15 Abandoned Places In Arizona That Nature Is Reclaiming
By Monica Spencer|Published August 01, 2015
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
For the last two hundred years, Arizona has had a history of people swarming in and out of the state. With that comes plenty of settlements that eventually go abandoned and areas that retain some evidence of human contact. These places are easy to find but typically go unnoticed in the hectic pace of our everyday lives.
Here are a few areas to reflect on the human existence that once inhabited the place. While you’re looking through the photos, think about how the desert, as opposed to a forest or swamp, reclaims its space.