Ghost Cabins (working title)
Floating above historic Old Bisbee, 40 to 50 large tents installed on terraces in the hills mark where houses once stood when Bisbee was a larger and more populated city. In 1920 when copper mining was at its peak, Bisbee had a population of over 9000. Now with a population less than 6000, many of the houses are gone but the terraces where they stood can still be seen above the town.
Fabrication of the tents would employ local artisans and seamstresses. Afterwards the tents could be donated to help with temporary housing needs along the border, or for other Arizonans in need.
Made of sheer rip-stop nylon, the colored tents will undulate in the wind creating an ephemeral atmosphere on the hillsides. At night the tents will glow like giant luminarios, lit from within by battery-powered LED lights.
Visitors can climb up to each tent and read about who lived there and what they did in Bisbee. Were they miners, store owners, stage coach drivers or school teachers? Maps, walking tours and other educational, historical and interpretive programs will accompany the 6-month installation.
