Benson Historical Museum

Benson Historical Museum The Benson Museum, Benson AZ 85602

Echos of Early Benson Another Benson Working Man: Frank Lopez Jr.When we think about the men who helped build and mainta...
08/26/2026

Echos of Early Benson
Another Benson Working Man: Frank Lopez Jr.
When we think about the men who helped build and maintain Benson, their stories often stretch across many different kinds of work. Frank Lopez Jr., son of Francisco (Pancho) Lopez, was one of those men.

Frank had a long and varied working career. As a teenager, he worked as a custodian at the Territorial School. In 1918, he served his country during World War I, where one of his duties involved training horses.

By the 1920s, Frank was driving a wagon, earning a living in a time when horses and wagons were still an important part of everyday life. During the 1930s, he turned to farming. Then, in 1941, Frank was among the many Benson men who found employment through the WPA, working on a WPA project in town.

One of those projects was the construction of the Benson underpass. Frank was one of the men who helped build the underpass that still stands today. Following the Great Depression, WPA projects provided much-needed employment for men and women throughout the country, including right here in Benson. For many families, these jobs provided a way to earn a living during difficult economic times while also leaving behind lasting improvements to their communities.

In the 1950s, Frank began working for the City of Benson in the cleaning department, but his responsibilities went far beyond simply cleaning. He dug gas and water lines and, when needed, helped out on the garbage truck. He also kept Fourth Avenue free of debris, sweeping the sidewalks and gathering the debris into a homemade trash cart.

Frank retired from the City of Benson at age 65, but retirement didn't keep him away for long. He continued working part-time for the city until he was 75.

The Museum enjoys finding these stories because they remind us that Benson's history isn't only about buildings, businesses, or important events. It is also about the ordinary working men and women who spent their lives working, raising families, and helping build the community we know today.

And sometimes, the men who quietly went about their work every day left behind a legacy that is still standing—quite literally.

Echos of Early BensonBootlegging in Benson — 1928The year was 1928, and times were hard. Jobs were difficult to find, an...
08/21/2026

Echos of Early Benson

Bootlegging in Benson — 1928

The year was 1928, and times were hard. Jobs were difficult to find, and for some families in Benson’s Barrio along 5th Street, bootlegging became a way to put food on the table.
The liquor agents usually avoided the neighborhood. After all, it was one of their sources for the booze they were looking for. But every so often, the law would show up and raid the neighborhood.

One particular resident had what may have been the perfect hiding place. The outhouse in the backyard had two holes—and the second hole was always full of beer. It apparently remained undiscovered during the booze raids. Sometimes, the best hiding place was right under everyone's nose!

There was also a distillery next to the Catholic Church. Years later, while the foundation for the Grotto was being constructed, workers made an unexpected discovery. The bootleggers next door had dug beneath the floor of the old church sanctuary and used the space to store their homemade liquor. When it was uncovered, truckloads of bottles were found.

And then there were the raids. The liquor agents would confiscate the booze and shoot up the bottles, leaving residents to watch as the liquor flowed down Highway 80—while, as the story goes, they could only stand there licking their lips.

These stories give us a glimpse of Benson during Prohibition, when times were tough, ingenuity was plentiful, and the line between making a living and breaking the law could sometimes be surprisingly thin.

Some of you may have ancestors who lived in Benson during this time and passed down stories about the Prohibition years.
If you have a family story or a piece of Benson history to share, please feel free to add it in the comments. These stories, passed down through the generations, are an important part of preserving Benson's history.

House on 5th Street Back in the day

Echos of Early BensonLike many families who settled in the San Pedro Valley, the Lopez family arrived in the late 1860s ...
08/18/2026

Echos of Early Benson

Like many families who settled in the San Pedro Valley, the Lopez family arrived in the late 1860s and left its own lasting footprint on the area's history.
Francisco, also known as Pancho, Lopez moved his family from the Tres Alamos settlement to Benson in 1898. A true jack-of-all-trades, Pancho worked on various ranches throughout the area. Later, he was employed by several local merchants, including Hi Wo, George Kempf, and Harold Holcomb.

At Hi Wo's Mercantile, Pancho kept the hay barn full and the hay neatly stacked. He unloaded sacks of flour from the railroad cars, hauled them back to Hi Wo's Mercantile, and stored them in the basement. He also delivered hay and groceries to customers throughout the community.
In many ways, Pancho was the DoorDash of his day—only his deliveries came by hard work, a wagon, and a whole lot of muscle.

Pancho spent his later working years as an employee of the City of Benson, where he collected and disposed of the town's trash. He did the job using an old ore cart, putting to work yet another of his many skills in service to the community. From working ranches and unloading railroad freight to delivering groceries and keeping the hay barn stocked, Pancho Lopez spent his working life as one of the dependable men who helped keep early Benson running.

Mack was a Marksman with the M1 Rifle and served with the 26th Infantry Division, the Yankee Division. Wounded in action...
05/25/2026

Mack was a Marksman with the M1 Rifle and served with the 26th Infantry Division, the Yankee Division. Wounded in action in France. He was sent to a field hospital and from there to a hospital in California. Three months later, he returned home to his family in St David.

Ralph Quihuiz a local young man, fought during some of the darkest days of the war in the Philippines and gave his life ...
05/25/2026

Ralph Quihuiz a local young man, fought during some of the darkest days of the war in the Philippines and gave his life on the island fortress of Corregidor after the fall of Bataan. Corregidor became a symbol of sacrifice, endurance, and bravery.

After the fall of Bataan in April 1942, Franklin East became one of thousands of American and Filipino troops forced ont...
05/22/2026

After the fall of Bataan in April 1942, Franklin East became one of thousands of American and Filipino troops forced onto the brutal Bataan Death March. Many never survived the journey.

Franklin endured the march, imprisonment, and years of captivity, far from home, yet his courage and determination carried him through one of the darkest chapters of the war in the Pacific. His story stands as a reminder of the sacrifice made by the men of our community who answered the call to serve their country.

Franklin was transported by boxcar, truck, freighter, and train to the different POW camps to his final destination, Nagoya, Japan, to work in a smelter for the duration of the war.

For more than a year, the Benson Historical Museum has been working on a very special project to honor the men and women...
05/12/2026

For more than a year, the Benson Historical Museum has been working on a very special project to honor the men and women who served our county.
This Memorial Day, we invite the community to visit our display at 256 E 4th Street, where we will proudly display photographs of the young men who marched off to war in 1943.
We have been humbled by the many families who have shared photographs and stories with us, helping bring this important piece of Benson history to life. However, we are still searching for additional photos and information so we can continue to honor as many of these servicemen as possible.
While this special display focuses on the 1943 group, the exhibit is dedicated to honoring all men and women who have served our nation throughout the years
The Museum now has a growing collection featuring over 200 records, photographs, and stories of local men who served their country. The collection includes veterans from WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. These military records have been digitized and will be in the Museum archives.

Address

180 San Pedro Street
Benson, AZ
85602

Opening Hours

Thursday 10am - 2pm
Friday 10am - 2pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

+15202216038

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