In the late 1800s gold and silver were discovered in the Bradshaw Mountains of central Arizona. As was common at the time, the success of the mines were limited by the lack of transportation into the rugged and remote area. This problem was remedied in 1902 when the Bradshaw Mountain Railroad (a subsidiary of the Santa Fe) completed it's branch to the town of Poland. The Branch followed Big Bug Creek through a narrow canyon and required two trestles as well as the 200' long tunnel shown in this photo. By 1939 the mines no longer produced enough traffic to sustain operations and the line was abandoned. 75 years later, the tunnel still stands as the most obvious reminder of railroading in the Bradshaws.
