A Brief History of Greenlee County

Home to the largest open pit copper mine in North America, Greenlee County boasts a colorful and fascinating history. Mining, ranching, and farming have sustained generations of area families, including Blue River rancher Freddie Fritz, once the head of the Arizona Cattle Growers Association, and Robert Hannagan, who lent his name to the popular Hannagan Meadow along the Coronado Trail. Discover the fate of Metcalf, a town no longer standing, and the devastating Clifton flood of 1906. Learn about the labor strike of 1903, one of the most violent conflicts in Greenlee's history. Join area natives Robert A. Chilicky and Gerald D. Hunt as they explore the past of one of the most interesting places in Arizona.