Envelope cancelled in pen and ink in Clifton, A. T., on December 13, 1875. Rich deposits of copper were discovered in the area by Lt. John G. Bourke in 1869 while he was on army duty. In 1872, a group of explorers from Silver City, New Mexico established mines at the location. It was later to become the Arizona Copper Company, acquired by Phelps Dodge & Co. and developed into one of the world’s largest producing copper mines. Due to the towering cliffs surrounding the community, the descriptive name of “Cliff Town” was shortened to Clifton. Frequent flooding destroyed much of the town at intervals. The greatest flood occurred on December 4, 1906 when it rained for 30 hours.
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