All that would change in 1904. A new rail line was proposed from Congess, Arizona to Parker. In 1907, the Arizona and California Railroad had arrived. All the claims in the area had been consolidated into the Clara Gold and Copper Company.
One of the main promoters for the mine and the town was named George Mitchell. He named the town after his homeland, Swansea, Wales. He was a metalurgist and a very good talker. He managed to get many investors in on the company. He also managed to build a smelter that was very big. Unfortunately, it was too big to be run effciently and still make a profit. He also managed to get many extravagant places built. Swansea had a car dealership, theaters, restaurants and many saloons. Many were built and running before there was enough ore coming out of the ground to support them.
Swansea was a town that was ready to be yesterdays news when George Mitchell left. The year was 1916. After his departure, Swansea, ironically, saw a profit for two years by sending the ore to be smelted in Sasco (also featured on my site) and other places. After WWI, copper prices fell and operations slowly came to a halt. By the mid 1930's, Swansea was completely a ghost town.
Today, the reamins include what is left of the smelter, two rows of old miner's quarters and an erroding old train depot.
Start in Bouse, Arizona, and go northeast over the railroad tracks. It will curve and become Radar Road. It will turn to dirt as it becomes Swansea Road. You will go over the Central Arizona Project Canal. At 13 miles, you should be at Midway, and old water stop on the rialroad. You should see power lines overhead. Take the left fork in the road and go abuot 5.5 miles to an intersection. At the intersection take a right and head northeast. You will pass over and abovegound pipeline at mile 1.5. Continue on this road for another 5.5 miles (7 miles total down this raod) to the site of Swansea. A gazetteer may be handy on this trip.
