Big Bear, CA
I quiet mountain community full of back country adventure.
Pierpont Constable Bicknell
Pierpont Constable Bicknell (c. 1836 – March 31, 1904) was a notable figure in Arizona’s frontier history as a prospector, mining enthusiast, newspaperman, and writer known for his colorful storytelling and pursuit of legendary lost mines.
Born around 1836 in Syracuse, New York, Bicknell received a solid education in Eastern schools. He arrived in Arizona Territory around 1870, during a time of active mining booms and frontier development. Initially, he contributed as a writer to the Salt River Herald in the early 1870s, but he preferred the adventurous life of prospecting and hunting for lost mines over steady journalism. He was often called “Bick” by friends and signed many articles simply as “Bick.”
Bicknell lived frugally despite being quite wealthy, showing little interest in material comforts. He resided in Phoenix until the late 1880s, then moved to Prescott, where he spent his later years focusing more on writing than exploration. He was renowned on the Arizona frontier for his tall tales, jokes, and imaginative narratives, which often blended fact with embellishment.
Role in the Legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine
Bicknell is widely credited with shaping and popularizing the modern legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine (also called the Dutchman’s Lost Gold Mine), one of America’s most enduring treasure tales. The mine is associated with German immigrant Jacob Waltz, who died in Phoenix on October 25, 1891, allegedly after revealing clues to a rich gold deposit in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix.
After Waltz’s death, his caregiver Julia Thomas (along with others like the Petrasch brothers) searched unsuccessfully for the mine and shared details with Bicknell around late 1892. Drawing from these accounts, Bicknell’s fertile imagination, and possibly other regional lore, he wove a compelling narrative.
His key contributions appeared in articles such as:
- One in the Phoenix Saturday Review (November 17, 1894).
- A prominent piece in the San Francisco Chronicle (January 13, 1895).
In these, Bicknell introduced or emphasized elements that became central to the legend, including:
- The mine’s location within an “imaginary circle” about five miles in diameter, centered on the prominent landmark Weaver’s Needle.
- Descriptions like a “two-room stone house in a cave.”
- References to prior ownership by the Peralta family (a detail likely embellished or conflated from other tales).
- Provocative clues to the gold’s whereabouts.
- The phrase “Dutchman’s Lost Gold,” helping cement the name.
Historians often describe Bicknell as a master of “prevarication” during the era’s golden age of sensational journalism and lost-mine stories. He blended Julia Thomas’s accounts with other yarns (possibly including the Doc Thorne Mine, Lost Soldier’s Mine, or Lost Frenchman Mine, which he also pursued in the Superstitions). While Jacob Waltz’s story had roots in real prospecting rumors, Bicknell’s embellishments and vivid writing transformed scattered tales into a cohesive, nationally intriguing legend.
The story faded somewhat after the 1890s but revived dramatically in 1931 with the mysterious death of treasure hunter Adolph Ruth in the Superstitions (his fate tied to maps echoing Bicknell’s clues), which reignited interest through national headlines.
Other Contributions to Arizona History
Beyond the Lost Dutchman, Bicknell prospected extensively in the Superstition Mountains and wrote about Arizona’s mining lore, lost treasures, and frontier life. His articles appeared in newspapers and magazines nationwide, contributing to the romantic image of the Wild West and Arizona’s mineral-rich wilderness. He embodied the archetype of the educated Easterner turned rugged prospector, using his writing skills to fund and fuel his adventures.
Bicknell died in Prescott, Arizona, on March 31, 1904, at age 68. He left behind a legacy of wealth to heirs but is remembered more for his role in myth-making than for any proven discoveries. His work helped immortalize Arizona’s Superstition Mountains as a hotspot for treasure hunters and adventurers, influencing books, searches, and popular culture for over a century.
Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad was a twenty three miles long railroad which connected Searchlight, Nevada to Barnwell California and the larger rail network of the Mojave Desert. Between 1907 and 1910, the gold mines of Searchlight produced $7 million dollars in gold and boasted a population of 1,500. Ore is shipped to Barnwell via the Barnwell and Searchlight rail service. In order to reduce costs, the Quartette company constructed a twenty-stamp mill on the Colorado River. The new mill utilized a 15 mile narrow gauge rail is constructed down to the mill in an attempt to further reduce costs.
Following the discovery of gold in Searchlight in 1897 a gold rush brought industry into the high desert of the Mojave. In 1900, the Quartette Mining Company formed and within a short years a population of 5000 people works the area.
The Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad is formed in April 1906 at the height of the gold rush in Searchlight, Nevada. The twenty three miles of track are laid down between May 1st, 1906 and March 31st, 1907. On April 7, 1907, just seven days after construction is completed the railway was leased by the California, Arizona and Santa Fe Railway
By 1919 trains travelled over the B. and S. Railroad only twice a week. A severe washout on September 23, 1923, halted traffic completely. Train service was never restored when the track is abandoned February 18, 1924. By this point, the population of Searchlight plummeted to just fifty people. Like many railroads, the valuable track was removed and recycled in other lines across the county.
Today, the rail route is a popular route for Mojave explorers and mountain bikers. The townsite is Juan is located along the route at the base of the Castle Mountains.
Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad
Railroad Summary
| Name | Barnwell and Searchlight Railroad |
| Location | San Bernardino, California Clark County, Nevada |
| Length | 23 miles |
| Gauge | Standard Gauge – 4 feet 8.5 inches (1,435 mm) |
| Date of Operation | April 16, 1906–December 28, 1911 |
References
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John Henry Holliday – Doc Holliday
John Henry “Doc” Holliday (1851–1887)
John Henry Holliday, commonly known as Doc Holliday, was an American gambler, gunfighter, and dentist who became a legendary figure of the Old West. Born on August 14, 1851, in Griffin, Georgia, Holliday graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in 1872. However, his career as a dentist was short-lived due to his struggle with tuberculosis, which drove him west in search of a drier climate.
Early Life
John Henry Holliday, famously known as “Doc” Holliday, was born on August 14, 1851, in Griffin, Georgia, to Henry Burroughs Holliday and Alice Jane McKey. Raised in a well-to-do Southern family, Holliday enjoyed a privileged upbringing despite the turmoil of the Civil War. His mother taught him refined manners, and he received a classical education, excelling in academics. Holliday’s early life was marred by the death of his mother from tuberculosis in 1866, a disease that would later shape his own fate. After her passing, his father remarried, causing familial tension.
Holliday pursued higher education at the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, graduating in 1872 with a degree in dentistry at the age of 20. He returned to Georgia to practice dentistry in Atlanta but was soon diagnosed with tuberculosis, the same illness that claimed his mother. Advised to seek a drier climate for his health, Holliday moved west in 1873, beginning a new chapter that would define his legacy.
Life in the West
In the American West, Holliday’s declining health and restless spirit led him to abandon dentistry for a life of gambling, drinking, and gunslinging. Settling first in Dallas, Texas, he earned a reputation as a skilled card player but also became embroiled in disputes, showcasing his quick temper and proficiency with firearms. His tuberculosis, coupled with heavy drinking, gave him a gaunt appearance and a fatalistic outlook, earning him the nickname “Doc” from his dental background.
Holliday drifted through towns like Denver, Cheyenne, and Deadwood, surviving on gambling winnings and occasional dental work. In 1877, in Fort Griffin, Texas, he met Wyatt Earp, a deputy marshal, forming a lifelong friendship that would cement his place in Western lore. Holliday’s loyalty to Earp and his brothers would lead him to Tombstone, Arizona, by 1880, where he became entangled in the region’s volatile conflicts.
His notoriety grew further due to his association with famous figures of the Old West, including the Earp brothers—Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp. Holliday’s most famous involvement came during the infamous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, on October 26, 1881.
Tensions had been escalating between the Earps and the Clanton-McLaury gang for several months. The conflict stemmed from various disputes, including accusations of cattle theft and the gang’s attempts to undermine the authority of the Earps, who were lawmen in Tombstone. The situation reached a boiling point when a confrontation seemed inevitable.
On the day of the gunfight, the Earps, including Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan, along with their ally Doc Holliday, confronted the Clanton-McLaury gang. The dispute was partly provoked by the gang’s refusal to disarm in accordance with the town’s regulations and their ongoing threats against the Earps.
Standing by the Earps’ side, Holliday’s courage and marksmanship were instrumental in the confrontation with the Clanton-McLaury gang, a pivotal event that solidified his place in Western folklore.
Holliday’s life was marked by violence, legal entanglements, and his relentless struggle with tuberculosis. Despite his reputation as a gunfighter, many of his confrontations were linked to his defense of his friends and his own self-preservation. He was also known for his sharp wit and his ability to engage in both verbal and physical duels.
Doc Holliday died on November 8, 1887, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, at the age of 36. His health had deteriorated significantly in the years leading up to his death, and he spent his final days in the area seeking relief for his illness. Despite his relatively short life, Holliday left an indelible mark on American history and folklore, remembered as one of the most iconic and enigmatic figures of the Old West.
Later Years and Death
By 1882, Holliday’s tuberculosis and hard-living lifestyle had taken a severe toll. He parted ways with Earp after the vendetta ride and drifted through Colorado, living in towns like Leadville and Denver. His gambling and drinking habits led to multiple arrests, and his reputation as a dangerous man followed him. Despite his declining health, Holliday remained defiant, often staring down death with a sardonic wit.
In 1887, Holliday arrived in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, hoping the town’s hot springs would alleviate his tuberculosis. However, his condition worsened. On November 8, 1887, at the age of 36, John Henry Holliday died in a sanatorium, reportedly looking at his bare feet and remarking with surprise that he was not dying “with his boots on,” defying his expectation of a violent end.
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Bodie: 1859-1962 (Images of America)
Nestled amongst the sage-covered, windswept hills of California’s Eastern Sierra is the site of one of the most notorious mining towns of the Old West. In 1859, gold was discovered in the treeless hills northeast of Mono Lake. By 1879, Bodie was a metropolis of nearly 10,000 souls and was briefly the third-largest city in California. Excitement was short-lived, however, and word soon spread that the mines had reached peak production. An exodus began, but contrary to popular belief, Bodie was never totally abandoned. People continued living in this curious and beautiful place throughout the 1950s, and in 1962, the California State Parks system purchased the town site. Now stabilized against the elements, Bodie is today known as the largest unrestored ghost town in the West.
Author Terri Lynn Geissinger, a local historian, tour guide, and interpreter at Bodie State Historic Park, collects the oral histories of Bodie’s denizens. With extensive experience in educational lectures, she is dedicated to preserving this town’s past for future generations. Geissinger collected the stirring images in this volume from the Bodie State Historic Park Archive, the Mono County Museum, and various families with roots in this remarkable place.
Book Summary
| Title | Bodie: 1859-1962 (Images of America) |
| Author | Terri Lynn Geissinger |
| Publisher | Arcadia Publishing |
| Pages | 128 Pages |
Farewell to Manzanar
In Farewell to Manzanar, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls her childhood at a Japanese incarceration camp in this engrossing memoir that has become a staple of curriculum in schools and on campuses across the country. This special 50th-anniversary edition features a new cover, a foreword by New York Times bestselling and acclaimed author Traci Chee, and photographs of life at the camp by Toyo Miyatake.
During World War II the incarceration camp called Manzanar was hastily created in the high mountain desert country of California, east of the Sierras. Its purpose? To house thousands of Japanese Americans.
In Farewell to Manzanar, Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recalls life at Manzanar through the eyes of the child she was and the experiences of her family. She relays the mundane and remarkable details of daily life during an extraordinary period of American history: The wartime imprisonment of civilians, most native-born Americans, in their own country, without trial, and by their fellow Americans.
She tells of her fear, confusion, and bewilderment as well as the dignity and resourcefulness of people in oppressive and demeaning circumstances. Jeanne delivers a powerful first-person account that reveals her search for the meaning of Manzanar.
Book Summary
| Title | Farewell to Manzana |
| Author | Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, James D. Houston |
| Publisher | Clarion Books; Reprint edition (December 12, 2023) |
| Pages | 224 Pages |