Vulture and Congress are two more examples of ghost towns just a short drive northeast of Phoenix. Roads to these sites are completely paved, and easily accessable from passenger vehicles.
To get to Vulture, you msut take Highway 60 (west out of Phoenix) to Wickenburg. Stay on Highway 60 in Wickenburg until you reach Vulture Mine road. Take a left here (if coming from Phoenix). You will now be heading south. Stay on this road for about ten miles until you reach Vulture, off the road to your right.
To reach Congress, follow directions above to Wickenburg. Then take Highway 93 north or west (it goes northwest) for about 6 miles. when you see Highway 89, take a right (north). Go about 9 miles until you reach Congress.
In 1884, gold was discovered by Dennis May, northwest of present day Wickenburg., and Congress was born. In 1893, a railroad was completed coming within 3 miles of the mine. The railroad station became known as Congress Junction. A connecting rail line was built to connect Congress Junction and Congress (the mine townsite).
This site was producing ore until the 1930's. The post office was closed in 1938 and moved to Congress Junction. The town of Congress disappeared and only Congress Junction survived. Today, Congress Junction is known as just Congress.
Very little survives in present day Congress except the Congress Mercado (on the main highway) and two interesting cemetaries: the Congress Cemetary and Pioneer Cemetary. To get to the cemetaries, take Ghost Town Road north from the heart of Congress. Go just a few miles and the road loops back around. Both cemetaries are located on the loop (look for the tall flagpole at Congress Cemetary). Pioneer Cemetary is just a little farther.
In 1863, Henry Wickenburg discovered a rich gold deposit close to Vulture Peak. Therefore, he named his discovery Vulture. A town sprang up around his claim. It prospered until the 1890's. The post office was closed in 1897. A small amount of ore was still being processed until 1942, when operations ceased completely.
Vulture today, is the best example of a ghost town in Arizona. It has more buildings standing than any other ghost town in Arizona. There is an assay office, powerhouse, kitchen, mill, schools, bunkhouse, apartment house, blacksmith shop and residences.
There is a small fee to get in and explore the buildings, and they are only open from Friday to Sunday. But it is well worth it.
