Bradshaw Mountains
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bradshaw Mountains | |
| Range | |
 The Bradshaw Mountains seen from the peak of Mount Union
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Arizona |
| Highest point | Mount Union |
| - elevation | 7,979 ft (2,432 m) |
| - coordinates | |
| Length | 40 mi (64 km), north-south |
| Geology | granite, schist |
| Period | Precambrian |
Known in Yavapai as Wikanyacha "rough, black range of rocks",[1] and to European explorers as the Silver Mountain Range, the Bradshaw Mountains are a mountain range in the Sonoran Desert of central Arizona, USA, later named for brothers Isaac and William Bradshaw.[2]
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[edit] History
The first known settlements in the Bradshaws were a group of Yavapai Indians, called the Kwevkapaya who built forts and mined copper from around AD 1100 to 1600.[3] Apaches occupied the area around 1800 as a means of keeping White settlers out. But by 1863, a party led by William Bradshaw was in the area, followed by the Walker party. In 1864, a group of five white settlers was attacked by Apaches at what is now called Battle Flat. One of the settlers went for help, but upon his return found the Apaches had left.[4] The Walker party found gold, and within a few years, the Bradshaws were filling up with settlers mining for gold, silver, and copper. In the early part of the 1900s, most of the towns that had sprung up were little more than ghost towns.
[edit] Geography
Located approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Prescott, Arizona, between the Agua Fria River on the east, and the Hassayampa River on the west, the range is 40 miles (64 km) long, and almost 25 miles (40 km) wide.
[edit] Peaks
- Mount Union, named during the Civil War, is the highest, at 7,979 feet (2,432 m).
- Mount Davis, named for Jefferson Davis.
- Spruce Mountain – 7,696 feet (2,346 m), misnamed for Douglas firs mistaken for Spruces.
- Mount Tritle – 7,793 feet (2,375 m)
- Towers Mountain – 7,628 feet (2,325 m)
- Maverick Mountain – 7,443 feet (2,269 m)
- Mount Wasson
[edit] Geology
The Bradshaw Mountains consist primarily of precambrian granite, gneiss and schist.
[edit] Ecology
The biotic community of the Bradshaws ranges from interior chaparral and montane conifer forest, to plains and desert grassland, and Sonoran desert scrub. Many species of trees are found in the Bradshaws, including Piñon, Alligator Juniper, Ponderosa pine, White fir, and Douglas fir. As well, much wildlife is present, including javelinas and Short-horned Lizards.
Several creeks have been dammed to form reservoirs, including Lynx Lake, Hassayampa Lake, Horsethief Lake, and Cedar Tank.
[edit] Human use
Gold was first discovered in the Bradshaws in the 1863, over $2,000,000 worth being taken from just the Crowned King Mine.[5] Copper and silver were also mined in the early part of the 20th century.
[edit] Ghost towns and other settlements
There are over 40 ghost towns in the Bradshaw Mountains,[6] including Crown King, Bumble Bee, Bradshaw City, and Cleator.
[edit] Protected areas
Much of the Bradshaw Mountains are on Prescott National Forest land. Other parks include Horsethief Basin Recreational Area, Lynx Lake Recreational Area, and the Castle Creek Wilderness.
[edit] References
- ^ Corbusier, William T. (1969). Verde to San Carlos. Dale Stuart King, 55.
- ^ Isaac Bradshaw picked up legacy after brother's death
- ^ Annerino, John (1991). Adventuring in Arizona: The Sierra Club Travel Guide to the Grand Canyon State. San Francisco, California: Sierra Club Books, 134-143.
- ^ Simpson, Claudette (September 18, 1984), “RUGGED BRADSHAWS ONCE BUSTLED WITH MINERS”, The Courier, <http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.yancey/405/mb.ashx?pnt=1>
- ^ Ghost Towns & Mining History
- ^ Ghost Towns & Mining History
