Douglas, Arizona

Life in Douglas, Arizona, explained by people who’ve lived in Douglas:

*Response format = Answer (Your name, How long you’ve lived in Douglas)

Douglas Favorites

What’s your favorite thing about living in Douglas?

People of all races living in peace together. (Liz, 5 years)
Small town vibes. (Suzanna, 6 years)
How close the people are, they’re very friendly. (Mark, 8 years)
The night sky mainly because the light pollution is minimal, and you can stargaze leisurely. (Claudia, 10 years)
The small community. (Lisa, 10 years)
Going with Daddy to the Saddle and Spur bar at the Gadsden. (Mary, 12 years)
Community focus on education. (Elaine, 18 years)
We had a ranch there and family. (Glenda, 22 years)
The small-town atmosphere. (Janet, 28 years)
It used to be peaceful. (Ramona, 35 years)
Peaceful. (Joa, 50 years)
Little traffic. (Vicky, 54 years)
Being able to walk comfortably. (Linda, 65 years)

What’s your least favorite thing about living in Douglas?

Corruption controlled by Cartel. (William, 4 years)
Some favorite stores closing. (Liz, 5 years)
The vandalism of the historic (and dilapidated) buildings downtown. Their general lack of use. (Suzanna, 6 years)
The poverty. (Mark, 8 years)
The lack of entertainment (that isn’t bars), lack of good jobs/careers, and how some of the populace have “small town minds” and how that affects everyone. (Claudia, 10 years)
Nothing to do. (Lisa, 10 years)
The sulfurous smelter smoke that would envelop the city. (Mary, 12 years)
Small town mentality. (Elaine, 18 years)
Sulfur smoke. (Glenda, 22 years)
Too many store closures and BP agents. (Janet, 28 years)
Party end early. (Ramona, 35 years)
No theaters, no bowling alley other entertainment activities. (Joa, 50 years)
Sometimes I wish there was more shopping. (Vicky, 54 years)
Not much to do. (Linda, 65 years)

What are fun things to do in Douglas?

There are none. (William, 4 years)
Look at historical homes. (Liz, 5 years)
Be outside, swimming, hiking, geocaching, fair, community events. (Suzanna, 6 years)
Play cards, visits Agua Prieta, visit friends. (Mark, 8 years)
The public parks, the good food and the scenic views. (Claudia, 10 years)
Drag G, ride bikes through the underpass, slide down the fire escape tube at the junior high school. (Mary, 12 years)
Visit family/friends. (Elaine, 18 years)
Eat the best Mexican food on the planet. (Glenda, 22 years)
The park. (Janet, 28 years)
Cruise downtown. (Ramona, 35 years)
Going to school sponsored sport activities. (Joa, 50 years)
Go to the parks. Belong to different clubs. (Vicky, 54 years)

What’s Douglas known for?

What’s the crime like in Douglas? (hot spot areas, etc.)

The crime is leaving forever. (Liz, 5 years)
Minimal! Mainly vandalism. (Suzanna, 6 years)
Pretty bad I think. (Mark, 8 years)
Lots of theft, stolen parts on cars, criminal vandalism, horrible driving (both from the civilian and our boys in uniform), B&E’s, shoplifting and domestic violence. (Claudia, 10 years)
Not very high. (Lisa, 10 years)
Not much when I was there. (Mary, 12 years)
Very little until the 70s. Now drugs, theft. (Glenda, 22 years)
No comment. (Ramona, 35 years)
Not sure. But it must be low. I do not see cops running around crazy. (Joa, 50 years)
It’s there, but unless you are doing illegal activities you don’t see it. (Vicky, 54 years)
There isn’t that much. (Linda, 65 years)

Any advice for people moving to Douglas?

Do not do it. (William, 4 years)
Relax and enjoy. (Liz, 5 years)
Come with a job, or a business where you can employ others. Don’t expect to find a job once you get here. (Suzanna, 6 years)
Buy a security alarm. (Mark, 8 years)
Buy don’t rent your home, invest in home security, & try all the hole in the wall eateries they’re usually better than the bigger restaurants. (Claudia, 10 years)
You’ll love it. (Lisa, 10 years)
Very nice city to grow up in. (Mary, 12 years)
Quite. Nice weather. (Elaine, 18 years)
Probably don’t. (Glenda, 22 years)
Enjoy the low-key lifestyle. (Janet, 28 years)
Friendly people. (Ramona, 35 years)
Become involved and make new friends. (Joa, 50 years)
Enjoy the weather, join groups and clubs, become active in the community. (Vicky, 54 years)
Good place to retire. (Linda, 65 years)

Share an experience you’ve had in Douglas (fun, crazy, dangerous, etc.).

Told I am not liked because my Spanish is poor. (William, 4 years)
Sad: a high school friend, Sally Seeley died in a horrendous car crash near the Airport. (Liz, 5 years)
Going to movies at the old Lyric Theater, dinner at the Coney Island, hamburgers from A&P Bar B Q pit, Plays at the college and high school. basketball games at the college (they were standing room only), the county fair, rodeo at the county fair. (Mark, 8 years)
Burros would cross over from Mexico, come to our neighborhood. We’d keep them for a while and then hand them over to Doc Schmidt the vet. (Mary, 12 years)
Loved going to the CYC dances. (Elaine, 18 years)
My uncle had a great country band. Went to his dances at a club called the Red Barn. (Glenda, 22 years)
Homecoming weeks fiestas parties and 4th of July celebrations. (Janet, 28 years)
When working at a coffee shop, had amazing time. (Ramona, 35 years)
High school street party at PD home site back in 70’s. (Joa, 50 years)
The DARC Cake auction on Mother’s Day, the 4th of July parade. (Vicky, 54 years)
When we could leave the doors unlocked. (Linda, 65 years)

How do you think Douglas will change over the next 10 years?

More of a ghost town. (William, 4 years)
Cleaner. Nicer. More exquisite trees. (Liz, 5 years)
More small business and investors to rebuild the downtown buildings. (Suzanna, 6 years)
I pray the city fathers learn to work together for the tourist trade. (Mark, 8 years)
Hopefully it’ll expand, and the streets will get better maintenance, more businesses will open and offer jobs, and the schools will get more funding. (Claudia, 10 years)
It will grow. (Lisa, 10 years)
Trump’s Wall will be built, and no more burros will be crossing over. (Mary, 12 years)
Would like to see more economic development. (Elaine, 18 years)
Hopefully improve. (Glenda, 22 years)
I have no idea. (Ramona, 35 years)
Population will grow older. Nothing to keep young here in terms of industry, training. Most will have to leave to create profession. (Joa, 50 years)
I hope we have the opportunity to grow and bring more employers so when our children graduate with degrees they can work here. (Vicky, 54 years)

Any other interesting facts about Douglas?

Downhill since the smelter closed. no future. (William, 4 years)
The G Avenue trail of DHS KIDS “Dragging G”. (Liz, 5 years)
Very rich in history. (Mark, 8 years)
Douglas in Gaelic means dark water as in dark river which is fun to think about since our sister city across the border is agua prieta which translate to dark water. (Claudia, 10 years)
Near the border fence, south of 7th Street, around the 2000 block, we found an old Jewish cemetery. (Mary, 12 years)
Fair and activities downtown. (Ramona, 35 years)
Peaceful place, can walk to anyplace easily, people are friendly and helpful. (Joa, 50 years)
This town was historically important in the last century. (Vicky, 54 years)
It’s small. (Linda, 65 years)