Ruby is a ghost town in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. It was founded as a mining camp (originally “Montana Camp”, so named because the miners were mining at the foot of Montana Peak). Mining started around 1877. The Montana mine produced gold, silver, lead, zinc and copper. At its peak in the mid 1930s, Ruby had a population of about 1,200. The post office was discontinued on May 31, 1941.

Ruby is one of the two best-preserved ghost towns in Arizona, along with the Vulture Mine near Wickenburg, Arizona. Ruby’s attractions today include about 25 buildings under roof, including the old jail and houses, the old school, the playground, old mine machinery, buildings and mine workings. Ruby is entirely on private property.

Photographed with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ 50.

1314 views as of 7/1/11

Featured in ARIZONA/June, 2009
Top 10 in THE WILD WEST’s “Ghost Town” Challenge/September, 2009