Do You Know the Special History of Benson, Arizona?

I once had the chance to watch a football game at Benson High School. The lonely sound of the train whistle, which provides the soundtrack to this quaint little town, is part of the ambiance of Friday Night Lights. And it's an important part of Benson's history.

If you're heading east on Interstate 10 toward El Paso, Benson is Cochise County's first stop. This small, cozy community is Cochise County's tourism crossroads. Kartchner Caverns is only a few miles away, and the annual Benson Butterfield rodeo is a hometown draw.

READ: The History of Kartchner Caverns State Park

Whether you stop for gas, a bite to eat, or just pass through town on your way to other parts of Cochise County, you're now part of the crossroads of railroad history.

The History of the Railroad in Benson, Arizona

The railroad has been an important part of Benson since the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in 1880.

Benson has been a traveler's stopover for a long time. Before the railroad arrived, Benson was a stagecoach stop known as Ohnesorgen Stage Station.

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When the Southern Pacific arrived, it transformed Benson into a transportation hub connecting southeastern Arizona to the rest of the country.

Why was Benson Chosen to Become a Railroad Stop?

Benson was the only town in the area with a transcontinental connection to the greater United States.

In the 1880s, Benson was a crucial stopover for passengers traveling to Tombstone, Bisbee, and the other small towns in newly established Cochise County. The area included a little army camp south of Benson, the 6th United States Cavalry, which was established and called Fort Huachuca.

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Benson was becoming a critical part of the County. The mining districts needed the services to ship mineral products. The town became even more vital to the local industries when the New Mexico and Arizona Railroad arrived in 1882.

The Arizona Southeastern Railroad Company followed in 1894. By then, Benson was the only town in Arizona served by three independent railroad lines.

The Railroad Era Changes the Future of Benson

The booming railroad era lasted until 1910. The railroad companies decided to reroute some of the tracks, ultimately leading to a decline in traffic in Benson.

The Arizona Southeastern Railroad bypassed Benson in 1901, and the Southern Pacific routed a direct line from Tucson to Nogales in 1910, which reduced Benson's role as a major hub.

You can see the Benson Railroad live on YouTube via user @SouthWestRailCams

Things have changed over the years, but the railroad is still deep in Benson's roots. The train still runs through, and now the Interstate is a major supplier of traffic and tourism to the town.

Benson is still a small city with a deep railroad heritage. You can watch the railroad cam live as it runs through town or visit the Benson Railroad Historic District on 3rd Street and walk in the footsteps of history.

Sources: LuxWisp.com | Benson History | Benson Visitor's Center | SWA Buffalo Soldiers | Waymarking.com