Naco, Arizona History: Camp Naco, Buffalo Soldiers, and the Connection to Bisbee

Naco offers a different chapter in a southeastern Arizona history trip. Rather than following only the mining stories of Bisbee and Douglas, it invites you to consider border communities, military service, architecture, and the work of preserving places that might otherwise disappear.

Camp Naco provides a particularly useful connection to Bisbee and to the history of the Black military regiments known as the Buffalo Soldiers. It’s a story worth approaching with curiosity and care, not simply as another abandoned place to explore.

First, distinguish the two Nacos

Naco, Arizona, and Naco, Sonora, are neighboring communities on opposite sides of the United States–Mexico border. References to “Naco” can mean different places depending on the source and historical event.

This article focuses on the Arizona side, especially Camp Naco and the historic U.S. border station. That isn’t the same as telling the complete story of the Sonora community or of the region’s cross-border relationships.

Camp Naco and the early twentieth-century border

The National Trust for Historic Preservation places Camp Naco within a network of military camps established along the border during the Mexican Revolution era.

A City of Bisbee historical release dates the surviving adobe buildings’ construction to 1919 and the camp’s decommissioning to 1923. Those dates refer to the camp buildings and their military use, not the beginning or end of Naco’s community history.

The camp’s story connects military service, the Mexican Revolution, and the broader tensions of the early twentieth century. Rather than compressing that history into a simple frontier adventure, consider how different communities experienced those events.

Remembering the Buffalo Soldiers

Camp Naco is an important site for learning about the Buffalo Soldiers and the history of Black military service. The National Trust describes the relationship between units stationed at Fort Huachuca and their assignments at Camp Naco.

That connection also links this chapter with the Sierra Vista and Fort Huachuca story. These weren’t isolated locations: military personnel and institutions operated across a regional landscape.

For companion reading, see our Legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers in the Arizona Territory. Use it as a starting point for further learning, alongside museum interpretation and historical records.

How preservation connects Camp Naco with Bisbee

The connection to Bisbee is more than geographical. City of Bisbee releases describe city ownership of Camp Naco and collaboration with the Naco Heritage Alliance, Buffalo Soldier organizations, and preservation partners.

After military use ended, the site faced weathering, erosion, vandalism, and fire. In 2022, the National Trust included Camp Naco on its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

Its preservation account emphasizes years of local advocacy. That’s part of the history too: buildings survive not only because they’re important, but because people organize to protect them.

Historical announcements don’t establish the site’s current construction status or public opening arrangements. Check directly with preservation organizers or the City of Bisbee for present-day information.

A second chapter in architecture: the Naco border station

National Register documentation identifies the Naco Border Station’s main building as a 1936 example of Pueblo Revival architecture. The nomination describes features such as flat roofs, terracing, stucco walls, and decorative woodwork.

This is a separate building and historical subject from Camp Naco. Together, they offer different ways to think about how government institutions shaped the border landscape.

The National Register record is historical documentation, not an invitation to enter an operational or restricted property. Don’t assume visitor access or photography permission from a building’s historic designation.

Plan a respectful history-focused outing

Start with current official guidance rather than an old travel listing. Confirm whether any Camp Naco tours, events, or public access opportunities are available before visiting. Stay outside closed areas and never enter damaged buildings.

A visit on the Arizona side does not require you to plan an international crossing. If you choose to cross into Mexico separately, consult current official travel and entry information beforehand.

Keep the people who live in the community in mind. Naco is not a film set or a collection of ruins, and private homes and everyday activity deserve the same respect you’d expect in your own neighborhood.

Keep a record of what you learn

Write down questions as well as facts: which building you’re reading about, which side of the border a source describes, and what dates need further checking.

Our Bisbee Nightscape Hardcover Journal offers 150 lined pages for regional travel notes. It’s a contemporary place-inspired notebook, not an official Camp Naco publication, and purchasing it is not represented as a donation to preservation work.

Look beyond a single frontier story

Naco adds something distinctive to a Bisbee-area history journey: the chance to explore Black military history, border institutions, and community-led preservation.

Take time to separate the places, listen to different perspectives, and support the effort to understand them accurately. The result is a richer connection to the region than another photograph of an old building alone.

Sources: National Trust for Historic Preservation: Preserving Camp Naco; City of Bisbee: Camp Naco historical and preservation release; and National Register documentation: Naco Border Station.