Big Bear, CA
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Report on the Gunfight Involving William F. Keys
Incident Overview
On May 11, 1943, a fatal gunfight occurred in what is now Joshua Tree National Park, near the county line between San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California. The incident involved William (Bill) F. Keys, a cattle rancher and miner, and Worth Bagley, a former deputy sheriff and neighboring rancher. The conflict resulted in Bagley’s death, with Keys claiming he acted in self-defense.
Background
William F. Keys and Worth Bagley were neighbors engaged in a long-standing feud over a property line dispute and Keys’ use of a road on the contested land. The disagreement had escalated over time, creating significant tension between the two men. Bagley, leveraging his past experience as a deputy sheriff in Los Angeles County, was known to be assertive, while Keys, aged 63 at the time, was a well-established rancher in the region.
Details of the Gunfight
- Date and Location: May 11, 1943, on or near Bagley’s property in the Joshua Tree area.
- Events Leading Up to the Incident: The exact circumstances immediately preceding the shooting are not fully detailed in available records, but the ongoing property dispute was the primary catalyst. The confrontation likely occurred when Keys and Bagley encountered each other, possibly during a heated exchange over the disputed road or land boundaries.
- The Shooting: According to Keys, Bagley posed an immediate threat, prompting Keys to shoot him in self-defense. The precise sequence of events, including who initiated the confrontation or whether Bagley was armed, remains unclear from available sources. Bagley was fatally wounded and died at the scene.
- Aftermath: Hours after the shooting, Keys turned himself in to law enforcement in Twentynine Palms, California, asserting that he acted to protect himself. The legal outcome of the case is not specified in the provided records, but Keys’ decision to surrender suggests he sought to justify his actions through the legal system.
Investigation and Legal Context
- Law Enforcement Response: Local authorities in Twentynine Palms processed Keys’ surrender and likely conducted an investigation into the shooting. Given the self-defense claim, the investigation would have focused on corroborating evidence, such as witness statements, the presence of weapons, and the physical scene.
- Historical Context: The incident occurred in a remote, rugged area during a time when disputes over land and resources were common in rural regions. Self-defense claims in such conflicts were often evaluated based on limited evidence and the credibility of the individuals involved.
Analysis
The gunfight reflects the challenges of resolving property disputes in sparsely populated areas with limited law enforcement presence. The feud between Keys and Bagley underscores how personal animosities, combined with competing economic interests, could escalate to violence. Keys’ claim of self-defense suggests he perceived a credible threat, but without detailed records of the investigation or trial (if one occurred), it is difficult to assess the validity of his account.
The incident also highlights the cultural and legal norms of the era, where individuals often relied on personal means to settle disputes, sometimes with deadly outcomes. The lack of clarity in the historical record about the legal consequences for Keys indicates either a resolution in his favor or minimal public documentation of the case.
Conclusion
The gunfight between William F. Keys and Worth Bagley on May 11, 1943, was a tragic outcome of a prolonged property dispute in the Joshua Tree region. Keys’ self-defense claim and subsequent surrender to authorities suggest he sought to justify his actions, but the absence of comprehensive records limits a full understanding of the event. This incident serves as a case study of how personal and economic conflicts in rural settings could lead to fatal confrontations, shaped by the social and legal dynamics of the time.
Source
Information for this report is drawn from the National Registry of Exonerations, detailing the incident involving William F. Keys and Worth Bagley.
Ragtown Nevada
Ragtown Nevada is ghost town and Nevada State Historical Marker number nineteen. The town and Nevada State Historic Marker are located in the Churchill County, Nevada. The town was located about eight miles west of Fallon Nevada. Originally, the town was located near Leeteville, but later is relocated to its historic location. Today, nothing remains of the old settlement.
The site which will become Ragtown started in 1854 as a station along the Humboldt Overland Trail. The station is located on a small ranch and the site is the first watering hole for travelers west of the dry alkali Forty Mile desert. The Forty Mile desert is one of the most notorious sections of the transit and the site of many tragedies. Travelers would rest and recoup from the journey along the northern bank of the Carson River before starting for the Sierra Nevada. The name Ragtown comes from the clothing hung to dry from the women doing their laundry.
During the late 1850’s, small structures are built from willow poles and canvas as temporary shelters for travelers. A summer seasonal population is comprised of traders, gamblers and those of less notable reputation. Samuel Clemmons visited Ragtown in 1861 on his way out west.
A flood in 1862 destroyed all of the structures and disinterred some 200 graves. The site is temporarily abandoned until the Reese River Excitement in 1863 started a renewal. By the late 1860s a post office is established and the small population of farmers worked the area. The location is bypassed with the establishment of the Central Pacific rail service.
Today, nothing remains of Ragtown beyond a historic maker.
Nevada State Historic Marker Text
Ragtown was never a town. Instead, it was the name of a most welcome oasis and gathering point. This mecca on the banks of nearby Carson River received its name from the appearance of pioneer laundry spread on every handy bush around.
The Forty Mile Desert, immediately to the north, was the most dreaded portion of the California Emigrant Trail. Ragtown was the first water stop after the desert. To the thirst- crazed emigrants and their animals, no sight was more welcome than the trees lining the Carson River.
Accounts tell of the moment when the animals first picked up the scent of water—the lifted head, the quickened pace, and finally the mad, frenzied dash to the water’s edge. Then, emigrants rested for the arduous crossing of the Sierra Nevada that lay ahead.
In 1854, Asa Kenyon located a trading post near Ragtown, offering goods and supplies to travelers during the 1850s and 1860s. Ragtown was one of the most important sites on the Carson branch of the California trail.
HISTORICAL MARKER No. 19
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICEC
HURCHILL COUNTY MUSEUM COMMITTEE
Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.
Historic Photos
Pony Express
Townley identifies Ragtown as a station between Old River and Desert Wells. Like other stations on the “Stillwater Dogleg,” Ragtown probably functioned briefly as a Pony Express station in the summer and fall of 1861 and as an Overland Mail Company stage stop from 1861 to 1868. L. Kenyon and his family managed station operations at the site for nearly fifty years. The station’s name supposedly came from the common site of freshly washed travelers’ clothing spread out to dry on surrounding bushes.
Ragtown Summary
| Name | Ragtown, Nevada |
| Location | Churchill County, Nevada |
| GNIS | |
| Population | Transitory, Seasonal, 50 |
| Post Office | 186X – |
| Elevation | 4,029 feet |
| Nevada State Historic Marker | 19 |
| Latitude, Longitude | 39.5057,-118.9215 |
| NPS Pony Express Station | 160 |
| Next Westbound Station | Desert Wells Station |
| Next Eastbound Station | Nevada Station |
Nevada State Historic Marker Map
References
Dinner Station Nevada – Elko County Stage Stop
Dinner Station is a ghost town and stage station located in Elko County, Nevada. The station started with a wood building in the 1860s or 1870s. The station served as a station and meal stop for passengers on the Tuscarora and Mountain City Stages Lines. This building was destroyed by a fire in 1884 and was replaced by a two story stone building and corral. Stage service picked up travelers from Elko destined for Tuscarora and stop for dinner, which was happily provided for fifty cents. The station was one of the more popular inns of the era.
By 1900 the station had a population of 40 inhabitants. The budding automobile industry caused the station to loose some of its importance and necessity. This fact spelled the end of Dinner as city and it became just a private residence.
A fire in 1991 destroyed the sole building, however the structure is rebuilt in 1996.
Dinner Station Trail Map
Site Summary
| Name | Dinner Station |
| Also Known As | Weiland Station, Oldham’s Station |
| Location | Elko County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 41.0999142, -115.8661870 |
| GNIS | 845151 |
| Elevation | 1817 meters / 5962 feet |
References
Colorado Mining District
The Colorado Mining District, also known as the Eldorado (or El Dorado) Mining District and later associated with the Nelson mining area, is located in southern Clark County, Nevada, within Eldorado Canyon in the Eldorado Mountains. The canyon runs eastward from near modern Nelson (approximately 45 minutes southeast of Las Vegas along Nevada Highway 165) and drains into the Colorado River at the former site of Nelson’s Landing (now part of Lake Mohave). At the time of its founding, the district lay on the west bank of the Colorado River, about 65 miles above Fort Mohave, which marked the practical upstream limit of steamboat navigation.
The district encompasses roughly 44 square miles of rugged desert terrain with Precambrian gneiss, schist, and Miocene volcanic rocks cut by north-trending faults. Mineralization occurs primarily in quartz-calcite veins hosted in fractured quartz monzonite and volcanic rocks. The area adjoins the western edge of what is now Lake Mead National Recreation Area and was originally part of New Mexico Territory, then Arizona Territory (Mohave County), before becoming part of Nevada in 1866.
Early History/Founding
Prospecting in the canyon dates back possibly to Spanish explorers in 1775, who named the area “El Dorado” (the gilded one) after observing gold, silver, and lead deposits. Native American groups, including the Paiute and Mojave, had long used the region for turquoise extraction. Formal American-era activity began around 1857–1859 when gold and silver were noted, possibly by soldiers from Fort Mojave or local prospectors. Steamboat captain George Alonzo Johnson formally named the canyon in 1857 after observing the deposits.
The major rush ignited in April 1861 when Mojave Chief Irataba guided prospector John Moss to a rich silver vein. News of the strikes in what was organized as the Colorado Mining District (by 1864 also called the Eldorado Canyon District) drew a flood of miners that fall, amid the outbreak of the Civil War. By the early 1860s, several camps formed: San Juan/Upper Camp (near modern Nelson), Alturas and Louisville (near the Techatticup Mine), Colorado City (at the river landing), Lucky Jim Camp (Confederate sympathizers), and Buster Falls (Union sympathizers). The district was formally organized around 1861–1862, with over 760 lodes and 850 mining deeds recorded by 1865.
Steamboats (such as those operated by George A. Johnson) provided critical supply lines from the Gulf of California, delivering goods and coal while barging ore downstream—far cheaper than overland routes across the Mojave Desert. In 1867, the U.S. Army established Camp El Dorado at the canyon mouth to protect miners from Paiute attacks and secure river traffic; the outpost operated until 1869. Early mining was small-scale and individual, focused on high-grade surface silver chloride ores.
Economic Activities
The district’s primary commodities were gold and silver, with lesser amounts of copper, lead, and zinc. Ores occurred in fissure veins and were extracted via underground workings, with high-grade silver chloride (up to 400 ounces per ton) hand-sorted and sacked for shipment in the earliest years. Stamp mills were soon built at the river mouth to reduce transportation costs: an early mill (pre-1864, later called the Colorado Mill) was followed by the Spear Brothers’ 10-stamp New Era Mill in 1865 and Col. John R. Vineyard’s ten-stamp mill at El Dorado City in late 1863.
Key mines included the Techatticup (the district’s largest and oldest producer, opened 1862–1863), Wall Street, and the El Dorado Rand Group (incorporating the Honest Miner claim). Steamboat traffic peaked in the 1860s but continued into the early 20th century. Production was intermittent but significant; the three largest mines alone yielded over $6 million. District-wide estimates suggest total production exceeded $6–10 million in gold, silver, and base metals, with later figures (1907–1954) including at least 100,600 ounces of gold and 2.36 million ounces of silver. Peak years included the 1939–1942 period before wartime restrictions.
Civil War-era politics divided the canyon into Union and Confederate camps, but production continued despite desertions and security issues. Post-1870 revival saw deeper mining and additional mills; free-milling gold ores were worked with arrastras in the 1890s.
Decline/Abandonment
Activity fluctuated with ore grades, transportation costs, Indian conflicts, and national events. The 1860s boom waned due to the need for capital-intensive milling and protection, though a post office operated 1865–1867 (Arizona Territory) and again 1879–1907 (Nevada). Production slowed after the early 20th century but revived during favorable metal prices in the 1930s–early 1940s. U.S. Government Order WPB-L208 halted gold mining in October 1942, effectively ending large-scale operations during World War II. Some small-scale work and heap-leach activity occurred into the 1970s–1980s, but the district’s major mines closed permanently afterward. Nelson served as the later hub, with its post office operating intermittently until the mid-20th century.
Legacy/Current Status
The Colorado Mining District ranks among the earliest and richest mining areas in southern Nevada, contributing significantly to regional development and demonstrating the role of river transport in desert mining. It produced millions in precious metals across nearly a century of intermittent activity and left a legacy of colorful Wild West history, including lawlessness, Civil War divisions, and technological adaptation (steamboats and mills). Today, the canyon and associated Nelson Ghost Town are preserved as a historic site. The Techatticup Mine offers guided tours, and ruins of mills, cabins, and equipment attract hikers, photographers, and history enthusiasts. A Nevada State Historic Preservation Office marker commemorates the district. No large-scale mining occurs, though some claims remain; the area is valued for its scenic desert landscape and cultural heritage within the broader Lake Mead region.
 Buster Falls, Nevada – Clark County Ghost TownSeal of Clark County Nevada Buster Falls is a historic ghost town and former mining camp located in El Dorado Canyon (also spelled Eldorado Canyon)… |
Colorado City, NevadaColorado City was a short-lived 19th-century mining camp and steamboat landing in what is now Clark County, Nevada. Situated at the mouth of El Dorado… |
Louisville NevadaSeal of Clark County Nevada Louisville was a short-lived mining camp and ghost town site in El Dorado Canyon (also spelled Eldorado Canyon) within the… |
Lucky Jim Camp, NevadaSeal of Clark County Nevada Lucky Jim Camp, sometimes referred to as Lucky Camp, was a short-lived mining camp and ghost town site in Clark… |
 Nelson Nevada and Eldorado Canyon – Clark County Ghost TownNelson, Nevada, is a small unincorporated community in Clark County, located in the rugged hills of El Dorado Canyon about 45 minutes south of Las… |
Sources/References
- Nevada State Historic Preservation Office: Eldorado Canyon historical marker.
- Nevada Historical Society Quarterly (Spring 1968): “Early Development of El Dorado Canyon and Searchlight Mining Districts” by John M. Townley.
- U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 91-323 (1991): Mineral resources of the El Dorado and Ireteba Peaks Wilderness Study Areas (production and geology summary).
- Additional context from Mindat.org, Western Mining History, and Nevada Bureau of Mines records.
Metropolis Nevada – Elko County Ghost Town
Metropolis Nevada is a ghost town about 14 miles north west of Wells, Nevada and located in Elko County Nevada. The town was the brainchild of the Pacific Reclamation Company, which is based in New York. In 1909, the company envisioned build a city to host up to 7,500 people, which was surrounded by 40,000 acres of farm land.
Pacific Reclamation Company opened an office in Salt Lake City beginning in 1910 to promotion the future site of Metropolis in the Nevadan desert. In 1911, streets, lots and even two public parks were staked out for development and the newspaper, the Metropolis Chronicle began publication in 1911. All of this promotion and interested boosted the cost of land from as low as $10 an acre to $75. Town lots ranged from $100 to $300 per lot.
The towns infrastructure was second to none in Nevada. There streets were graded and line with fire hydrants and street lights and a four block commercial district is established. Railroad tracked is connected to the townsite by the Southern Pacific, from Tulasco about eight miles away. A train depot is built to welcome new visitors who are greeted with a small tree lined park built by the railroad.
In 1912, a one hundred foot tall damn is built along with canals to distribute the water. As the reservoir filled, the town of Metropolis grew. Over 700 citizens called the town home, the majority being Mormon. To serve the population a Post Office is opened along with several business including a brick hotel, saloons and a wagon factory.
1912 also witnessed the demise of the town of Metropolis. Lovelock Valley filed suit with Pacific Reclamation Co. seeking an injunction from water utilization from the headwaters of Humboldt. The court ruled against the Pacific Reclamation Co, only allowing them to supply water to support 4,000 of the 40,000 planned acres of farmland. Following this ruling, the reclamation company went into receivership and the newspaper is closed in 1913.
The town continued but languished. By 1925, the town was in steady decline and the railroad abandoned its footprint in Metropolis. In 1936, the hotel is a victim of fire. In 1942 the post office is closed and in 1947 the school is closed.
Metropolis Trail Map
Town Summary
| Name | Metropolis Nevada |
| Location | Elko County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 41.228056, -115.056111 |
| Elevation | 5675 Feet |
| Population | 700 |
| Post Office | 1912 – 1942 |
| Newspaper | Metropolis Chronicle Sept 15, 1911 – Apr 15, 1913 |