Douglas is in Southern Arizona . It is in Cochise County. The town is located on State Highway 80 near the Mexican border. You can get to Douglas from Phoenix and Tucson by taking Interstate 10 south out of town. It is approximately 120 miles southwest of Tucson. After you pass through Tucson, you will find that Interstate 10 gradually heads east toward the New Mexico border. You will need to continue until you come to the town of Benson. Take State Highway 80 south, at Benson. You will travel on State Highway 80, until you come to Douglas. You can get to Douglas from Nogales by taking State Highway 82, northeast out of town. When you come to State Highway 80, turn left and head south down to Douglas.

Douglas is a great spot to learn about the Old West. There are many adventures that are close to this town. It is a small town that began as a mining town and then on to cattle ranching. Today Douglas has three manufacturing plants. These plants produce items ranging from clothing to auto parts. The location of Douglas, near the Mexican border, has made it an international commerce point. Agua Prieta is the name of the town across the border. These two towns use each other’s strengths to prosper. With colorful Mexico at its back door and a host of scenic areas only a few hours away, Douglas has much to offer the vacationer. The population of Douglas is 13,784. The town sits at an elevation of 3,990 feet. Douglas has a pleasant year-around climate. The town has low winter temperatures near 39 degrees and summer highs around 99 degrees.

There are many attractions in and around Douglas. The Gadsden Hotel is a historic and elegant place to see. This hotel holds many tales of the past. Agua Prieta is a small Mexican town full of shopping and restaurants. You won’t want to miss an opportunity to go across the border to take in the culture.
Douglas has a variety of outdoor spots for visitors to see during a trip. The Chiricahua Wilderness is in the Chiricahua mountain range in the Coronado National Forest. Visitors will have a choice of camping spots and hiking trails. The Chiricahua National Monument is a part of the Chiricahua Mountain Range. It is wonderful place to see. Here at the visitor center you will learn about the history of the mountain range. The San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge is a special place to see beautiful plants and water life, along with the home of one of Arizona ’s great cattle barons. Douglas combines the charm of the Old West with the comforts and pleasures of today.

The town was originally named Black Water. In the beginning, the water was so bad that many wouldn’t look at it when taking a drink. In those days, water wasn’t easy to come by and the town’s people got use to it. Although, the city on the other side of the border from Douglas still holds the original name, Agua Prieta meaning black water.

In the 1880’s and 1900’s the land around Douglas was perfect for cattle. The open grassy valley became the spot for roundups. Ranchers would gather their cattle to brand and haul them out.

In the early 1900’s, the Phelps Dodge Company discovered the Bisbee smelter was too small. It was also inconveniently located. The company began looking for a new spot to locate its smelter. Douglas was founded in 1901 as a mining site for a copper smelter. The town was then renamed after Dr. James Douglas, the president of Copper Queen Consolidated. It was Douglas, who developed some mining techniques that improved the process. Dr. Douglas also built his own railroad, after the Santa Fe Railroad raised their rates. His El Paso and Southwestern railroad line traveled from Bisbee to El Paso, along with the line from Bisbee and Nacozari, both of which came right through Douglas.

As the town grew, a hospital and homes were built for the many employees at the smelter. During the town’s peak more than 375,000 tons of ore a day were brought to the smelter to be processed.
During the early beginning of Douglas, the town became know for its lawlessness. In the same year that the town was founded, in 1901, the Arizona Rangers were sent to Douglas to establish their headquarters. The rows of saloons in town were a problem and so were the cattle thieves. It took some time to get the town under control.

From 1911 to 1935 the airport in Douglas served as an army airfield by helping smooth over border troubles with Mexico. In 1928, the first international airport in the United States opened in Douglas. The runway was part in the United States and part in Mexico. Famous pilots flew into the airport, such as Amelia Earhart. Commercial flights discontinued several years ago, although private flights are welcome.

The smokestacks stopped in 1987, but Douglas continues to grow with the help of the sister city across the border, Agua Prieta. Both of the town’s have turned to manufacturing and tourism and continue to prosper.

The Gadsden Hotel was first built in 1907. The architect H.C. Trost created its design. The Gadsden is a elegant 5-story, 160 room hotel. Nothing was held back during its construction. The Gadsden became the best hotel in the west.
When the Gadsden Hotel was being built, the area around it was in battle with the Apaches and cattle rustlers. Arizona was not even a state yet. The Gadsden was named after James Gadsden, who negotiated the purchase of land that later became part of Arizona and New Mexico. The Gadsden Purchase took place in 1853 for a price of $10 million dollars.

The hotel was known to be the place for the wheeling and dealing of cattle and mining barons. It was also a home and place to rest for many cowboys and miners. The Saddle and Spur Saloon offered cattlemen an opportunity to place their brand on the wall.

There are tales about how Douglas residents climbed to the roof of the hotel to watch the Mexican Revolution being fought across the border. Another tale describes an impromptu ride up the marble stairs by Pancho Villa himself. You can even see the chipped surface on the seventh stair where this ride took place.

Then in 1927, a fire destroyed the original hotel. But, in 1928 the new owners the Mackeys rebuilt the hotel. The hotel was built as a replica of the original hotel. This time, however, steel and concrete were used instead of wood.
In 1988, the hotel had fallen into disrepair. In the same year, the Brekus’s family purchased the hotel. Their love and care of this building has made the hotel a success once again. Today the Gadsden Hotel is a National Historic Monument and nearly every Arizona Governor has stayed in the hotel. The hotel includes a lobby with a sweeping Italian marble staircase, Victorian chandelier, a gold leaf ceiling, marble columns, a Tiffany vaulted sky light and stain glass mural.

Guests in the hotel have a variety of services to chose from during their stay. The Gadsden offers wedding services, tours, convention facilities, banquet rooms, a dress shop, a beauty shop, suites, a dining room, a coffee shop and a tavern. Visitors can view over 200 registered cattle brands in the famous Saddle and Spurs Tavern.

The Gadsden Hotel is located in Douglas at 1046 G Avenue.

Agua Prieta is a town across the border from Douglas on the Mexican side. It is the sister town to Douglas. There are nearly 100,000 residents in Agua Prieta. These two towns use each other strengths to prosper. Douglas has three manufacturing plants and Agua Prieta has thirty-three. These plants make items like clothing, seatbelts and plastic injection molding. It is estimated that 80 percent of the personal income from Agua Prieta is spent in Douglas.

However, Agua Prieta does lure shoppers and sightseers. Visitors can walk across the border to see the Old Mexico town. Agua Prieta has quaint streets filled with shops, plazas and restaurants. The authentic Sonoran Mexican cuisine is delicious and modestly priced.

When making a visit to Agua Prieta, U.S. citizens should carry proof of citizenship. A valid U.S. passport is the best, because it serves both as photo identification and works well when using cashiers checks. A U.S. birth certificate that is a certified copy is also acceptable. Visitors should be aware that a driver’s license is not proof of citizenship. If you are planning on staying in Agua Prieta for more than 72 hours, you need to get a tarjeta de turista (a Mexican government tourist card). Please check with U.S. customs at the border, if you have any questions or concerns. The U.S. customs office is open 24 hours a day.

Your short walk across the border into Agua Prieta will prove to be a great day full of culture, shopping and delicious food.