Editing Hayden, Arizona (section)

==History==
Hayden was founded in 1909 and owned by the [[Kennecott Utah Copper|Kennecott Copper]] Corp. In 1912, the company built a {{convert|1000|ft|m|abbr=on|adj=on}} smelter named the "Hayden Smelter". It was the tallest smelter chimney in Arizona.<ref name="OMTH">{{cite web | url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2017/04/24/old-mining-town-hayden-sees-its-last-days/100765600 | title=Old mining town of Hayden sees its last days | website=AZ Central | date=April 24, 2017 | access-date=December 4, 2021}}</ref><ref name="AAMT">[https://markhahnphotography.wordpress.com/2012/12/12/hayden-arizona-all-american-mining-town/ Hayden Arizona all American mining town]</ref> The mine is now owned by the [[Asarco|American Smelting and Refining Company]].<ref>[https://www.discovergilacounty.com/hayden Historic Mining Town Arizona Copper]</ref> The town is now in the process of becoming a ghost town.

One of the main reasons the people are abandoning the town is that the crime rate is much higher in Hayden than the Arizona average crime rate. It is also much higher than the national average crime rate in the rest of the United States.<ref>[http://www.usa.com/hayden-az-crime-and-crime-rate.htm Hayden, AZ Crime and Crime Rate]</ref>

Pollution is another factor which has contributed to the abandonment of the town by its residents. The illegal amounts of lead, arsenic and eight other dangerous compounds released by the smelter were so huge that in 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took action against the smelter.<ref>[http://www.echoesofthesouthwest.com/2013/02/arizona-mine-town-hayden.html Arizona Mine Town: Hayden]</ref>

Hayden's economy began to decline as the mine veins became depleted. The crime rate rose and residents began to move out. There were also political scandals.<ref name="OMTH"/><ref name="AAMT"/>  Businesses closed, and churches, schools and houses were abandoned or burned. The Valley National Bank abandoned its building, and it now occupied by the Hayden Police Department. According to the mayor, Bob Smith, Hayden has more police cars than police officers.<ref name="OMTH"/><ref name="AAMT"/>