Fairbank, the most intact historic townsite along the San Pedro River, is part of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, established in 1988 to protect natural and cultural resources. Once a bustling railroad town and later a roadside stop with only a few residents, it is now a ghost town preserved for research, public education, and enjoyment. Fairbank shares with Tombstone a history tied to silver and mining, and its past includes episodes ranging from a train robbery to the mingling of cultures. Fragments of glass, metal, and pottery remain part of Fairbank’s protected archaeological record and are preserved for future study.