Category: Resources

Ghost towns of Arizona

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Ghost Towns of Arizona is a nice little book to pick up if you are interested in old western history from the state of the dessert south west. This tomb is in my own personal collection and originally purchased in the 1980s from a book store on Bumble Bee, Arizona.

Ghost Towns of Arizona by James E. and Barbara H. Sherman
Ghost Towns of Arizona by James E. and Barbara H. Sherman

Arizona’s ghost towns exemplify man’s courage, tenacity, and perhaps even foolishness in his search for wealth. Inevitable by-products of the development of gold, silver, copper, and other mineral deposits in Arizona, some of these communities mushroomed overnight into a hodgepodge of tents and makeshift homes, while others developed over a period of years into tidy, well-planned townsites. Whatever their design, intent, or purpose, when their existence was no longer profitable they slipped into the category of ghost towns.

Photographs included show ghost towns, newspaper advertisements, and portraits of people related to the towns, but a few show mining and other activities of active towns. Photographs in the 1960s taken by the Shermans show abandoned buildings, mining equipment, and cemeteries. These photographs and note cards are not part of a collection stored at the University of Arizona.

Book Summary

NameGhost Towns of Arizona
AuthorJames E. Sherman, Barbara H. Sherman
PublisherUniversity of Oklahoma Press
Pages220 Pages
Ghost Towns of Arizona by James E. and Barbara H. Sherman
Ghost Towns of Arizona by James E. and Barbara H. Sherman

About the Authors

James E. Sherman was a professor of engineering at Pima College in Tucson, Arizona. His wife, Barbara, graduated from the University of Arizona. An interest in travel, camping, and photography led them to collect this material and write two books on ghost towns in Arizona and New Mexico between 1964 and 1974.

References

Wild Burrow ( Equus africanus asinus )

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The Wild Burro (Equus asinus), also known as the feral donkey or ass, is a resilient equid that has become a fixture in the harsh landscapes of the desert Southwest United States. Introduced by Spanish explorers in the 1500s and later released or escaped during the mining booms of the 19th century, these animals have adapted to arid environments where few large herbivores can survive. Often viewed as both an ecological challenge and a cultural icon, wild burros are managed by agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service due to their impacts on native vegetation and wildlife. With their sure-footed gait and ability to endure extreme conditions, they exemplify adaptation in one of North America’s most unforgiving regions.

Wild Burrow photographed in Beatty, Nevada - Photo by James L Rathbun
Wild Burrow photographed in Beatty, Nevada – Photo by James L Rathbun

Classification

The wild burro belongs to the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Mammalia, order Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates), family Equidae, genus Equus, and species asinus. Native to North Africa, where it is known as the African wild ass, the species was domesticated thousands of years ago and introduced to the Americas. In the southwestern U.S., all populations are feral, descended from domestic stock released or escaped over centuries, and are classified as herbivores and non-native mammals. They share the Equidae family with horses and zebras, exhibiting similar social and grazing behaviors but with distinct adaptations for arid survival.

Physical Description

Wild burros are sturdy, medium-sized equids, standing approximately 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) tall at the shoulder and weighing around 350 pounds (159 kg), though sizes can vary. They have a robust build with long, erect ears (up to 10 inches or 25 cm) that aid in heat dissipation and hearing, a short, upright mane, and a tail ending in a tassel. Coat colors range from gray and brown to black, often with a lighter underbelly and muzzle, and a distinctive dark dorsal stripe or shoulder cross in some individuals. Their hooves are narrow and tough, suited for rocky terrain, and they possess a digestive system efficient at extracting nutrients from low-quality forage. Key adaptations include the ability to tolerate up to 30% body weight loss in water and replenish it quickly (in as little as 5 minutes), making them exceptionally suited to desert life.

"Wanderers of the Wastelands" vintage postcard of an unknown prospector and his burros. | Courtesy of Orange County Archives.
“Wanderers of the Wastelands” vintage postcard of an unknown prospector and his burros. | Courtesy of Orange County Archives.

Behavior

Wild burros are primarily diurnal, active during the day for foraging, but shift to nocturnal patterns in hot summers to avoid midday heat, resting in shade during peak temperatures. They form small, loose social groups of 2–10 individuals, often consisting of females and young with a dominant male, though home ranges overlap without strict territorial defense. Unlike wild horses, stable female bands are less common, and males may compete for access to females. They are sure-footed, navigating steep and rocky terrain with ease, and exhibit seasonal movements: concentrating near water and riparian areas in summer for shade and hydration, then dispersing to open shrublands in cooler months. Burros communicate through braying—a loud, distinctive “hee-haw”—and body language, and they can be curious toward humans but are generally wary. Their presence can impact ecosystems by altering vegetation and competing with native species like bighorn sheep for resources.

Food Sources

As herbivores, wild burros employ a mixed feeding strategy, acting as both grazers and browsers depending on availability. Their diet primarily consists of grasses and forbs when abundant, but they readily switch to browse such as shrubs, Mormon tea (Ephedra spp.), palo verde (Parkinsonia spp.), plantain, and other desert vegetation. This adaptability allows them to thrive on low-protein, fibrous plants, with their efficient digestive systems breaking down tough material. They require access to water but derive some moisture from succulent plants. In the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, they consume a wide variety of species, contributing to their success in barren terrains but also leading to overgrazing concerns.

Breeding

Breeding in wild burros occurs year-round, with a peak in mating from May to July, aligning with optimal forage conditions. Gestation lasts about 12 months, resulting in births primarily from May to July the following year. Females (jennies) typically produce one precocial foal (colt or filly) per pregnancy, often every other year, though annual births are possible in favorable conditions. Foals are born weighing around 50–70 pounds (23–32 kg) and can stand and nurse shortly after birth. Sexual maturity is reached as yearlings, but full breeding often begins at 2–3 years. Recruitment rates hover at 20–25%, with low natural predation contributing to population growth. During parturition, females seek cover in brush or riparian areas. Lifespan in the wild can reach 25 years, aided by few diseases or predators.

Habitat and Range

Wild burros inhabit arid and semi-arid deserts, including sagebrush, creosote bush scrub, desert riparian zones, washes, Joshua tree woodlands, and pinyon-juniper areas, from below sea level to elevations up to 8,000 feet (2,450 meters). Key requirements include access to water within 10 miles (16 km), shade for thermoregulation, and diverse vegetation for foraging. They prefer sloping, rolling terrain over steep slopes and localize around water sources in summer, with home ranges varying from 2–22 square miles (5–70 km²) based on season and resources. Their range spans the desert Southwest, including California (e.g., Mojave Desert, Death Valley), Arizona, Nevada (e.g., near Austin), New Mexico, Utah, and parts of Texas, with populations estimated at around 20,000. Managed herds exist on public lands, with ongoing conservation efforts to balance their presence with ecosystem health.

Classification

Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Perissodactyla
Family:Equidae
Genus:Equus
Species:E. africanus
Subspecies:E. a. asinus

References

Potholes California – Colorado River Steamship Landing

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Potholes California is a former gold mining camp and ghost town located in Imperial County, California. The town is located on the western side of the Colorado River near the present day Laguna Dam. The location was first mined by Spanish Miners in 1871. These early workings and miners were lost during the Yuma War, 1850 – 1853.

Potholes California

From 1852 through 1909, Colorado Steamships ferried people and supplies up and down the Colorado River to mining camps and outposts. Following the discovery of gold in California, westward expansion of the United States was on the mind of most people seeking their fortune of livelihood. Wagon trains, horses and trains all brought people deep into the new county seeking their fortune. Lesser known is the role of the steamships, which brought supplies and people up the Colorado River from Baja California to the Green River in Wyoming.

There has been some little excitement in this part of the, country, caused by the discovery of new gold fields on the Rio Colorado, some fifteen miles above Fort Yuma, on the California side. I have just returned from the diggings, and find, after a careful examination of three days, that gold exists there in paying quantities, for many miles on both sides of the river. While at the newly discovered diggings, a considerable quantity of the oro has been taken out, considering the short time- they have been worked. From the claim of Messrs. Crandell & Co., $200 per day have been dug daily for the past six days. The manner of working is the same at at Jila city, heretofore described. The earth must be carried on the back a distance of one mile, and washed in a cradle. It is said that the total amount of the gold taken from Crandell & Co ‘s claim is about $4,000. – They have now constructed a cart-road from the mine to the river, and hereafter will be able to work at better advantage. Several other claims in the vicinity are paying from $10 to $16 per day; but most of the claims — for a good manner have been located — will not pay more than $2 per day to the hand, by the present process of working. If water could be obtained and sluice* used, from $40 to $100 per day might be washed. [We had news of these diggings in oar San Diego correspondence, published this morning, and the corroborating testimony of .our Fort Yuma correspondent is of much value, as confirmatory of the reports from San Diego. — Eds. Alta.]

I think, however, that the Gila mines are much more valuable, or will yield much more gold than these new diggings on the Colorado. Th« former have the advantage of being easily supplied with water, works for that purpose being now in progress.

Mining operations resumed again in 1859 with the rediscovery of gold. Placier mining operations proved successful in the 19th century. A steamship landing was established to ferry people and supplies to the location 15 miles up river from Yuma, Arizona.

The town of Potholes California was established during the building of the All American Canal and Laguna Dam.

Daily Alta California, Volume XI, Number 42, 12 February 1859

Town Summary

NamePotholes, California
LocationImperial County, California
Latitude, Longitude32.8289329, -114.5046713
Elevation160 feet
GNIS247730
Post Office1905 – 1909, 1920 – 1922

Potholes California Map

References

Callville, Nevada – Colorado River Steamship Landing

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Callville Nevada is a ghost town and Colorado River Steamboat port, which is now submerged below the waters of Lake Mead. Bishop Anson Call founded and established a colony and warehouse on the Colorado River at the direction of the Mormon Leader Brigham Young. The settlement was located about 15 miles up river from the location of the future site of Hoover Damn.

Call's Landing or Callville looking toward the west as it appeared in 1926 - Photo courtesy of R. F. Perkins
Call’s Landing or Callville looking toward the west as it appeared in 1926 – Photo courtesy of R. F. Perkins
Bishop Anson Call, Mormon Colonizer, May 13, 1810 – August 31, 1890
Bishop Anson Call, Mormon Colonizer, May 13, 1810 – August 31, 1890

Callville was established on December 2, 1864 when Anson Call arrived on a small bluff over looking the Colorado River in the Arizona Territory. The settlement was located at the conjunction of the later named Callville wash and the Colorado River.

The founding of the settlement was the churches effort to expand trade routes and European immigration into Utah from the south. The small portgage and landing site was one of several along the Colorado including St. Thomas, Saint Joseph, Overton, West Point, Mill Point ( Simonsville ) and Rioville.

During the Civil War, the army of the United States garrisoned at the site, to protect the Colorado River Steamboats and serve as a landing point for army. In December 1865, the outpost had the honor to become the county seat for Pah-Ute County, Arizona Territory. The station was short lived and transferred to St Thomas just two years later.

In 1869, the army garrison was removed. Following the war, Congress redrew some of the state boundaries and the settlement in the Arizona Territory is moved to Nevada. From 1866 to 1878, the landing at Callville was the High Water of Navigation for steamboat traffic on the Colorado River, which is 408 miles from Fort Yuma. The town was abandoned in June 1869 when the Steamships discontinued service to the site.

Today, the town lies in under 400 feet of water. However, the water levels in Lake Mead are at an all time low, and St. Thomas is currently above water.

“Take a suitable company, locate a road to the Colorado, explore the river, find a suitable place for a warehouse, build it, and form a settlement at or near the landing.” 

Brigham Young instructing Anson Call, 1864

Town Summary

LocationCallville
LocationLake Mead, Clark County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude36.1133128, -114.6888720
GNIS863773
Other Common NamesCall’s Fort, Old Callville

Callville Map

Resources

Rioville, Nevada – Colorado Steamship Landing

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Rioville, Nevada, was a small, short-lived settlement and ferry landing located at the confluence of the Virgin River (also called the Rio Virgin) and the Colorado River in Clark County. Originally established as Junction City by Mormon pioneers in the late 1860s, it was later renamed Rioville in the 1880s. The site served as an important transportation hub, supporting river navigation, ferrying, and mining activities in the surrounding desert region. Today, Rioville no longer exists above water; its location (approximately 36°9′0″N 114°23′57″W) lies submerged beneath the waters of Lake Mead, formed by the construction of Hoover Dam in the 1930s.

Rioville, Nevada also known as Bonelli's Landing, circa 1900
Rioville, Nevada also known as Bonelli’s Landing, circa 1900

Founding and Early Settlement (1860s–1870s)

Mormon settlers (Latter-day Saints) founded Junction City around 1869 as a peripheral outpost connected to the Muddy Mission. At the time, the pioneers believed the site fell within Utah Territory, part of broader efforts by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to establish agricultural communities in the arid Southwest under the direction of Brigham Young. The location offered access to river water for potential farming in an otherwise harsh desert environment.

Some accounts date initial activity as early as 1865, with the small crossing initially associated with Stone’s Ferry. The first wave of settlers largely abandoned the site by 1871 due to challenges such as isolation, environmental difficulties, and shifting territorial realities (the area was confirmed to be in Nevada).

Key Figure: Daniel Bonelli and the Ferry Era

Swiss-born Mormon pioneer Daniel Bonelli played a central role in the settlement’s revival and development. Sent to the area by Brigham Young, Bonelli purchased the rights to Stone’s Ferry around 1870. He relocated and renamed the operation Bonelli’s Ferry (sometimes called Bonelli’s Landing), moving the crossing adjacent to Junction City by 1876. The ferry provided a critical crossing for travelers, wagons, and goods across the Colorado River system, charging fees such as $10 for a wagon and two persons (plus additional per person).

Bonelli’s efforts transformed the modest outpost into a functional river port. He later established a post office in 1881 and served as postmaster until his death at Rioville in 1903.

The original ferry boat at Bonelli's Landing - 1890
The original ferry boat at Bonelli’s Landing – 1890

Development, Economy, and Peak Activity (1870s–1880s)

A second wave of settlers arrived in the early 1880s, leading to the town’s renaming as Rioville (reflecting its position along the “Rio” or river). The post office, operational from 1881 to 1906, formalized the community.

Rioville’s primary economic importance stemmed from its role in transportation and mining support:

  • Ferry and River Navigation: It functioned as a vital ferry landing.
  • Steamboat Hub: On July 8, 1879, Captain Jack Mellon piloted the steamboat Gila upriver through Boulder Canyon, making Rioville the uppermost practical landing and head of navigation on the Colorado River (roughly 440 miles from Fort Yuma). Steamboats like the Gila (during high water) and the sloop Sou’Wester (during low water) operated from 1879 onward. They transported locally mined salt downstream to El Dorado Canyon, where it was used to process silver ore. This activity peaked until silver mining declined around 1887.

The settlement supported limited agriculture, salt mining, and overland travel in the remote region near what would later become Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Decline and Abandonment (1890s–1930s)

As silver mining activity in the region waned by the late 1880s and early 1890s, river traffic and economic activity at Rioville diminished sharply. The town was largely abandoned by the 1890s, though a small presence lingered. The post office continued until 1906, and Bonelli’s Ferry remained in operation—serving occasional travelers—until 1934.

The final chapter came with the construction of Hoover Dam (completed in 1936). Rising waters behind the dam flooded the site, submerging Rioville and Bonelli’s Ferry beneath Lake Mead. The location is now part of Lake Mead National Recreation Area and is inaccessible except to divers or those with specialized knowledge of its submerged history.

Legacy

Though never a large town, Rioville illustrates the challenges and ingenuity of early Mormon settlement in southern Nevada, the importance of river-based transportation before railroads and modern dams, and the transformative impact of federal infrastructure projects like Hoover Dam on the Colorado River landscape. Its story connects to broader themes in Clark County history, including the Muddy Mission settlements, mining booms in nearby districts (such as Eldorado Canyon), and the creation of Lake Mead. Artifacts and records, including ferry ledgers and rare photographs, are preserved in collections such as those at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Special Collections. The site remains a “lost river town” and underwater ghost town, symbolizing how human endeavors in the arid West were often reshaped—or erased—by the region’s powerful rivers and 20th-century engineering.

Town Summary

NameRioville, Nevada
LocationUnderwater Lake Mead, Clark County, Nevada
Latitude, Longitude36.1502603, -114.3994176
GNIS849516
Post Office 1881-1906
StatusVery Wet
Also known asJunction City, Junctionville

Town Map

Resources