Advice on checking out Benson, Bisbee, Toombstone etc. (Tucson, Sierra Vista: 2013, house)

[crazyme4878]

Well, I like the view of the mountains and I love our rental and the lot it is on...but I feel like I am in neither the country nor the city and therefore I don't get either of the benefits and all the disadvantages. But please realize that I have lived my entire life in small towns (averaging 3,000-5,000) and often in the country, where you are separated from other houses. Some people would consider where I live to be in the country.

Anyhow, the rental is a good price and is only three miles from my husband's work, so it works well for that. But it is ten miles from town. The biggest problem of Hereford, for me, is that it has been extremely built up--either by developments (which don't seem too bad, actually) or by people just willy-nilly putting up double wides. Often the roads are not maintained by the county, so there are some horrible dirt roads. However, in some areas the neighbors band together and grade the road themselves. There are some beautiful properties on the west side of Hwy. 92, which is right in the foothills; these properties will also tend to have oaks on the property and be a little more secluded. If you could afford it, I would really look into that area.

I don't really know what you are looking for in a town and house, so Hereford may be ideal for you. SV really doesn't have a community. There is no downtown and the population is highly transient (because of the Fort and snowbirds). It offers a lot for chain-store shopping, though. There are three grocery stores, a Target, a Walmart, Ross, Marshalls, KMart, Dillons, Sears, BestBuy...you get the idea. Not much for locally-owned stores; they are there, but there aren't many. Meanwhile, you are twenty miles from Bisbee (if you settle in the Mountainious area of Hereford, less if you settle further east, by the river), which actually has a community and artisens and decent coffee shops (which SV doesn't have! Well, the one in the library is pretty close). And you are right next to all the hiking on this side of mountains. My friend and I just did a big hike, which include going down Miller Canyon--it was beautiful! My husband really likes the Perimeter Trail for a nice easy hike. It is also close to the Carr House, which has speakers a couple times a month in the summer (I also like hiking their short nature trail that meanders by a stream lined with giant sycamore trees).

The other potential negative to Hereford is the illegal situation. I say potential, because that seems to be the first question asked on this forum in regards to SV/Hereford. It really isn't that big of deal, though. I have been here 11 months and the only problem I have had is with the Border Patrol helicopters--they were waking my baby up. But now he sleeps through them, so there isn't even that anymore.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will try to answer them the best I can.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by adventuregurl

I already can't wait to go back!

Why the ? I thought you enjoyed your trip...

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

Why the ? I thought you enjoyed your trip...

I loved my trip and was saying that I already can't wait to go back to SE AZ (I am rolling my eyes because I just got back and already want to go back so soon...I should have just found a larger window of time to go for) and explore some more...maybe in Feb. I'll get down again...after I've had time to do more research and read more CD posts (boy, is that time consuming!).

[adventuregurl]

Originally Posted by crazyme4878

Well, I like the view of the mountains and I love our rental and the lot it is on...but I feel like I am in neither the country nor the city and therefore I don't get either of the benefits and all the disadvantages. But please realize that I have lived my entire life in small towns (averaging 3,000-5,000) and often in the country, where you are separated from other houses. Some people would consider where I live to be in the country.

Anyhow, the rental is a good price and is only three miles from my husband's work, so it works well for that. But it is ten miles from town. The biggest problem of Hereford, for me, is that it has been extremely built up--either by developments (which don't seem too bad, actually) or by people just willy-nilly putting up double wides. Often the roads are not maintained by the county, so there are some horrible dirt roads. However, in some areas the neighbors band together and grade the road themselves. There are some beautiful properties on the west side of Hwy. 92, which is right in the foothills; these properties will also tend to have oaks on the property and be a little more secluded. If you could afford it, I would really look into that area.

I don't really know what you are looking for in a town and house, so Hereford may be ideal for you. SV really doesn't have a community. There is no downtown and the population is highly transient (because of the Fort and snowbirds). It offers a lot for chain-store shopping, though. There are three grocery stores, a Target, a Walmart, Ross, Marshalls, KMart, Dillons, Sears, BestBuy...you get the idea. Not much for locally-owned stores; they are there, but there aren't many. Meanwhile, you are twenty miles from Bisbee (if you settle in the Mountainious area of Hereford, less if you settle further east, by the river), which actually has a community and artisens and decent coffee shops (which SV doesn't have! Well, the one in the library is pretty close). And you are right next to all the hiking on this side of mountains. My friend and I just did a big hike, which include going down Miller Canyon--it was beautiful! My husband really likes the Perimeter Trail for a nice easy hike. It is also close to the Carr House, which has speakers a couple times a month in the summer (I also like hiking their short nature trail that meanders by a stream lined with giant sycamore trees).

The other potential negative to Hereford is the illegal situation. I say potential, because that seems to be the first question asked on this forum in regards to SV/Hereford. It really isn't that big of deal, though. I have been here 11 months and the only problem I have had is with the Border Patrol helicopters--they were waking my baby up. But now he sleeps through them, so there isn't even that anymore.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will try to answer them the best I can.

Thanks for all your info and help...do you think it would be ok to live in Benson as a single person, if not, which place do you recommend?

[ashmatical23]

You should have visited Rancho Sahuarita.

[Northanna_2001]

Originally Posted by crazyme4878

Sorry to hear about your Bisbee experiences. There are definitely some homeless, druggie-looking people, but I have never had them approach me, nor have I felt threatened. (I go there a handful a times per month). But from what I saw this week, especially on Wednesday, and from little things I have read, I think Bisbee is a big place to go to celebrate New Years Eve, especially with the dirty hippie type of crowd. Hopefully this was all it was--I certainly saw much more of it than on other days.

So listen to your gut, but hopefully you will feel comfortable enough to visit during a more calm day. Glad to hear you had an over-all good trip!

During the time in the middle 90s that my husband and I lived in Sierra Vista (posted at Ft H), we went to street dances held at Bisbee. There seemed to be always interesting creative type things going on at Bisbee! We loved to dine at the Cafe Roka. Just tons of great memories!

[star4772]

Hello all my name is Joe and I am getting ready to make a move to Benson AZ Febuary 1st. I bought a little mobile home just south of town on Hwy 80 in Valley High Park. This will be a tempory for a couple of years till I get a chance to check out the area. I have family in Tombstone so its not to far away from someone I know.

Was wondering if there was anything real important I should know about as in

Thanks Joe

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by star4772

Hello all my name is Joe and I am getting ready to make a move to Benson AZ Febuary 1st. I bought a little mobile home just south of town on Hwy 80 in Valley High Park. This will be a tempory for a couple of years till I get a chance to check out the area. I have family in Tombstone so its not to far away from someone I know.

Was wondering if there was anything real important I should know about as in

Thanks Joe

Benson is a decent little town. We were last there in October when made some additional improvements on our land in J-Six Ranchette (west of Benson) and I noticed at that time that there did seem to be some signs of economic growth resuming there (a couple of new businesses from last time we were there). With housing prices recoverying strongly up here in Seattle, we may be able to FINALLY sell our house here and move down there in the relatively near future. I can't think of anything that you "need" to know really. Nothing really shocking or surprising about the town that I know about.

Ken

[star4772]

Originally Posted by LordBalfor

Benson is a decent little town. We were last there in October when made some additional improvements on our land in J-Six Ranchette (west of Benson) and I noticed at that time that there did seem to be some signs of economic growth resuming there (a couple of new businesses from last time we were there). With housing prices recoverying strongly up here in Seattle, we may be able to FINALLY sell our house here and move down there in the relatively near future. I can't think of anything that you "need" to know really. Nothing really shocking or surprising about the town that I know about.

Ken

Thanks Ken for the information. Hope you get to sell your home for what you want,it has been a long recovery.

Joe

[Steve Pickering]

The weather will change, but the town won't, MUCH.

I love the area. I lived in Bisbee, Double Adobe, and Tombstone.