02/28/2025
📚✨ Benson Then and Now: A Glimpse into Our History ✨📚
Today, we’re excited to share a piece written by Alvah Fenn about the iconic school bus at the Benson Historical Museum. This bus is more than just a vehicle; it represents the memories of countless students who rode its familiar routes, connecting generations and fostering community spirit.
"Benson's First Bus Driver
The Territorial Industrial School, a reform school, was built in Benson during 1903. During 1913 the institution was transferred to the vacant. Fort Grant camp, north of Willcox, leaving a big, empty, two-story building. The community obtained the building, fixed it up somewhat, and a school was started. Benson Union High School District was formed. Students came from Benson, Pomerene and a few from St. David.
I want to mention here, just before I took the Benson school bus job, we moved to the Street home in Benson. After living in Mexico in primitive conditions so long, any comforts were appreciated. Mr. Street was foreman for the Boquillas Cattle Co. He and Mrs. Street had had a fight and when we moved in things were all broken up. Carmen cleaned the house and we were comfortably situated for the first time. The house had running water inside and a bathroom. Carmen said it was like heaven.
When I was in town I brought my horses to the back yard. One day Mr. Street saw the horses in the yard, and he didn't like it. He asked us to move. We moved into a shack on the John McNeil place in Pomerene. It was a sad parting.
I was offered the job of driving the school bus. I sold my transfer
company and took the job for $45 a month.
The school board bought an old bus in Bisbee. I went after it, taking Count Majestic and another horse. The first night I stopped at the stables in Fairbank. The next day I followed the old road through Charleston, over the mountain west of Bisbee. I passed the convicts who in those days were used to build roads with pick and shovel.
I arrived in Bisbee about 4:00 p.m. and rode up opposite to the rear door of the Copper Queen warehouse. I stopped to ask a man at the door for the address where I was to find the bus. The loading dock was about five feet high.
At this time a miraculous thing happened. I was leading Count Majestic and I had his rope tied to my saddle horn. I had two harnesses on the Count. As I started to talk to the man on the dock, I untied the rope from my saddle horn and stepped the horse I was riding up so Count stood where I had been. I had no more stepped up when the brick paved street caved in all around not more than eight inches from the heels of my horse. Down the huge hole went Count Majestic.
If I had stood my horse where I had been previously, and if I had not untied my horse from the saddle as Count went down, it would have pulled my horse backward into the hole on top of Count and me under him. Within a few minutes a large crowd gathered. The men put a rope around the hole to keep people back. My poor prize horse was in the caved in mine shaft up to his sides in muck. They succeeded in pulling him out. He was skinned up but nothing was broken.
Perhaps my life was saved. I realized my close call and gave thanks to the Lord. I have thought of that incident many times. I wondered who am I that the Lord is mindful of me, and watches over me. (Now it is many years later, and this is the first time I have tried to tell this experience. As I do my eyes are full of tears in gratitude).
I did all this free of charge as all of us in the community were trying to start the high school."
📍 Go see the bus and immerse yourself in Benson’s rich history!
