Swansea

Of the ghost towns near Parker, Swansea is the best preserved, with ruins of a large brick smelter, mine, and more than a dozen buildings. The Clara Consolidated Gold and Copper Mining Co. built the smelter in the early 1900s to process its ore locally, instead of sending the stuff to such faraway places as Swansea in Wales. Clara Consolidated closed the smelter in 1912, but other companies continued mining until 1924.

Swansea's post office was established March 25, 1909 and was discontinued June 28, 1924. Swansea was the headquarters for the Clara Consolidated Gold and Copper Mining company. A railroad connected Swansea to nearby Bouse in 1908 and the camps population grew to a total of 750. Swansea had an electric light company, an auto dealer, a lumber company, even a barber and an insurance agent. The town was active until 1924 but the original mining company went bankrupt in 1912. There are two cemeteries at the site, and ruins of the smelter are extensive. Swansea was named after Swansea, Wales, where refined ore from the site was shipped. The ore was shipped via railroad to a destination on the Colorado River, where it was transferred to river freighters and then again transferred to ships on the gulf of California for shipment to Swansea, Wales via Cape Horn.

Swansea existed for only 5 years before the town disappeared into the desert. The town is in middle of nothing and its mystery in itself. The town did not have buildings and stores like Jerome, Oatman or Bisbee. The area was first investigated in 1886 by 3 men who were disappointed when the ore showed only copper and silver. When the copper was higher valued 10 years later, one of them came back with one new partner and a little mining started. The short existence of Swansea ended after WWI when copper prices dropped. By 1937, Swansea was already a ghost town.

High-clearance vehicles do best, though cautiously driven cars may be able to navigate the dirt roads to the site. Map

To reach Swansea from Parker, take Shea Road at the south edge of town and head east about 23 miles to the Four Corners junction, then continue 7.2 miles to Swansea. In this last section you'll cross a pipeline twice, pass through very scenic desert hills, and see a natural arch.

To reach Swansea, start from Bouse (SR 72, 27 miles southeast of Parker) by taking Plomosa Road in direction northwest over the railroad tracks. Plomosa Road change from pawed road to dirt road and become Swansea Road, witch cross Central Arizona Project Canal. 13 miles from Bouse is the destroyed town Midway, witch was "water stop place" on the short railroad line that connected Bouse and Swansea. Bear left on the fork at Midway, crossing under power lines after 0.4 mile, and go northwest 5.7 miles to Four Corners road junction, then turn right 7.2 miles to Swansea.

Obtain local advice and good maps such as the Swansea 15-minute topo map; BLM and tourist offices may have a brochure on Swansea.