“The Town of 200 that went missing in Cave Creek”

History expert Greg Barnhart to present “The Town of 200 that went missing in Cave Creek”
On Wednesday, April 12, 2023 beginning at 7 PM, Cave Creek Museum’s Greg Barnhart will give a presentation on the Town of 200 that went missing in Cave Creek. The presentation will take place at the Desert Foothill Chapter of the Archaeological Society. The presentation will take place at Good Shepherd of the Hills, which is located at 6502 E. Cave Creek Road in Cave Creek, Ariz.

“The Phoenix Mine, located near the entrance to Jewel of the Creek, had an ambitious 1893 plan to run a 100-stamp mill – however the people leading the charge needed a town,” says Greg Barnhart, Cave Creek Museum dream team member and committed historian. “Originally, the town was called Marion. About 200 people lived there, which also was the site of the first Cave Creek Post office. In 1897, the mine changed hands and the town was renamed Liscum with a post office of the same name. The town featured a school, boarding house and a store. This was a far bigger settlement than anything in the Cave Creek station area.

So what happened to Liscum?

The mine experienced difficulties and finally was abandoned around 1906. The settlement disappeared and its exact location is a mystery.

Attendees will learn what was going on in Cave Creek in the early days, about other mines in the area and what archeological evidence was secured from the mines and miners.

“Why can’t we locate a settlement from just 115 years ago when we know its general location,” asks Barnhart. “We will explore this topic and Cave Creek’s rich mining history as well as take a look at he details of extracting gold from hard rocks.

Barnhart, BSEE, MBA, completed his graduate work in United States history. A retired high tech executive and avid history student, he moved to Cave Creek four years ago and joined the Cave Creek Museum’s dream team, learning stamp milling from expert Charlie Connell. Barnhart explored the area around the Golden Reef Mine and Phoenix and Maricopa mines, including the dumpsite of the short lived town of Liscum. He is the lead docent for the museum’s Arizona Gold Mining Experience and is an artist showing at the Cave Creek Finer Arts Gallery.

This is a free event and open to the public.

The 52-year-old museum’s mission is to preserve the artifacts of the prehistory, history, culture and legacy of the Cave Creek Mining District and the Cave Creek/Carefree foothills area through education, research and interpretive exhibits. The Cave Creek Museum is located at 6140 E. Skyline Drive in Cave Creek, Ariz. Open October through May. The museum can be reached at 480.488.2764 or cavecreekmuseum.org. Where History Comes Alive.