| Visitors are amazed to find a facility like the Bisbee | | | | beyond the minerals: the work lives of the men who |
| Mining & Historical Museum in rural Arizona. And they | | | | mined them, the advances in technology that |
| should be surprised. It’s not your typical small | | | | demanded more copper and advances that allowed |
| town facility. | | | | the mining of lower and lower grades of ore and, |
| A few years ago, the Bisbee museum became the | | | | finally, why the world needs so much copper. |
| smallest institution to ask the Smithsonian to participate | | | | As a visitor passes through the exhibit, starting |
| in its affiliation program. That meant that Bisbee | | | | “underground” and working her way toward the |
| would get access not only to the fabulous Smithsonian | | | | open pit, perhaps she doesn’t notice the |
| collections, but also to its expertise at creating exhibits, | | | | progression of devices, in a sort of timeline, that use |
| which is the best in the world. | | | | copper: telephone, radio, television, air conditioning. |
| The Bisbee museum, led by executive director Carrie | | | | And perhaps she doesn’t notice the medallions that |
| Gustafson, went to the Smithsonian with a clear-cut | | | | show progressively lower-grade ores that were mined |
| plan: Bisbee’s mines produced some of the finest | | | | in Bisbee: 40%, then 10% and finally down to less than |
| mineral speciments in the world, and the community | | | | 1%. |
| wanted not only to get some of them back, but to | | | | And perhaps she doesn’t realize when she has left |
| showcase them in a manner they deserved. | | | | the underground and it has become the 1950s in |
| The Smithsonian did far more than just say okay — | | | | Bisbee and she’s now back in the "sunshine stope," |
| it jumped on board with great enthusiasm. By any | | | | amidst the huge equipment used in open-pit mining. |
| standard, Bisbee has spectacular minerals, and the | | | | But the message subliminally sinks in. The |
| opportunity to show them off was inviting to the exhibit | | | | manniquen-men she has seen working in the exhibit |
| designers. The Smithsonian’s own National Museum | | | | have managed to squeeze ever-more copper out of |
| of Natural History displays many of the famous Bisbee | | | | ever-poorer rock, and in the end she sees a pile of |
| minerals, including a crystal cave. But here was a | | | | rock that represents just how much ore it take just to |
| chance to have much more space to make the local | | | | care for her personal demand for the metal. And |
| minerals the focus of a more-encompassing exhibit. | | | | near the end of the exhibit, she faces a wall of |
| And it was to be done right in the community whose | | | | appliances: toasters and vacuums and stereos and so |
| copper mines were the source of the minerals; it was | | | | many more that account for her use. |
| to be much more than just a distant look at another | | | | This tour through a century of mining in Bisbee is only |
| piece of nature’s art. | | | | half the story, however. Another exhibit downstairs, |
| More than just pretty rocks | | | | just recently brought up to date, shows daily life of the |
| And “Digging In” is about much more than just | | | | citizens of a copper mining town over its first 40 years |
| pretty rocks. It weaves together several stories | | | | -- 1877 through 1917. |