Douglas, AZ - A Very Interesting Small Town

We headed south from the Chiricahuas to the border town of Douglas. I had been doing some reading about the place and found a couple of places I wanted to check out. The further south we went, the prettier the clouds got.

Douglas was originally built in 1901as a smelter town to support the copper mining being done in Bisbee. It later became a major commercial port for trade and travel with Mexico. 

By the time we got to Douglas it was definitely lunch time. We read good reviews about the Original Grand Cafe but we had a little bit of trouble finding it. It is right on the main street but it had an awning out that covered the name of the cafe. I think we drove around the block three times til I finally spotted the word cafe. 

We had Mexican food and it was authentic. They brought homemade chips and salsa to the table. I took one bite of the salsa and thought my tongue was going to turn black and die. Paul didn't have any problems with it. So when I got my tacos I did not add any salsa to them. They were exceptionally good. Paul really enjoyed his meal even with the killer salsa on it. 

I didn't take any pictures of the restaurant, but well worth a visit if you're ever down in that area.

Our first tourist stop was at the Last Supper Museum. This museum has been open three years and has already amassed over 2000 pieces which makes it the world's largest collection of Last Supper inspired pieces of art. I have just a few pictures that I am going to post. I was overwhelmed to say the least.

I cannot imagine that there is anything out in the world that hasn't been used to make a Last Supper scene - from Marlboro cigarettes to Pez dispensers. 

Another stop we made was the Bisbee/Douglas International Airport. 

There isn't much to see at the airport. A couple of buildings, a runway, no control tower. And why does she want to go there. I'm sure Paul was wondering also. I do drag him to some strange places. 

They have a Border Air Museum but it's by appointment only and we couldn't make the time work to see it. But this airport has many aviation "firsts". 

Starting in 1908 the Douglas Aeronautic Club built the first aero plane in AZ that was pulled aloft by a pair of Quarter Horses. First aero plane to be used for military purposes. 

An infamous first occurred when an American mercenary pilot dropped a bomb on Naco, AZ instead of Naco, MX. The first time the US was ever hit by a bomb from a foreign aircraft. 

In 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt officially designated Douglas Municipal as the First International Airport in the United States.

Amelia Earhart flew into the Douglas Airport as part of "The Powder Puff Derby" air race from Santa Monica, CA to Cleveland, OH. 

It is amazing the things you can find out about a place if you just dig a little. Atlas Obscura and Roadside America are two of my sources of information.