Bisbee - A town built on mule paths.

One of the neat things about Bisbee is that it is built in a canyon, with steep sides - and the original inhabitants were miners who had mules and burros the way we have cars.  On the hillsides the streets are very narrow as they wind their way across the contours of the hillside, and connecting them all are a series of vertical paths - originally created by the pack animals, and in the WPA in 1938 converted into concrete stairways.

There are lots of them - some private - going to just one or two houses, but many connect the winding streets offering a straight if strenuous path.

Our rental cottage is on one of the longer sections, but up only 12 steps (of 151) from the street. 

 

There is an annual event called the Bisbee 1000, a race through the streets and up 1000 of the steps.  Not me.

Our set of steps is #5 in this.

below is just a small sampling.

 

  

And then there is street art - interesting graffiti - tear-offs from an inspirational calendar  stapled to lamp posts - and sculptures but not today.

 

And then a short hike up Brewery Gulch 

There is enough moisture for these ferns growing out of the rocks

Back in town a fence made of head headboards left over from the era when this part of town was filled with brothels