Chloride Chamber Of Commerce

History
Chloride is the oldest continuously inhabited mining town in the state of Arizona.

Nestled in a pocket of the Cerbat [sir-bat] Mountain Range, the town is at an elevation of 4000'. The name Chloride came from the silver chloride found in the hills among other minerals in the area. Today, silver chloride is used in photographic emulsions and antiseptic silver solutions.

Sometime during the 1840's, prospectors canvassing the area stumbled upon numerous veins rich in silver surrounding the area that would someday become Chloride. The silver was found primarily at a site known as Silver Hill. But silver wasn't all they eventually found. Gold, lead, zinc, and turquoise were abundant in "them thar hills."

Chloride was founded about 1863, but turmoil with the Hualapai Indians slowed mining considerably. In 1870, a signed treaty with the Hualapais cleareIn 1873, the United States Post Office Department opened an office in Chloride and the Chloride Post Office has been in continuous operation since 1893 making it one of the oldest continuously operated post offices in the state of Arizonad the way for extensive mining of the area.

In 1873, the United States Post Office Department opened an office in Chloride and the Chloride Post Office has been in continuous operation since 1893 making it one of the oldest continuously operated post offices in the state of Arizona.