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The third annual Copper Town Days celebration is set for Sat., Oct. 6, 2012. This community reunion event, held in San Manuel, is all about meeting up with old friends and co-workers from the great mining days of the tri-community and to make new friends, too.
It’s been a long time since any mining has been done in the San Manuel area. In 1999, BHP Copper, Inc. shut down operations, due to the falling cost of copper. Eight years later, even the smokestacks -a long-time beloved landmark that beckoned to citizens as they approached home – amidst much protest, came down. To many, this signaled the death of hope that the mining would resume operations, one day.
When the mining went, San Manuel’s main source of employment was gone. This led to many people leaving the area, to find employment elsewhere. This left the miners, people who were used to seeing each other most every day, without the company they were used to, and with few to talk to who could understand their point of view.
Thanks to .local events, such as Copper Town Days, monuments and books such as Mother Magma by local author and former miner Onfrey Tafoya, the days of this small tri-community’s mining glory are not forgotten.
Up until the first Copper Town Days celebration, there had never been a formal reunion of area miners; a fact which the San Manuel Historical Society took steps to correct, organizing the very first Copper Town Days celebration, which ran from 9 am – 10 pm, with the help of various community groups.
Of course, for the youth of the tri-community, newer citizens and visitors, who do not know the history and have not lived it, Copper Town Days is not so much a reunion as a break from the usual routine. What a break it is, too!
Lots of fun events are planned, such as the Copper Cash Giveaway Raffle, which is a brand new feature. To purchase tickets or for more details on the raffle, call Marie at 520-385-4048. The usual events that the locals look forward to, year after year, are also planned.
There will be fun jumpers, rides, kid games, vendors of delicious food, crafts, unique products for sale, a softball tournament and a car show.
For information on vending, call Betty at 520-385-3028; for softball tournament information call Randis Rodriguez at 520-709-9143 ; or for car show information call Fred Roybal at 520-385-4048
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