Tag: Mojave

The Mojave Desert, located in the southwestern United States, is a striking landscape characterized by vast expanses of arid terrain and rugged mountains. Spanning parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, it is known for its iconic Joshua trees, which dot the sandy plains alongside hardy shrubs and cacti adapted to the harsh desert environment. The Mojave Desert experiences extreme temperatures, with scorching hot summers and chilly winters, while its unique geological features include ancient lava flows, dry lake beds, and towering sand dunes. This desert region is not only a testament to resilience in nature but also harbors a rich diversity of wildlife and holds a cultural significance as a home to indigenous peoples and a backdrop for explorers and adventurers alike.

Evening Star Mine

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The Evening Star Mine (also known as the Evening Star Tin Mine, Maynard Mine, Bernice Mine, or Rex Tin Mine) is located in the Mescal Mining District at the western base of the Ivanpah Mountains, San Bernardino County, California—within what is now Mojave National Preserve. It sits at approximately 4,961 feet elevation, about 1.5 miles south of the Standard No. 1 Mine, near Cima and not far from the California-Nevada border (outside Primm, NV)..

Evening Star Mine, Mojave, California - 2015 Photo by James L Rathbun
Evening Star Mine, Mojave, California – 2015 Photo by James L Rathbun

Discovery and Early Development (1935–1940)

The mine began modestly in 1935 as a copper prospect staked by lifelong desert miner J. Riley Bembry. Bembry, born in Oklahoma in 1899 and a WWI veteran, had prospected extensively in the eastern Mojave since the late 1920s or early 1930s. Within about a year, he sold the claims to Trigg L. Button and Clarence Hammett of Santa Ana, California. They began sinking the No. 1 shaft.

In 1940, Vaughn Maynard of Santa Ana purchased the claims. The site was developed as a combination surface-underground operation on a small deposit.

Peak Operations and Production (1941–1944)

The mine entered its main productive phase during World War II, driven by demand for strategic minerals. In 1941, the Tin Corporation of America leased the property. They continued deepening the shaft and, in June 1942, shipped 25 tons of ore to the Tin Processing Corporation in Texas City, Texas.

In 1943, Carl F. Wendrick, Jr. (owner of Steel Sales and Service Company of Chicago, Illinois) leased the mine. He secured a government loan, employed about eight men, constructed a larger headframe, and built a mill at Valley Wells. Operations ran primarily from 1939 to 1944 (with the most intensive work in the early 1940s).

Production and Significance

The Evening Star Mine was the only producer of tin ore (cassiterite, or tin oxide) in the eastern Mojave Desert—and reportedly the only one in the broader Mojave. It yielded over 400 tons of tin ore during its life. Several tons of tin concentrates (containing 35.96% tin) were sold to the U.S. government stockpile in Jean, Nevada, just across the border. The deposit also carried minor amounts of copper, tungsten, zinc, and possibly gold.

Nearby claims (just west) produced about 1,000 tons of tungsten ore under a separate lease (1939–1940).

Unique Engineering Feature

The mine stands out for its 60-foot headframe, which featured a crusher mounted directly on top—one of the few such setups in the Mojave. Ore fed from the headframe into a sorting structure of three tiered towers (the lowest serving as an ore bin). This design was practical for the remote, small-scale operation.

Closure and Current Status

Production ended around 1944 as wartime demand eased and the deposit proved limited. The site was never a large-scale operation but exemplified the many independent, small-scale ventures that dotted the desert.

Today, the Evening Star Mine is a well-preserved historic site within Mojave National Preserve. The impressive wooden headframe and associated structures (outbuildings, shafts, tunnels, and artifacts) remain visible and have been assessed for stabilization to protect historic timber framing. The main shaft is closed for safety (e.g., with cable netting). It serves as a photogenic reminder of WWII-era mining and the rugged life of desert prospectors.

(Note: A few secondary sources occasionally reference earlier 1900s development or conflicting details, but primary accounts consistently date commercial tin-focused work to the 1935–1944 period.)

The Evening Star Mine, though short-lived, highlights the Mojave’s role in supplying critical minerals during national emergencies and contributes to the rich tapestry of over a century of desert mining history. Many similar sites nearby (e.g., Vulcan for iron) underscore how the region supported both economic booms and wartime needs.

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Kokoweef Mine

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The Kokoweef Mine (more accurately known as the legendary caverns or lost river of gold beneath Kokoweef Peak) is not a conventional operating mine but a persistent folk legend tied to a remote mountain in California’s Mojave Desert. Kokoweef Peak (also called Mt. Kokoweef), rising to about 6,037–6,038 feet in the Ivanpah Mountains of San Bernardino County, lies roughly three miles south of Mountain Pass along Interstate 15, near the Nevada border and within or adjacent to the Mojave National Preserve area.

Kokoweef Mine from below - 2015
Kokoweef Mine from below – 2015

The story blends Native American oral tradition, a prospector’s sworn affidavit, and decades of treasure-hunting fervor. It has inspired mining claims, exploration companies, paleontological digs, and countless seekers—yet no verifiable underground river of gold has ever been confirmed. Real caves exist on the peak (limestone karst formations), and zinc was mined there during World War II, but the core “mine” remains legendary.

My nephew and son searching for the "River of Gold" on Kokoweef peak.
My nephew and son searching for the “River of Gold” on Kokoweef peak.

Origin Story: The Paiute Brothers and Tribal Lore (Late 1800s–Early 1900s)

The legend traces back to three Southern Paiute (or Piute) brothers—Oliver, George, and Buck Peysert—who reportedly worked as ranch hands at the Dorr family ranch near Colorado Springs, Colorado, in the 1890s–early 1900s during the boyhood of prospector Earl Dorr.

According to the tale, tribal elders had long described a vast underground cavern system beneath a peak (later identified as Kokoweef) containing a subterranean river whose black-sand beaches were laden with placer gold. Around 1903–1905, the brothers left the ranch to search for it. They allegedly rediscovered a narrow passageway leading deep into a labyrinth of caverns. After weeks of exploration, they reached an enormous underground river. They extracted gold worth about $57,000 (at the contemporary price of roughly $20 per ounce) over a six-week period. Tragedy struck when George fell to his death into the river. The survivors cashed in their gold at the U.S. Mint and deposited funds in banks in Needles, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Tribal custom supposedly forbade them from returning to the site after the death.

The brothers later shared the story with Earl Dorr (some accounts place this encounter in San Francisco around 1906 after the earthquake; others say he heard it as a youth). One version claims they provided him with a map, though Dorr family members later disputed this.

These mine cart rails are a little small to pull the amount of gold claimed to be here.
These mine cart rails are a little small to pull the amount of gold claimed to be here.

Earl Dorr’s Claim and the Birth of the Modern Legend (1920s–1930s)

Earl P. Dorr (born ~1885 near Colorado Springs), a cowboy-turned-prospector and adventurer, became the legend’s central figure. By the early 1920s, he had moved to the Mojave region and reportedly rediscovered an entrance to the cavern system (possibly Crystal Cave or one of the other solution cavities on Kokoweef Peak). In 1927, he enlisted a civil engineer, Mr. Morton from Tempe, Arizona, to help map it. According to Dorr’s later account, the two men spent four days (accounts vary between three and four) exploring over eight miles of passages. They descended thousands of feet into a massive underground canyon hundreds of feet deep, where a 300-foot-wide subterranean river flowed. The river reportedly “breathed,” rising and falling like tides, exposing black-sand beaches and ledges said to be extremely rich in placer gold. Dorr claimed they panned samples that assayed at high values (one report cited $2,144 per cubic yard). They allegedly carried out about 10 pounds each of gold-bearing material.

In 1934, Dorr signed a notarized affidavit detailing these discoveries. He said he dynamited the entrance shut to protect his find while attempting to file a claim. (Some accounts note he could not because earlier claims by a prospector named Pete Ressler—possibly linked to the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang—already covered parts of the area.) Dorr tried to attract investors but never successfully reopened or proved the site. He died in a 1957 mining accident.

The affidavit was later published in the California Mining Journal (1940) and referenced in Desert Magazine and other outlets, turning the story into a classic lost-mine legend. Variations appeared in print as early as the 1930s, sometimes blending it with broader Mojave Desert tales of interconnected cave systems and underground rivers.

Kokoweef Trail Map

Spread, Exploration, and Reality Checks (1940s–1970s)

The legend drew treasure hunters and small-scale miners to Kokoweef Peak, creating a short-lived shantytown at its base. The Wallace family, inspired by Dorr’s story, formed the Crystal Cave Mining Corporation in the mid-1930s. They acquired claims from Pete Ressler in 1939 and mined zinc (not gold) at the Carbonate King during World War II to fund further searches for the river. The claims were patented in later decades.

Successive groups (including the Schnar family in the 1960s–70s and Legendary Kokoweef Cavern Inc.) continued digging and blasting in known caves like Crystal Cave. Real scientific value emerged in the 1970s: paleontologists from the San Bernardino County Museum, led by Bob Reynolds, excavated over five-and-a-half tons of sediment from Kokoweef Cave. They recovered more than 200,000 Pleistocene-era fossils (deposited less than 11,000 years ago), including dire wolves, camels, horses, deer, pronghorn, coyotes, birds, and smaller mammals. These confirmed the caves’ existence and ancient use as animal traps or dens but found no evidence of a flowing river or gold deposits matching Dorr’s description.

Geologically, Kokoweef Peak consists of ancient Mississippian-Pennsylvanian limestone (300–340 million years old) that formed karst caves along faults, primarily during the Ice Age (~1 million years ago). While underground water systems are possible in such formations, experts note the modern Mojave’s extreme aridity makes a large, persistent subterranean river unlikely, and the claimed gold quantities would be unprecedented.

Modern Era and Enduring Search (1980s–Present)

In 1984–1985, Explorations Incorporated of Nevada (later evolving into Kokoweef Inc.) took over, continuing exploration through drilling, geophysical surveys, and tunneling. The company has found additional caverns, crystals, and mineral veins, and some drilling has encountered traces of gold and sulfides. They maintain mining claims and emphasize both the legendary river and potential commercial deposits. Investors (hundreds over the years) have funded the work, with some visions of trillion-dollar riches, but the river itself remains elusive.

Today, the site features old mine entrances, tailings, and ongoing (low-key) activity. Kokoweef Caverns were briefly a curiosity or tourist draw in earlier decades but are no longer promoted that way. The legend still circulates in books, magazines, forums, and videos, sometimes linking to wider desert lore about hidden caves or ancient civilizations. Skeptics view Dorr’s tale as an imaginative hoax or prospector’s yarn designed to attract backers; supporters point to the consistent details, real caves, and ongoing finds as evidence something extraordinary may still lie undiscovered.

In summary, the Kokoweef “mine” endures as one of California’s most captivating lost-treasure legends—rooted in a purported Native American discovery, amplified by Dorr’s dramatic 1934 affidavit, and kept alive by real geology, fossils, and determined explorers. Whether it conceals a river of gold or remains a desert mirage, it continues to draw dreamers to the Mojave’s rugged peaks.

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Bert Smith’s Cabin

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Bert Smith’s Cabin, commonly known as the Rock House or Rock Spring Cabin, is a historic stone structure located in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. Situated along the Rock Spring Loop Trail near the ruins of Camp Rock Spring, the cabin overlooks a scenic desert valley and serves as a poignant reminder of one veteran’s resilience in the harsh Mojave Desert environment. Built in 1929, it stands as a testament to homesteading, health-driven migration to arid regions, and the broader history of the Mojave Road corridor. Today, it is preserved by the National Park Service (NPS) as a public hiking destination and interpretive site.

Bert Smith's Cabin overlooks Camp Rock Springs
Bert Smith’s Cabin overlooks Camp Rock Springs

Bert Smith’s Background and Move to the Desert

Bert George Smith (often referred to simply as Bert Smith) was a World War I veteran who served in Europe. During the war, he was exposed to poison gas—likely mustard gas—used in chemical warfare, which severely scarred his lungs. Upon returning to the United States, his health declined dramatically. In the late 1920s, the Department of Veterans Affairs recommended that he relocate to the Mojave Desert, believing the dry climate might extend his life. Doctors gave him only a short time to live, perhaps as little as a year.

Smith arrived in the Mojave in 1929 and chose a site above the historic Camp Rock Spring, a former U.S. Army outpost used from 1866 to 1868 and a vital water source for Native American tribes, explorers, settlers, and military personnel. The area had long been part of desert travel networks, including the Mojave Road.

Construction of the Cabin

Smith initially built a simple wooden shack for shelter. He later upgraded it into a more substantial rock house using local stones, completing the structure around 1929 or in the early 1930s. The single-story cabin featured a functional design suited to the desert: thick stone walls for insulation, basic windows, a chimney, and a modest footprint. It had no electricity or modern amenities like television, emphasizing self-reliance and simplicity.

Smith enhanced the site by constructing wells and dikes in Rock Spring Canyon to improve water availability. He also maintained a small herd of goats, whose milk sustained him and his animals; remnants of the goat pen and corrals are still visible nearby. The cabin’s elevated location provided panoramic views of the surrounding desert, including the New York Mountains to the north.

Bert Smith's Cabin located in the Mojave National Reserve
Bert Smith’s Cabin located in the Mojave National Reserve

Life at the Cabin

Despite his grave prognosis, Smith thrived in the isolated desert setting. He lived at the Rock House for approximately 25–27 years, until 1954, far outlasting medical expectations. His existence was one of quiet solitude amid the Mojave’s rugged landscape—tending goats, maintaining the spring improvements, and embracing the peace of a life without modern distractions. A common inscription or description of the site captures this spirit: “Former home of Bert George Smith. No television, no electricity. Just peace and quiet.”

In the 1930s, the area saw brief mining activity nearby when prospectors discovered copper in Watson Wash and built a small mill to process ore. The operation was short-lived and soon abandoned, leaving ruins that the Rock Spring Loop Trail now passes.

The NPS Sign refers to the site as "Rock House", I prefer Bert Smith's Cabin.
The NPS Sign refers to the site as “Rock House”, I prefer Bert Smith’s Cabin.

Subsequent Residents and Transition

After Smith left the cabin in 1954 (he reportedly moved to a retirement home and passed away in 1967), the structure stood vacant for a time. In 1981, desert artist Carl Faber—already experienced in living rough in the East Mojave—moved in and operated an informal art business there for about five years. He sold his artwork to passing four-wheel-drive travelers along the Mojave Road. Faber later relocated to a nearby property, continuing his art until 2003 before moving to New Mexico. He reflected positively on the lifestyle, noting how many visitors envied his freedom.

Ryan and Rooger welcome you the their porch.
Ryan and Rooger welcome you the their porch.

Current Status and Preservation

The NPS has restored and maintains the cabin, which remains in good condition with its stone construction intact. It is locked to protect the interior, but visitors can view it closely from the outside. The site is easily accessible via a short walk from a dirt parking area along Rock Spring Road (0.2 miles south of Cedar Canyon Road), with picnic tables and vault toilets nearby. It forms part of the one-mile Rock Spring Loop Trail, which also highlights the miners’ mill ruins and Camp Rock Spring.

An official NPS historical marker at the site details Smith’s story and the area’s layered history. The cabin is a popular stop for hikers, off-road enthusiasts, and history buffs exploring the Mojave National Preserve.

Significance and Legacy

Bert Smith’s Cabin embodies themes of veteran recovery, desert adaptation, and human perseverance. Smith’s defiance of a terminal diagnosis through simple desert living inspired later residents like Carl Faber and continues to captivate visitors. It connects to broader Mojave narratives: military history at Camp Rock Spring, transient mining booms, and the enduring allure of remote homesteading. As part of the protected Mojave National Preserve, the site educates the public about the human stories woven into this arid landscape while preserving its natural and cultural resources for future generations.

In summary, what began as a desperate health refuge became a symbol of endurance. Bert Smith’s Rock House stands today not just as a historic building, but as a monument to the quiet determination of those who sought solace and survival in the Mojave Desert.

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Colorado Steamships

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The Colorado River, flowing from the Rocky Mountains through the arid Southwest to the Gulf of California, was a challenging waterway—shallow, swift, and prone to sandbars, floods, and shifting channels. Despite these obstacles, steam-powered vessels played a vital role in its navigation from the mid-19th century until the early 20th century. Primarily operating on the lower Colorado River (from the Gulf of California upstream to areas near modern-day Nevada), steamboats transported military supplies, miners, settlers, and freight, fueling the development of Arizona, California, Nevada, and parts of Mexico. They were the most economical means of moving goods across the desert until railroads supplanted them.

View showing steamboat Cochan on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona in 1900 - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
View showing steamboat Cochan on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona in 1900 – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Early Attempts and the Birth of Steam Navigation (1850–1854)

The need for reliable transport arose after the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), when the U.S. Army established Fort Yuma at the confluence of the Gila and Colorado Rivers to protect emigrants heading to California during the Gold Rush. Supplying the isolated fort overland from San Diego cost up to $500 per ton. River transport from the Gulf of California offered a cheaper alternative.

Initial efforts used schooners and barges. In 1850–1851, the schooner Invincible and longboats reached only partway upriver. Lieutenant George Derby recommended shallow-draft sternwheel steamboats.

The first successful steamboat was the small iron-hulled Uncle Sam, a 65-foot tug with a 20-horsepower engine, assembled at the river’s mouth in 1852 by Captain James Turnbull. It reached Fort Yuma in December 1852 but later proved unreliable and sank.

In 1853–1854, George Alonzo Johnson, partnering with Benjamin M. Hartshorne and others, formed George A. Johnson & Company. They brought parts for the sidewheeler General Jesup from San Francisco, assembling it at the river mouth. The General Jesup carried 50 tons of cargo to Fort Yuma in five days, reducing costs to $75 per ton and proving commercial viability.

Mohave II at Yuma, Arizona, with Sunday school group embarked, 1876 - Unknown author - MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944
Mohave II at Yuma, Arizona, with Sunday school group embarked, 1876 – Unknown author – MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944

Expansion and Exploration (1855–1860s)

Johnson’s company built wood yards staffed by Cocopah Indians and added vessels like the sternwheeler Colorado (1855, captained by Isaac Polhamus) and others. By the late 1850s, steamboats regularly serviced Fort Yuma and emerging mining camps.

Exploration pushed limits:

  • In 1857, Johnson took the General Jesup to El Dorado Canyon (near Las Vegas).
  • The U.S. Army’s 1857–1858 expedition, led by Lt. Joseph Christmas Ives, used the 54-foot iron steamboat Explorer (built in Philadelphia and reassembled on the river). It reached Black Canyon but struck a rock; Ives deemed further navigation impractical at low water. Johnson later bought the Explorer and converted it to a barge.

Mormon leader Brigham Young sought a sea-to-Utah route via the Colorado. In 1864–1866, Anson Call established Callville (near modern Lake Mead) as a potential port. Steamboats like the Esmeralda reached it in 1866.

Boom Years: Mining Rushes and Competition (1860s–1870s)

The 1862 Colorado River gold rush near La Paz (Arizona) and later discoveries in Eldorado Canyon and elsewhere created explosive demand. Ports like Ehrenberg, Hardyville, and Aubrey emerged. Steamboats hauled machinery, food, and ore, often towing barges for extra capacity.

George A. Johnson & Company dominated initially but faced rivals like Thomas Trueworthy’s Union Line in the 1860s. Competition ended when Johnson’s company absorbed opponents. In 1869, it reorganized as the Colorado Steam Navigation Company (C.S.N.Co.), expanding the fleet with vessels like Cocopah, Mohave, and larger ones like the 149-foot Mohave II (1876) and Gila.

Key captains included Isaac Polhamus (“Dean of the Colorado River”) and later Jack Mellon. Ocean steamships connected San Francisco to the river mouth at Port Isabel, feeding river traffic.

Colorado II in a tidal dry dock in the shipyard above Port Isabel, Sonora - MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944
Colorado II in a tidal dry dock in the shipyard above Port Isabel, Sonora – MacMullen, Jerry, Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Stanford University Press, 1944

Peak and Decline (1870s–1900s)

The 1870s marked the peak, with scheduled services and luxurious boats offering passenger excursions. The C.S.N.Co. monopolized trade, profiting immensely from military contracts, mining,, and Mormon supplies.

Railroads spelled doom. The Southern Pacific reached Yuma in 1877, bridging the river. That year, Johnson and partners sold the C.S.N.Co. to Southern Pacific interests for a massive profit. Steamboats continued but focused on upper reaches and local freight.

Later vessels included the Cochan (1900, the last major sternwheeler) and Searchlight (1903–1909), hauling ore from Nevada mines.

End of an Era (1909–1916)

The 1909 completion of Laguna Dam (for irrigation) blocked navigation. Final operations involved limited freight and dam-related work. The last commercial steamboat, Searchlight, retired around 1916.

Attempts on the upper Colorado (e.g., Glen Canyon, Green River) were short-lived due to rapids and low water.

Legacy

For over 50 years, Colorado River steamboats connected isolated frontiers, enabling settlement and extraction in a harsh desert. They carried millions in gold, supplied forts and mines, and linked the Pacific to inland territories. Though overshadowed by railroads and dams, their era transformed the Southwest, leaving behind ghost towns, historic sites like Yuma Quartermaster Depot, and a romantic chapter in Western transportation history.

Colorado River Steamship Landings

The steamboat Mohave departing the landing in El Dorado Canyon.
The steamboat Mohave departing the landing in El Dorado Canyon.
Potholes, California, From 185918 mi (29 km)
La Laguna, Arizona Territory, 1860-186320 mi (32 km)
Castle Dome Landing, Arizona Territory, 1863-188435 mi (56 km)
Eureka, Arizona Territory, 1863-1870s45 mi (72 km)
Williamsport, Arizona Territory, 1863-1870s47 mi (76 km)
Picacho, California, 1862-191048 mi (77 km)
Nortons Landing, Arizona Territory, 1882-189452 mi (84 km)
Clip, Arizona Territory, 1882-188870 mi (110 km)
California Camp, California72 mi (116 km)
Camp Gaston, California, 1859-186780 mi (130 km)
Drift Desert, Arizona Territory102 mi (164 km)
Bradshaw’s Ferry, California, 1862-1884126 mi (203 km)
Mineral City, Arizona Territory, 1864-1866126 mi (203 km)
Ehrenberg, Arizona Territory, from 1866126.5 mi (203.6 km)
Olive City, Arizona Territory, 1862-1866127 mi (204 km)
La Paz, Arizona Territory, 1862-1870131 mi (211 km)
Parker’s Landing, Arizona Territory, 1864-1905
Camp Colorado, Arizona, 1864-1869		200 mi (320 km)
Parker, Arizona Territory, from 1908203 mi (327 km)
Empire Flat, Arizona Territory, 1866-1905210 mi (340 km)
Bill Williams River, Arizona220 mi (350 km)
Aubrey City, Arizona Territory, 1862-1888220 mi (350 km)
Chimehuevis Landing, California240 mi (390 km)
Liverpool Landing, Arizona Territory242 mi (389 km)
Grand Turn, Arizona/California257 mi (414 km)
The Needles, Mohave Mountains, Arizona263 mi (423 km)
Mellen, Arizona Territory 1890 – 1909267 mi (430 km)
Eastbridge, Arizona Territory 1883 – 1890279 mi (449 km)
Needles, California, from 1883282 mi (454 km)
Iretaba City, Arizona Territory, 1864298 mi (480 km)
Fort Mohave, Arizona Territory, 1859-1890
Beale’s Crossing 1858 –		300 mi (480 km)
Mohave City, Arizona Territory, 1864-1869305 mi (491 km)
Hardyville, Arizona Territory, 1864-1893
Low Water Head of Navigation 1864-1881		310 mi (500 km)
Camp Alexander, Arizona Territory, 1867312 mi (502 km)
Polhamus Landing, Arizona Territory
Low Water Head of Navigation 1881-1882		315 mi (507 km)
Pyramid Canyon, Arizona/Nevada316 mi (509 km)
Cottonwood Island, Nevada
Cottonwood Valley		339 mi (546 km)
Quartette, Nevada, 1900-1906342 mi (550 km)
Murphyville, Arizona Territory, 1891353 mi (568 km)
Eldorado Canyon, Nevada, 1857-1905
Colorado City, Nevada 1861-1905		365 mi (587 km)
Explorer’s Rock, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Mouth, Arizona/Nevada369 mi (594 km)
Roaring Rapids, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona/Nevada375 mi (604 km)
Ringbolt Rapids, Black Canyon of the Colorado, Arizona/Nevada387 mi (623 km)
Fortification Rock, Nevada
High Water Head of Navigation, 1858-1866		400 mi (640 km)
Las Vegas Wash, Nevada402 mi (647 km)
Callville, Nevada, 1864-1869
High Water Head of Navigation 1866-78		408 mi (657 km)
Boulder Canyon, Mouth, Arizona/Nevada409 mi (658 km)
Stone’s Ferry, Nevada 1866-1876438 mi (705 km)
Virgin River, Nevada440 mi (710 km)
Bonelli’s Ferry, 1876-1935
Rioville, Nevada 1869-1906
High Water Head of Navigation from 1879 to 1887		440 mi (710 km
Soruce: Wikipedia

Colorado River Steamship Landings

Steamboats on the Colorado River

Gila Steamboat at the Yuma Crossing Arizona, 1873.
Gila Steamboat at the Yuma Crossing Arizona, 1873.
NameTypeTonsLengthBeamLaunchedDisposition
Black EagleScrew40 feet6 feetGreen River, Utah
June 1907		Exploded 1907
Charles H. SpencerStern92.5 feet25 feetWarm Creek, Arizona
February 1912		Abandoned
Spring 1912
Cliff DwellerStern70 feet20 feetHalverson’s Utah
November 1905		To Salt Lake
April 1907
CochanStern234135 feet31 feetYuma, Arizona
November 1899		Dismantled
Spring 1910
Cocopah IStern140 feet29 feetGridiron, Mexico
August 1859		Dismantled
1867
Cocopah IIStern231147.5 feet28 feetYuma, Arizona
March 1867		Dismantled
1881
Colorado IStern120 feetEstuary, Mexico
December 1855		Dismantled
August 1862
Colorado IIStern179145 feet29 feetYuma, Arizona
May 1862		Dismantled
August 1882
CometStern60 feet20 feetGreen River, Wyoming
July 1908		Abandoned
1908
EsmeraldaStern93 feet13 feetRobinson’s, Mexico
December 1857		Dismantled
1868
General JesupSide104 feet17 feetEstuary, Mexico
January, 1864		Engine Removed
1858
General RosalesSternYuma, Arizona
July 1878		Dismantled
1859
GilaStern236149 feet31 feetPort Isabel, Mexico
January 1873		Rebuilt as Cochan
1889
Major PowellScrew35 feet8 feetGreen River, Utah
August 1891		Dismantled
1894
Mohave IStern193135 feet28 feetEstuary, Mexico
May 1864		Dismantled
1875
Mohave IIStern188149.5 feet31.5 feetPort Isabel, Mexico
February 1876		Dismantled
Jan 1900
Nina TildenStern12097 feet22 feetSan Francisco, California
July 1864		Wrecked
September 1874
RettaStern36 feet6 feetYuma, Arizona
1900		Sunk
Feburary, 1905
St. VallierStern9274 feet17 feetNeedles, California
Early 1899		Sunk
March 1909
San JorgeScrew38 feet9 feetYuma, Arizona
June 1901		To Gulf
July 1901
SearchlightStern9891 feet18feetNeedles, California
December 1902		Lost
October 1916
Uncle SamSide4065 feet16 feetEstuary, Mexico
November 1852		Sunk
May 1853
UndineStern60 feet10 feetGreen River, Utah
November 1901		Wrecked
May 1902
Steamboats on the Colorado River 1852-1916 – Appendix A

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The Amargosa Opera House

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Recently, on a whim, my wife and I loaded up the jeep and opt to just explore the desert West of our home town of Las Vegas and ended up at the Amargosa Opera House. Our original idea was to drive to the winery’s in Pahrump, Nevada. After the winery our plan was to drive up to the townsite of Johnnie, Nevada. The best laid plans were for not. We discovered that the mines of Johnnie, Nevada are located on private property.

The Arargosa Opera House is located in Death Valley Junction, California.
The Arargosa Opera House is located in Death Valley Junction, California.

Honoring the wishes of the Johnnie mine site property owners, we opted to do some exploring. We headed easy through the small town of Crystal, Nevada and drove past the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The AMNWR was closed, as the result of, a Government Shutdown.

As our wandering journey continued, we opted to travel South and soon discovered the small desert haven of Death Valley Junction and the world famous Amargosa Opera House.

Death Valley Junction was founded as the town of Amargosa. The town was founded at the intersection of SR 190 and SR 127 just East of Death Valley. Founded in 1907 when the Tonopay and Tidewater railroads ventured into Amargosa Valley.

Origins as a Borax Company Town (Early 20th Century)

The story begins not with ballet slippers but with 20-mule teams and the quest for borax. In the early 1900s, the Pacific Coast Borax Company sought to exploit rich deposits in Death Valley. The Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad reached the area in 1907, establishing a settlement originally called Amargosa (Spanish for “bitter,” referencing the local water). By the 1920s, the company constructed a U-shaped complex of adobe buildings in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, designed by architect Alexander Hamilton McCulloch. Completed between 1923 and 1925, it included offices, employee dormitories, a hotel, store, and a community hall known as Corkhill Hall. This hall hosted everything from church services and town meetings to dances, movies, funerals, and recreational events for the roughly 300 residents.

The town peaked in the 1920s and 1930s, supporting the nearby Lila C. Mine and the Death Valley Railroad, a narrow-gauge line that hauled borax until the early 1940s. World War II damaged the tracks, mining shifted elsewhere, and by 1950, Death Valley Junction had devolved into a near-ghost town—abandoned buildings crumbling under relentless sun, with only dust devils for company.

The Arrival of Marta Becket and Rebirth (1967–1970s)

Fate—or a flat tire—intervened in March 1967. Marta Becket (born Martha Beckett in 1924 in New York City), a classically trained dancer, actress, choreographer, and painter who had performed on Broadway, at Radio City Music Hall, and in touring shows, was camping with her husband Tom Williams when their trailer blew a tire near Death Valley Junction. While it was repaired, Becket explored the derelict town. Peering through a keyhole in the door of Corkhill Hall, she felt the building “speak” to her: a vast, ruined space with a stage, flooded floors, and rodent-infested benches, but brimming with potential.

Enchanted, Becket rented the hall for $45 a month and a dollar down. She and her husband leveled the floor, repaired the roof, and extended the stage. On February 10, 1968, she gave her inaugural performance—a one-woman show of dance, mime, and music—to an audience of just 12 locals on a rainy night. She renamed the venue the Amargosa Opera House, performed weekends without fail, and began restoring the adjacent hotel.

Sparse crowds frustrated her until inspiration struck: she would create her own audience. From 1968 to 1972, working on scaffolding in scorching heat, Becket painted vibrant Renaissance-style murals covering the walls and ceiling—a perpetual crowd of 16th-century nobles, jesters, nuns, kings, queens, and courtesans in opulent attire, gazing eternally at the stage. The ceiling became a trompe-l’œil balcony of revelers. This “painted audience” ensured she was never truly alone.

A 1970 National Geographic article, followed by features in Life magazine, brought fame. Visitors trickled, then poured in from around the world, drawn to this oasis of whimsy in the desert’s void.

The Amargosa Opera House features original hand painted murals by Marta Becket.
The Amargosa Opera House features original hand painted murals by Marta Becket.

Peak Years and Legacy Building (1970s–2017)

In 1974, Becket completed the murals and founded the nonprofit Amargosa Opera House, Inc. With support from friends and the Trust for Public Land, the organization purchased the entire town of Death Valley Junction. On December 10, 1981, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Proper theater seats arrived in 1983, replacing garden chairs.

Becket performed relentlessly—often solo, later with partners like handyman Tom Willett (her comic foil until his 2005 death)—choreographing original ballets and pantomimes. Her shows ran Friday, Saturday, and Monday nights, drawing busloads during peak seasons. She lived simply in a shack behind the opera house, surrounded by cats, burros, peacocks, and the desert’s silence.

The 2000 documentary Amargosa, directed by Todd Robinson, cemented her legend. Becket retired from regular performances after the 2008–2009 season but returned sporadically until her final show on February 12, 2012. She continued painting and overseeing the venue until her death on January 30, 2017, at age 92.

Successors like ballerina Jenna McClintock (inspired as a child visitor and resident performer until 2016) carried the torch briefly, but the focus shifted to preserving Becket’s vision.

Current Status (As of November 20, 2025)

Marta Becket, 87, performed her final show at the Amargosa Opera House at Death Valley Junction on February 12th, 2012. She happened upon the abandoned headquarters for the Pacific Coast Borax Works in 1967 and, as a professional dancer, adopted the community hall and has been residing on the property and giving performances since. A real Death Valley original. Rick Cooper, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Marta Becket, 87, performed her final show at the Amargosa Opera House at Death Valley Junction on February 12th, 2012. She happened upon the abandoned headquarters for the Pacific Coast Borax Works in 1967 and, as a professional dancer, adopted the community hall and has been residing on the property and giving performances since. A real Death Valley original. Rick Cooper, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Death Valley Junction remains a near-ghost town—population under 10, no gas stations, no grocery stores, and vast emptiness punctuated by derelict borax-era ruins. Yet the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel endures as a nonprofit-run cultural beacon, owned and operated by Amargosa Opera House, Inc.

The 23-room hotel is open year-round, offering basic, historic accommodations (no TVs, but WiFi and air conditioning) to travelers seeking quirky desert lodging. The adjacent Amargosa Cafe, once a staple, remains closed following prior operational pauses.

The Opera House itself faces challenges from the desert’s extremes. Severe monsoon floods in August 2025 damaged the historic adobe walls, lobby, rooms, and irreplaceable murals, with water inundating the complex. Reserves depleted, the nonprofit launched urgent fundraising campaigns, raising over $18,000 by October 2025 toward a $50,000 goal for floor repairs, roof work, flood mitigation, utilities, insurance, and payroll. As of mid-November 2025, tours—normally daily at 9 AM and often evenings—were suspended, with resumption announced for November 2, 2025 (adults $20, children $10).

Performances are limited or on hiatus during recovery, though the venue occasionally hosts traveling musicians, theater, spoken word, and special events (check amargosaoperahouse.org for schedules). The murals—vibrant depictions of Becket’s imaginary patrons—remain the star attraction, a testament to one woman’s defiance of isolation.

Despite hardships, the Amargosa persists as a symbol of artistic resilience. Visitors describe it as a “miracle in the desert,” where the air still hums with Marta Becket’s spirit—whirling like the dust devils she loved to paint. In an era of fleeting digital spectacles, this hand-built theater reminds us that true creation can bloom anywhere, even in the bitter heart of nowhere. For the latest updates, visit the official site or contribute to preservation efforts.