By E.L. Foxx

Yavapai County is no stranger to ghost towns. It made a gracious host to prospectors looking to strike it rich during the Arizona territory’s gold rush, resulting in thousands of mines being dug. If a mine was successful, a town would spring up around it. Mining towns lasted 30 years on average, while smaller camps lasted as little as four years.

Bigbug was a small mining town founded in 1862 when gold was discovered along Big Bug Creek by Theodore Boggs. The area got its name when prospectors made note of the especially large beetles along the creek where they were mining. Like many mining camps, Bigbug saw its fair share of name changes. The “Bigbug” post office officially opened in March of 1879. The name only lasted for a few months; in November it was renamed “Red Rock.” This lasted a few years before being renamed “Big Bug” in 1881 and eventually as “Bigbug” again in 1895. Bigbug was known for its smelter services in the Bradshaw Mountains. reaching its peak population in 1890 with 115 residents. As time went on, the ore started to run dry. Miners began moving away to more productive mines in the area, causing the collapse of Bigbug. The post office closed in 1910.