Globe was one of the great mining camps of old Arizona. Gold was never found in the old days but silver was, and in November, 1870, 15 claims were staked at what was to become one of the richest mineral districts in the U.S. A party of prospectors established the first mine of importance near Globe in 1873.

As silver began glutting the market, Globe turned to copper mining, which became the area's most profitable enterprise and it continues to be to this day. Globe ceased silver mining by 1890.

Originally called Globe City, the town site was laid out in July, 1876. In February, 1881, Globe became the seat of a new county in Arizona – Gila County.

Although the region changed enormously in the 1880's, Globe remained a frontier town. Isolated from other communities by over 100 miles, stagecoach robberies, killings, lynchings, and mining disputes were frequent.

Colorful legends about how the town got its name include the discovery of a spherical silver boulder or of a large round chunk of silver with lines resembling the continents.

The largest mine in the Globe district was the Old Dominion on the north side of town. By the time the mine closed during the Great Depression, the Old Dominion had produced $134 million in gold, silver, and copper.