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Ivan Safyan Abrams
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Frank Duck
By Bob Nilson
Amid picturesque river-valley views, temperate weather and the home of Kartchner Caverns State Park, you will find the small city of Benson, with its population of just fewer than 5,000. Located 45 miles southeast of Tucson on the intersections of Interstate 10 and State Routes 80 and 90, Benson is in the San Pedro Valley and the San Pedro River runs through Benson North to the Gila River.
In 1857 the Butterfield Overland Mail came through what would later become Benson, but was called the “San Pedro Crossing” then. In 1880 prior to Arizona’s mining boom, Benson was built by Southern Pacific Railroad to serve as a stop to supply the new boom towns of Tombstone and Bisbee. Southern Pacific Railroad continued to serve the area until 1997, when Union Pacific Railroad purchased the line.
Benson is considered high desert and has sandy rolling hills with Palo Verde and Mesquite trees. There are a variety of cactus and yucca as well as native desert grasses. At and altitude of 3,580', Benson has mild year-round temperatures. Today, Benson is still the transportation hub with 9 motels and 18 RV parks with over 1,100 RV spaces. Winter visitors have found Benson is the perfect place to base themselves while exploring the treasures of Cochise County.
The City of Benson’s culture is ingrained with the Old West and the traditional railroad heritage. The Benson Visitor Center – Train Depot, located at 249 East Fourth Street in the heart of Benson’s historic downtown is a beautiful replica railroad depot using many of the same architectural features as the original depot that was built over a century ago.
Each small town in Arizona has something they're noted for. Benson is noted for being a railroad hub connecting Tombstone and Bisbee to the rest of the world.The Visitor Center Staff was the driving force behind putting together a G-scale locomotive setup that welcomes guests. "Benson has been a railroad hub for 138 years. We figured we needed to let people know we're a railroad town, so we applied for a grant from the Union Pacific Foundation and proceeded to hang 96 feet of track inside the Visitor Center. Visitors are welcome to operate the train through our life-like train simulator. We'll even give you a Free "Train Operators Certificate" or you can just watch the freight trains roll through Benson.
The City of Benson is also particularly proud of their designation as the Home of Kartchner Caverns State Park. Located on 550 acres at the foothills of the Whetstone Mountains just south of Benson on State Highway 90, Kartchner Caverns State Park offers picnicking, camping, hiking, walking and the magnificent still-living caverns. In the park you will find some of the most remarkable caverns in the United States.
Another thing to do in Benson is to view the many murals around town. A local group has hired artist Doug Quarles to paint murals of different local historical themes from railroad to nature. He always puts something fun in his paintings that you have to look carefully to find. There are over forty murals to date.
To learn more about the Benson Visitor Center train and other local attractions, visit www.bensonvisitorcenter.com