:
182:
180:
176:
172:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
144:
136:
128:
124:
121:
119:
111:
104:
101:
99:
92:
89:
87:
80:United States
79:
77:
68:
40:Coordinates:
38:
34:
29:
22:
16:
1073:
1026:South Bisbee
971:Double Adobe
807:Sierra Vista
771:
675:. Retrieved
663:
651:. Retrieved
646:
637:
625:. Retrieved
616:
604:. Retrieved
599:
587:
548:
542:
530:. Retrieved
525:
490:the original
450:
442:
370:
347:
331:Pancho Villa
324:
317:
304:Gleeson Jail
297:
293:
286:
282:
259:
251:
242:horse racing
221:
215:
199:Copper Queen
196:
151:
150:
15:
1154:Tres Alamos
1114:Fort Rucker
1109:Fort Newell
1079:Dos Cabezas
1046:Ghost towns
904:Pirtleville
767:County seat
701:Ghost towns
528:. June 2009
247:water mains
218:post office
62: /
50:109°48′31″W
1191:Categories
1119:Galeyville
1104:Fort Bowie
1064:Charleston
1006:Nicksville
956:Bakerville
600:Glenn Snow
558:0873582179
526:Glenn Snow
420:References
156:ghost town
47:31°46′12″N
33:Ghost town
1149:Sunnyside
1099:Fittsburg
1074:Courtland
946:populated
934:Whetstone
914:San Simon
909:St. David
899:Palominas
812:Tombstone
713:Courtland
707:Courtland
355:Tombstone
320:constable
255:limestone
203:tent city
179:Tombstone
152:Courtland
118:Time zone
109:Elevation
25:Courtland
1134:Paradise
1094:Fairbank
1059:Cascabel
1011:Pomerene
981:Hereford
929:Sunsites
924:Sunizona
567:79-91724
392:See also
363:Governor
359:Florence
1129:Hilltop
1124:Gleeson
986:Johnson
976:Forrest
966:Cochise
874:Elfrida
869:Dragoon
817:Willcox
802:Douglas
677:July 2,
653:July 2,
627:July 2,
606:July 2,
532:July 2,
308:Gleeson
266:Hohokam
185:History
164:Arizona
103:Cochise
91:Arizona
76:Country
1139:Pearce
1054:Apache
1036:Warren
1021:Ramsey
1016:Portal
1001:Lowell
948:places
884:Mescal
879:McNeal
797:Bisbee
792:Benson
784:Cities
774:Bisbee
565:
555:
459:
374:Pearce
351:saloon
339:outlaw
300:Benson
240:and a
168:copper
98:County
1031:Vanar
944:Other
864:Bowie
838:Towns
672:(PDF)
596:(PDF)
522:(PDF)
378:posse
343:rifle
228:, an
154:is a
86:State
894:Naco
856:CDPs
679:2012
655:2012
629:2012
608:2012
563:LCCN
553:ISBN
534:2012
457:ISBN
325:The
236:, a
232:, a
171:boom
125:(no
158:in
127:DST
123:MST
1193::
770::
755:,
645:.
598:.
575:^
561:.
524:.
498:^
471:^
428:^
289:$
216:A
162:,
742:e
735:t
728:v
681:.
657:.
631:.
610:.
569:.
536:.
465:.
129:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
