From desert in Apache territory to a railroad hub to cattle country and a layover on the southern highways across the United States: Benson, Arizona, transformed itself several times to avoid becoming a ghost town. Southern Pacific Railroad had founded Benson in 1880 as the railroad built a line from California to Texas to complete the Second Transcontinental Railroad. The town's location intersected the railroad's west/east route and the north/south corridor of the San Pedro Valley where ranchers raised cattle and prospectors had recently discovered rich mines in Tombstone and the surrounding mountains. Southern Pacific wanted to provide easy railroad access to those booming industries.

As a railroad town with a transient population predominantly of young, single men, and more bars than any other type of business, Benson was as wild as any Old West town. Those who came to stay slowly transformed the town into respectability. The book focuses on the lives of townsfolk: their battles against fires and floods, lawlessness and diseases, their involvement with national misfortunes, and the development of the town through the decades. The book includes over 80 photographs and illustrations.