Copper Miners’ Stories: The People of San Manuel
| San Manuel Smoke Stacks |
San Manuel Race Relations |
Tafoya |
To order a DVD by telephone
Contact Shipherd Reed, Program Coordinator, Miners’ Story Project, Flandrau: The UA Science Center, 1601 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85719, or 520-626-2304, shipherd@email.arizona.edu
Copper Miners’ Stories: The People of San Manuel, a collection of oral history stories and images from San Manuel miners and their families, was held on Saturday, January 31, 2009 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm at Flandrau: The UA Science Center. The event was made possible thanks to a grant from the Arizona Humanities Council.
As the culmination of a year-long effort, Project Coordinator Shipherd Reed presented selected stories about life in the mine and the town using audio recordings, photographs, and anecdotes. Mr. Reed conducted dozens of interviews with former San Manuel miners and their families. Some of the stories are funny, some are touching, some may be shocking, and all of them are fascinating. The presentation covers the history of San Manuel, the mining techniques used, social relationship in the town, and labor relations at the mine.
A DVD of the Copper Miners’ Stories: The People of San Manuel is available for purchase. “These oral history recordings are a wonderful way to learn about the amazing history of the San Manuel mine, and to hear that history in the voices of the men and women who lived it” said Shipherd Reed, Miners’ Story Project Coordinator. “We are fortunate to be able to preserve and share the history of this mine and the towns it supported.”
A special sale at the Flandrau Science Center store of the Copper Miners’ Stories: The People of San Manuel DVD and selected store minerals took place during the event.
In its heyday, San Manuel was the largest underground mine in North America. Jobs at the mine led the towns of San Manuel, Oracle, and Mammoth to prosperity. An underground engineering marvel, the mine began production in 1956 and supplied millions of tons of copper to American industry and to the world. It also pumped millions of dollars into the Arizona economy.
Sadly, the mined closed in 1998 when copper prices were low, and never reopened. Just over two years ago, on January 17, 2007, the massive smokestacks at the San Manuel Mine were toppled, a symbolic end to the once mighty mine’s fifty-year history. But the history of the mine and the people who worked there will live on, thanks to the Miners Story Project and the efforts of community leaders in San Manuel, Oracle, and Mammoth.
Special guest speakers included Onofre “Taffy” Tafoya, a former miner and author of the book “Mother Magma” about his experiences at San Manuel, and Dr. Linda Leigh, Special Projects Administrator for the Copper Corridor Economic Development Coalition, who works with mining towns along Arizona Route 77 to preserve the history of the region and develop heritage tourism.
February 8th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
To whom it may concern,I am interested in what information is needed concerning the history of magma copper co. and the town of san manuel. I have old miner newspapers dating back to early 1950’s.Pictures of the town,smelter,mine and history of stories about events during these years. Thank You, Phil Diaz.
February 15th, 2009 at 9:48 am
My family moved to San Manuel in June of 1954.My step-father started working in here in March of the same year. At that time there was very little housing available,so my Dad commuted from Hayden Az. until a company house became availble. I grew up in this town,went to school, worked for Magma-BHP for more than 40 Years.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
My father started working for Magma in 1974. I grew up in San Manuel during the 70’s and 80’s, which was a great until Magma sold the mine and operations in the late 80’s. I have always loved the name of our high school in San Manuel, which is the San Manuel Miners. I was really sad to see the mine close in 1999, and the town has really suffered since the closing.
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:32 pm
There are many “old timers” out there who have stories to tell. My Dad, now 86, worked for both Miami and Magma Copper dating back to the early 50’s and then retired in ‘84 to preserve his pension. I have many memories of his stories of all his buddies, complete with nicknames and sometimes pictures. But Dad is the real resource. It would be great to get more stories from these amazing men before they are lost forever. I know he would love to tell the stories, and would certainly love to hear others’. Hopefully the authors of this project will get in touch with them, as most are not online or blogging!