Benson, AZ

520-586-4293, at the junction of I-10 and AZ Hwy. 80.Founded in 1880 when the trans-continental Southern Pacific Railroad came through Southern Arizona, Benson was this region’s railroad hub until 1910. Its lifeblood was the copper and silver flowing from neighboring mining communities. Not far from Benson lies the adobe ruins of the Butterfield Stage Coach Depot, once a busy mercantile and rest area for cross-country travelers. While Benson’s past is preserved in its historic downtown and replicated train depot, today it is best known as the home of Kartchner Caverns State Park.