Tag: Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park, located in eastern California and stretching into Nevada, is a land of extremes. It is the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the United States, featuring the famously scorching Badwater Basin, which lies 282 feet below sea level. The park’s vast and varied landscape includes towering sand dunes, rugged mountains, and colorful badlands. Despite its harsh conditions, Death Valley is home to a surprising diversity of life, with unique plant and animal species adapted to the extreme environment. The park also boasts stunning geological features such as the salt flats, volcanic craters, and canyons, offering visitors a breathtaking glimpse into the power of nature. Starry night skies and striking sunrises and sunsets add to the park’s otherworldly beauty, making it a unique destination for adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts alike.

Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley

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Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley written by Brent Underwood
Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley written by Brent Underwood

The siren song of Cerro Gordo, a desolate ghost town perched high above Death Valley, has seduced thousands since the 1800s, but few fell harder for it than Brent Underwood, who moved there in March of 2020, only to be immediately snowed in and trapped for weeks.

It had once been the largest silver mine in California. Over $500 million worth of ore was pulled from the miles of tunnels below the town. Butch Cassidy, Mark Twain, and other infamous characters of the American West were rumored to have stayed there. Newspapers reported a murder a week. But that was over 150 years ago.

Underwood bet his life savings—and his life—on this majestic, hardscrabble town that had broken its fair share of ambitious men and women. What followed were fires, floods, earthquakes, and perhaps strangest, fame. Ghost Town Living tells the story of a man against the elements, a forgotten historic place against the modern world, and a dream against all odds—one that has captured millions of followers around the world.

He came looking for a challenge different from the traditional 9-5 job but discovered something much more fulfilling—an undertaking that would call on all of himself and push him beyond what he knew he was capable of. In fact, to bring this abandoned town back to life, Brent had to learn a wealth of new self-sufficiency and problem-solving skills from many generous mentors.

Ghost Town Living is a thrilling read, but it’s also a call to action—to question our too-practical lives and instead seek adventure, build something original, redefine work, and embrace the unknown. It shows what it means to dedicate your life to something, to take a mighty swing at a crazy idea and, like the cardsharps who once haunted Cerro Gordo, go all in.

About the Author

Brent Underwood is the owner of Cerro Gordo, an original boomtown silver mine, established in 1865. He is also the creator of “GhostTownLiving” where he chronicles his adventures on YouTube. Brent currently lives on the mountain above Death Valley with no running water, seven cats, six goats, and at least one ghost.

Book Summary

TitleDeath Valley Gold Rush (Images of Ghost Town Living: Mining for Purpose and Chasing Dreams at the Edge of Death Valley
AuthorBrent Underwood
PublisherHarmony Publishing
Pages228 Pages

The Twenty Mule Team of Death Valley (Images of America)

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The Twenty Mule Team of Death Valley (Images of America) - Author Ted Faye
The Twenty Mule Team of Death Valley (Images of America) – Author Ted Faye

The image of 20 mules hauling a train of wagons was once as popular as the golden arches are today. Everyone knew what it meant. It was the trademark of Pacific Coast Borax’s most famous product, a laundry additive called Twenty Mule Team Borax. The company’s advertising was dependent on one important fact: the connection between the Twenty Mule Team and America’s most notorious desert, Death Valley. From 1883 to 1888, teams of mules and wagons hauled borax out of the famed valley on the California-Nevada border. During those years, the teams were not famous; they were just a common means of transportation. After all, it was not the first time 20 mules hauled borax and it was not the longest or the most treacherous path. So what happened? How did this common form of transportation (the big-rig truck of its day) become transformed into an American icon? That is the story of this book.

About the Author

Ted Faye is a documentary filmmaker whose company, Gold Creek Films, specializes in stories of the West. Ted develops touring information, including audio CDs, signage, and brochures. He also helps communities to find and tell their stories. Ted was the historian to US Borax, and many images from this book are from the Borax collection at Death Valley National Park.

Book Summary

TitleThe Twenty Mule Team of Death Valley (Images of America)
AuthorTed Faye
PublisherArcadia Publishing
Pages

Death Valley Gold Rush (Images of America)

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Death Valley Gold Rush (Images of America) - Written by Ted Faye
Death Valley Gold Rush (Images of America) – Written by Ted Faye

From the mid-19th century to the 1930s, no place in America was more feared or mysterious than the stretch of desert on the California-Nevada border known as Death Valley.

While today Death Valley National Park is seen as a place of natural beauty and scenic wonders, there were once rumors of vaporous gases so toxic that birds flying overhead would drop dead instantly. One of the first Americans to encounter this dreaded land was William Lewis Manly, who left his Wisconsin home for California’s 1849 Gold Rush and who heroically saved those lost pioneers who would give Death Valley its name. Other pioneers in the early 20th century were Frank “Shorty” Harris, who made Death Valley’s biggest gold strike; the Hoyt brothers, who, in 1908, struck it rich in a place called Skidoo; and in the 1920s, a con man named C.C. Julian, who used the valley’s reputation to scam naive investors. There was a time when the entire country seemed to be consumed with news and tales of the Death Valley Gold Rush.

About the Author

Ted Faye is a documentary filmmaker, exhibit curator, and historical researcher on stories and people of the Death Valley region. Faye has worked with tourism boards on both the state and local levels to develop materials that tell the stories of their communities. He was a historian at US Borax, and many images from this book are from the Borax collection at Death Valley National Park.

Book Summary

TitleDeath Valley Gold Rush (Images of America)
AuthorTed Faye
PublisherArcadia Publishing
Pages128 Pages

Scotty’s Castle (Images of America)

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Scotty's Castle (Images of America) - Author Robert P. Palazzo
Scotty’s Castle (Images of America) – Author Robert P. Palazzo

Scotty’s Castle is a study in contrasts, much like its setting in Death Valley. While the castle is known worldwide and has been visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists, many myths persist. It is not a castle, nor was it owned by Walter E. Scott, known as Death Valley Scotty. But the Spanish-style hacienda, also known as Death Valley Ranch, has always been linked to Scott. This book explores the fascinating history of Death Valley Scotty, Albert and Bessie Johnson (the true owners and builders of the castle), and the castle itself from construction to private living quarters to a tourist facility owned and operated by the National Park Service.”

About the Author

Robert P. Palazzo, Death Valley scholar and lifetime member of the area’s natural history association, evokes here in vintage imagery a stark, barren, desolate wasteland that gradually became one of the West’s most iconic destinations. Tapping his extensive private collection of rare photographs, Palazzo shows Death Valley’s geological features, notable personalities, industries, mysteries, and tourism. Though the area has changed little over the last 150 years, the harsh conditions have erased much of the evidence of human occupation. That rare visual record is preserved in these pages.

Book Summary

TitleScotty’s Castle (Images of America)
AuthorRobert P. Palazzo
PublisherArcadia Publishing
Pages128 Pages

Death Valley Railroad

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The Death Valley Railroad (DVRR) was a historic 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railroad that once operated in Death Valley. Built primarily to support mining operations in the remote and harsh terrains of the Death Valley region, it played a crucial role in the economic development of the area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The line started in Death Valley Junction, CA and followed the modern California State Route 190 down the the mining camp of Ryan.

Locomotive No 1 Engine, Death Valley Railroad
Locomotive No 1 Engine, Death Valley Railroad

Early Days and Construction

The idea of constructing a railroad in the inhospitable terrain of Death Valley emerged during the late 19th century with the discovery of various valuable mineral deposits. Initially, the isolated mining communities were heavily dependent on mule teams and wagons for transportation, which was both slow and inefficient.

In 1904, the Pacific Coast Borax Company, recognizing the need for a more efficient transportation system, began the construction of the Death Valley Railroad. The railway was intended to connect the mining towns of Ryan, near Death Valley, to the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad, which served the wider region.

A map of the Death Valley Railroad running from Death Valley Junction all the way up to the mines at Ryan near Colemanite
A map of the Death Valley Railroad running from Death Valley Junction all the way up to the mines at Ryan near Colemanite

Development and Operations

The construction of the railroad faced immense challenges due to the rugged landscape, extreme weather conditions, and the scarcity of resources in the area. The laborers encountered difficulties such as intense heat, lack of water, and treacherous terrain, but despite these challenges, the construction continued.

By 1914, the DVRR was fully operational, enabling the efficient transportation of borax, gold, silver, and other minerals from the mines to the broader market. The railroad significantly reduced transportation costs and facilitated the growth of mining operations in the area.

DVRR self propelled gasoline powered Brill Car
DVRR self propelled gasoline powered Brill Car

One train ran each day delivering food and water to the workers at the Ryan mine in the mourning. The same train bought ore back late in the afternoon. After better deposits of borax were discovered at Boron, the Death Valley Railroad tried to resort to tourist operations by bringing in a Brill railcar to transport tourists to the old mines which made up Furnace Creek. A Brill car is a self propelled gasoline rail vehicle.

California State Route 190 roughly follows the route of this railroad.

Decline and Closure

Eventually, with the Great Depression of the 1930s and the increased usage of automobiles and trucks for transportation. The narrow gage D V R R ceased its operations in 1931. The tracks were removed, and much of the equipment was sold off or abandoned, marking the end of an era for the railroad and the mining communities it had served.

Although the Death Valley Railroad’s existence was relatively short-lived, it played a pivotal role in the development of the Death Valley region, contributing significantly to the growth of the mining industry and the economic prosperity of the local communities during its operation. Today, remnants of the railroad’s route can still be found in the Death Valley National Park, serving as a testament to its historical significance and the challenges faced by early industrial pioneers in this unforgiving landscape.

Baby Gage Railroad, Old Borax Mine, Ryan Death Valley, California
Baby Gage Railroad, Old Borax Mine, Ryan Death Valley, California
D V R R tracks near Death Valley Junction, California
D V R R tracks near Death Valley Junction, California
Death Valley Railroad at Ryan, also known as Devar or Devair circa 1916
Death Valley Railroad at Ryan, also known as Devar or Devair circa 1916
Heisler locomotive No. 2 "Francis" on the wye track at Ryan (formerly Devar), circa 1916.
Heisler locomotive No. 2 “Francis” on the wye track at Ryan (formerly Devar), circa 1916.
Baldwin Locomotive No 1 Engine, D V R R
Baldwin Locomotive No 1 Engine, D V R R
DVRR self propelled gasoline powered Brill Car
DVRR self propelled gasoline powered Brill Car

Death Valley Railroad Summary

NameDeath Valley Railroad
LocationNye County, Nevada
Death Valley, California
GageNarrow Gage, 3 ft (914mm)
Length25 Miles
Years of Operation1914 – 1931

Death Valley Railroad Locomotives

LocomotiveManufacturerService
Heisler #2 “Francis”2-TruckStearns Manufacturing Locomotive Works1899 – 1925
Baldwin DVRR No 12-8-0Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin DVRR No 22-8-0Baldwin Locomotive Works1916 –

References