Benson, Arizona lies 45 miles east-southeast of the city of Tucson. It was established in 1880 when the Southern Pacific Railroad decided to route one of their southern lines through the area. The city was named for a friend of the railroad’s president, Judges William B. Benson.
Though the city wasn’t founded unltil the late 1800’s, Spanish missionaries established a mission in the area in the late 1600’s. Native Americans made their homes along the San Pedro River for hundreds of years and the area was a favorite hide-a-way for both Cochise and Geronimo when they were being sought by the US Military.
Benson is perhaps most popular as a jumping off point for Kartchner Caverns State Park. The park
Benson, Arizona lies 45 miles east-southeast of the city of Tucson. It was established in 1880 when the Southern Pacific Railroad decided to route one of their southern lines through the area. The city was named for a friend of the railroad’s president, Judges William B. Benson.
Though the city wasn’t founded unltil the late 1800’s, Spanish missionaries established a mission in the area in the late 1600’s. Native Americans made their homes along the San Pedro River for hundreds of years and the area was a favorite hide-a-way for both Cochise and Geronimo when they were being sought by the US Military.
Benson is perhaps most popular as a jumping off point for Kartchner Caverns State Park. The park is located just 9 miles south of the city. A Benson RV Park will provide a perfect R & R location for your adventure deep into the canerns. The park is composed mainly of Palaeozoic Rock on the eastern slope of the Whetstone Mountains. Its spectacular speleothems were created in its limestone interior and have been steadily growing for over 50,000 years. The caverns feature two main rooms and several other interesting formation areas. The main sections are called the Throne Room and the Big Room with the smaller features being Mud Flats, the Rotunda Room, Cul-de-sac Passage and the Strawberry Room. The Big Room is closed each year from mid April to Mid October as it is a nursery roost for bats.
Giant dinosaurs and prehistoric mammoths were plentiful in the Benson area. Much of the city’s surroundings remain untouched by civilization and paleontologists work frequently in the area to unearth the reamains of prehistoric creatures.
The area’s Amerind Foudation was established in 1937 as an organization to educate the public in all things Native American through extensive research and conservation. They have established a very unique museum in nearby Dragoon, Arizona.
The San Pedro Valley Arts & Historical Society are the overseers of the Benson Museum, a library/museum that was created to share the history of the area and promote local artists in doing so. The library/museum houses many relics and artifacts including over 100 personal histories from families in and around Benson.
Located just behind the Benson Museum is The Art and Quilting Gallery. The gallery features some wonderful examples of creativity from local artists and quilters and includes a gift store and knitting supply shop.
The City of Benson and the surrounding San Pedro Valley are extremely rich in natural wonders and home to a vast array of wild animals and bird life. A Benson RV Park is sure to open many doors to all that the area has to offer.
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