Helvetia

Tucked away in Pima County, Arizona, Helvetia carries a name borrowed from the ancient Latin word for Switzerland. The settlement dates to 1891 and was tied to mining operations, but by the early 1920s it had been abandoned entirely.

Visitors today will find access to the site considerably limited. Active mining operations have led to most of the former town being fenced off, leaving only the Ray Mine and the cemetery open to explore. It is a spare but evocative stop for anyone drawn to the remnants of Arizona's boom-and-bust past.