Tag: San Bernardino

San Bernardino County, located in Southern California, is renowned for its vast expanses of diverse landscapes ranging from rugged mountains to expansive deserts. Home to both bustling urban centers like Apple Valley and Barstow as well as serene natural wonders such as Joshua Tree National Park and the San Bernardino National Forest, the county offers a blend of urban convenience and outdoor adventure. Its economy is diverse, encompassing industries like logistics, healthcare, and tourism, buoyed by its strategic location between Los Angeles and the rest of the Inland Empire. With a rich history dating back to the days of Spanish missions and a vibrant cultural tapestry woven from its diverse population.

Ryan California – Inyo County Ghosttown

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Perched precariously on the steep eastern flanks of the Amargosa Range at an elevation of 3,045 feet (928 meters), Ryan, California—once a thriving borax mining outpost—clings to the rugged edge of Death Valley National Park like a faded photograph from the early 20th century. This unincorporated community in Inyo County, just 8 miles northeast of Dante’s View and 15 miles southeast of Furnace Creek, embodies the stark contrasts of the American desert frontier: blistering heat by day, bone-chilling nights, and the relentless pursuit of mineral wealth amid isolation. Founded as a company town by the Pacific Coast Borax Company in 1914, Ryan served as the nerve center for extracting the “white gold” of the Mojave, fueling industries from glassmaking to detergents. Today, as a meticulously preserved ghost town under private stewardship, it offers a rare, unvarnished glimpse into the lives of borax miners and the pivot to tourism that briefly extended its lifespan. Though closed to casual visitors, Ryan’s 2025 designation on the National Register of Historic Places underscores its enduring significance as a cultural relic of industrial ambition and human resilience in one of North America’s harshest landscapes.

Postcard showing a panoramic view of Ryan, a mining camp in the Death Valley, California, ca.1920 - Photo Credit “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.
Postcard showing a panoramic view of Ryan, a mining camp in the Death Valley, California, ca.1920 – Photo Credit “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.

Early Prospecting and Settlement (1880s–1913)

The saga of Ryan unfolds against the backdrop of Death Valley’s borax boom, a chapter in the broader narrative of California’s mineral rushes that followed the silver frenzies of the Comstock Lode. Borax, a sodium borate compound essential for soap, ceramics, and fireproofing, was first discovered in the region in 1872 near Furnace Creek. By 1882, prospector Isadore Daixel had staked claims in the Funeral Mountains, identifying rich deposits of colemanite—a hydrated calcium borate—at what would become the Lila C Mine. Named after Lila C. Coleman, daughter of borax magnate William Tell Coleman, the Lila C site emerged as a modest camp by the early 1900s, drawing hardy laborers to its sun-scorched slopes where temperatures routinely exceeded 120°F (49°C) and water was hauled in by mule teams.

In 1907, the Pacific Coast Borax Company (PCB), under the visionary leadership of figures like Stephen Mather (later the first director of the National Park Service), formalized operations. A post office opened that year at Lila C, marking the camp’s transition from tent city to semblance of permanence. Miners, a mix of American, Mexican, and European immigrants, toiled in hand-dug adits, extracting colemanite via shallow pits and rudimentary ore chutes. The air hummed with the clatter of picks and the lowing of burros, while sagebrush-dotted arroyos carried faint echoes of multilingual banter around campfires fueled by creosote branches. Yet, the site’s remoteness—over 100 miles from the nearest railhead at Ludlow—hampered efficiency, prompting PCB to envision a more ambitious hub.

Boomtown Ascendancy and Industrial Might (1914–1927)

The year 1914 heralded Ryan’s explosive rebirth. To streamline logistics, PCB relocated operations 11 miles northwest of Lila C, constructing a new camp initially dubbed “Devar” (an acronym for Death Valley Railroad, later mangled to “Devair” on maps). Renamed Ryan in tribute to John Ryan (1849–1918), the company’s steadfast general manager who oversaw its expansion from San Francisco’s borax refineries to the Mojave’s veins, the site burgeoned into a model company town. By 1916, it boasted 54 buildings: bunkhouses for 300 workers, a two-story hospital with steam heat, a schoolhouse for the children of miners, a post office-cum-general store stocked with canned goods and patent medicines, assay offices, machine shops, and a recreation hall—originally a church shipped intact from the ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada, in 1919.

At its core pulsed the mining infrastructure: the Lila C Mine, joined by the Jumbo, Biddy, and Widow complexes, yielded thousands of tons of colemanite annually, processed via a web of aerial tramways that whisked ore 1,000 feet down the canyon to loading platforms. The “Baby Gauge,” a narrow-gauge mine railroad snaking south from Ryan, shuttled loaded skips, while the full Death Valley Railroad—PCB’s 3-foot-gauge marvel—linked Ryan to the borax works at Death Valley Junction 20 miles east, ferrying passengers and freight through tunnel-pocked canyons. Electricity from a hydroelectric plant at Navel Spring illuminated the nights, refrigeration preserved perishables, and a tennis court hinted at leisure amid the grind. Population swelled to around 2,000 at peak, a polyglot mosaic where Cornish pumpmen rubbed shoulders with Mexican muleteers, all sustained by PCB’s paternalistic ethos of fair wages, medical care, and communal suppers under star-pricked skies. Ryan’s streets, graded dirt ribbons flanked by adobe and frame structures, thrummed with the rhythm of shift changes, the whistle of locomotives, and the distant rumble of ore cars—a desert symphony of progress.

Photograph of the "Baby Gauge" (aka "Baby Gage") mine train at the mining camp of Ryan, Death Valley, ca.1900-1950. A car with one headlight can be seen at center on tracks pulling a platform with four benches upon it. Someone can be seen driving the car, while four men and women sit on the benches. A small wooden shack with a portion of the roof missing can be seen behind the platform, while a ladder, wooden planks, and more tracks are visible at left. A valley and mountains can be seen in the background. - “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.
Photograph of the “Baby Gauge” (aka “Baby Gage”) mine train at the mining camp of Ryan, Death Valley, ca.1900-1950. A car with one headlight can be seen at center on tracks pulling a platform with four benches upon it. Someone can be seen driving the car, while four men and women sit on the benches. A small wooden shack with a portion of the roof missing can be seen behind the platform, while a ladder, wooden planks, and more tracks are visible at left. A valley and mountains can be seen in the background. – “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.

Decline and Reinvention (1928–1950s)

As with many Mojave outposts, Ryan’s fortunes waned with depleting veins and shifting markets. By 1927, high-grade colemanite reserves dwindled, and PCB shuttered the mines in 1928, idling the tramways and silencing the Baby Gauge. Undeterred, the company pivoted to tourism, rebranding Ryan as the Death Valley View Hotel in 1927—a plush resort with 20 guest rooms, a dining hall, and scenic overlooks drawing Hollywood elites and Eastern sightseers via the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. The Death Valley Railroad extended its life, offering excursion trains into the ghost mines until its decommissioning in 1930 amid the Great Depression’s grip.

The hotel limped on as overflow lodging for Furnace Creek’s inns through the 1940s, hosting episodes of Death Valley Days radio broadcasts and even serving as a Cold War fallout shelter in the 1950s. Yet, by the mid-1950s, patronage faded, leaving Ryan in caretaker status: a skeletal ensemble of weathered bunkhouses and rusting rail sidings, patrolled by lone watchmen amid encroaching creosote and jackrabbits. The 1933 creation of Death Valley National Monument (upgraded to national park in 1994) encircled but spared the private enclave, preserving its isolation.

Current Status (As of November 2025)

In a twist of serendipitous stewardship, Ryan’s nadir became its salvation. After decades under U.S. Borax (formed by PCB’s 1956 merger) and subsequent owner Rio Tinto (acquired 1967), the site was donated to the newly formed Death Valley Conservancy (DVC) on May 6, 2013—complete with 640 acres, 22 buildings, 16 archaeological sites, and mineral rights, bolstered by endowments for upkeep. This act, championed by Rio Tinto’s Preston Chiaro and spurred by National Park Service overtures since 2005, averted decay and positioned Ryan as a living laboratory for preservation.

Today, Ryan stands as one of the West’s best-preserved mining camps, its adobe walls and timber frames stabilized per the Secretary of the Interior’s standards. The Ryan Rec Hall’s multi-year restoration, ongoing since 2019, exemplifies efforts to blend education with conservation, supporting research in archaeology, industrial history, and desert ecology. The Ryan Historic District—encompassing rail remnants, mine complexes, and trails—was nominated in 2024 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 27, 2025, honoring its multifaceted legacy from borax extraction to mid-century media outpost.

Public access remains tightly controlled for safety—unstable shafts and seismic risks abound—with no roads or services on-site. Visitors must enter a lottery for guided tours via the DVC website, typically limited to small groups exploring the schoolhouse’s chalk-scarred blackboards or the hotel’s faded lobby. Recent 2025 initiatives include enhanced water harvesting at Navel Spring and interpretive signage, while social media whispers of drone-captured sunsets over the bunkhouses fuel #DeathValleyGhostTown fervor. Amid Death Valley’s 2025 tourism surge—bolstered by cooler monsoons—Ryan endures not as a relic, but a resilient echo: where the wind through abandoned tram towers carries the ghosts of gandy dancers and the promise of rediscovery for those who draw the tour ticket. For bookings and updates, consult the Death Valley Conservancy at dvconservancy.org.

Town Summary

NameRyan California
Also Known AsColemanite,
Devair,
New Ryan
LocationDeath Valley National Park, San Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude36.3213, -116.6697
Elevation928 meters / 3045 feet
GNIS1661348

Ryan Town Map

References

Hart California – San Bernardino County Ghosttown

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Hart, California, was a fleeting gold mining settlement in the remote northeastern corner of San Bernardino County, nestled in the Mojave Desert on the northeastern edge of Lanfair Valley, near the New York Mountains and close to the Nevada border. Today, the site lies within the boundaries of Castle Mountains National Monument, a protected area proclaimed in 2016 to preserve its unique desert landscape, biodiversity, and historical resources. The town, often referred to simply as Hart (or sometimes associated with the broader Hart Mining District, also known as the Castle Mountain District), exemplifies the classic “boom-and-bust” cycle of early 20th-century desert mining communities in Southern California.

View of Hart, California in 1908, looking northwest
View of Hart, California in 1908, looking northwest

Discovery and Boom (1907–1909)

The story of Hart began in December 1907, when prospectors Jim Hart (after whom the town was named) and brothers Bert and Clark Hitt discovered rich gold deposits in the rugged Castle Mountains. News of the strike spread rapidly during the waning years of the California Gold Rush era’s tail end, attracting hundreds of fortune-seekers to this isolated region. By early 1908, a tent camp had sprung up around the original claim, quickly evolving into a structured townsite.

The settlement grew explosively. Within months, Hart boasted a population that swelled to around 1,500 residents at its peak in the summer of 1908. Infrastructure developed hastily to support the influx: a post office opened, a weekly newspaper called the Enterprise was published (1908–1909), telephone and telegraph lines connected the town to nearby Barnwell, and a water pipeline was laid. The nearest railroad siding was at Hitt, about 3.5 miles away, facilitating supplies and ore transport.

Hart’s commercial district reflected the rowdy, opportunistic spirit of mining camps. Amenities included:

  • Hotels such as the Norton House, Martin House, and the cheaper Star rooming house (a flophouse for transient workers).
  • Two general stores (one being Hart-Gosney), a bakery, candy store, real-estate office, book and cigar store, and two lumberyards.
  • Eight saloons with colorful names like Hart and Hitt, Arlington Club, Honest John, Oro Belle, and Northern Bar.
  • A brothel, a miners’ union hall, and even a voting precinct and justice-court township.

The primary mines driving this prosperity were the Oro Belle (the original Hart-Hitt claim, sold in 1908 for $100,000 to the Oro Belle Mining Company of Duluth, Minnesota) and the Big Chief (formerly Jumbo), both operated by interests tied to the Hart brothers. A 10-stamp mill was constructed at the Big Chief to process ore. High-grade gold pockets yielded impressive early returns, fueling speculation and drawing investors.

The Northern Club, downtown Hart, California in 1908
The Northern Club, downtown Hart, California in 1908

Decline and Abandonment (1909–1918)

Despite the initial frenzy, Hart’s riches proved illusory. The gold deposits were in small, erratic pockets within silicified breccia zones hosted in Tertiary-age rhyolite and tuff, rather than large, consistent veins. By late 1909, production plummeted as easily accessible high-grade ore was exhausted. Most surrounding claims followed suit, yielding little profit. The Oro Belle Mine, the town’s flagship operation, never turned a substantial profit and ceased major activity around 1915, with final shutdown in 1918.

As mines closed, residents departed en masse for more promising strikes elsewhere. By the mid-1910s, Hart was largely deserted, joining the ranks of California’s many ghost towns. The post office closed, businesses shuttered, and structures fell into disrepair amid the harsh desert environment.

Current Status

Today, Hart is a true ghost town with no permanent inhabitants or active structures from its boom era. The townsite itself has been heavily impacted by later mining: in the 1990s, the area hosted the modern open-pit Castle Mountain Mine (operated by Viceroy Resources), a large-scale heap-leach gold operation that disturbed much of the historic footprint. Remnants of the original town—foundations, scattered artifacts, and mine workings—are faint or overwritten.

The entire area, including the Hart townsite and Castle Mountains, was incorporated into Castle Mountains National Monument in 2016, managed by the National Park Service within the Mojave National Preserve ecosystem. Access is limited to dirt roads (such as Hart Mine Road), requiring high-clearance vehicles, and the monument emphasizes preservation of natural and cultural resources. A historical marker, erected in 1984 by E Clampus Vitus chapters and the Bureau of Land Management, stands near the site (coordinates approximately 35°17.047’N, 115°6.883’W), commemorating the 1907 discovery and the town’s brief existence.

Visitors occasionally explore the remote area for off-roading, hiking, or historical interest, but it remains desolate—windswept desert terrain dotted with Joshua trees, creosote bushes, and distant views toward Nevada. No commercial facilities exist nearby (the closest services are in Nipton or Searchlight, Nevada). The monument’s protected status prohibits new mining or development, ensuring Hart’s legacy as a quiet relic of California’s gold-seeking past endures in one of the most isolated corners of San Bernardino County.

Ghost Town Summary

NameHart, California
LocationSan Bernardino County, California
Latitude, Longitude35.2888, -115.1033
Elevation1393 meters / 4570 feet
Population
GNIS1660728

Hart Ghost Map

References

The Battle of Wingate Pass – February 26, 1906

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The Battle of Wingate pass as reports by Los Angeles herald (Los Angeles [Calif.]), March 21, 1906
The Battle of Wingate pass as reports by Los Angeles herald (Los Angeles [Calif.]), March 21, 1906

The so-called “Battle” of Wingate Pass, which occurred on February 26, 1906, in the rugged terrain of Death Valley, California, was not a genuine conflict but a staged hoax orchestrated by the infamous con artist Walter Edward Perry Scott, better known as “Death Valley Scotty.” This incident stemmed from Scotty’s elaborate schemes to defraud investors by promoting nonexistent gold mines in the desert. What followed the event was a chaotic sequence of retreats, media scrutiny, arrests, lawsuits, and jurisdictional disputes that exposed the fraud and led to short-lived legal repercussions. Below is a detailed chronological account of the events leading up to the “battle,” the incident itself, and the immediate aftermath, with a focus on the court actions that unfolded in the weeks and months following.

Background on Death Valley Scotty

Walter Scott (1872 - 1954)
Walter Scott (1872 – 1954)

Walter Edward Perry Scott (1872–1954), famously dubbed “Death Valley Scotty,” was born in Cynthiana, Kentucky, and rose to prominence as one of the American West’s most colorful con artists. Scotty began his career as a performer in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in the 1890s, where he honed his skills in showmanship and tall tales. By the early 1900s, he had relocated to California and began promoting himself as a wealthy gold prospector with secret mines in Death Valley, often flashing rolls of cash (later revealed to be “upholstered” with newspaper) to lure investors. His schemes involved “grubstakers”—investors who funded his expeditions in exchange for shares in supposed riches. Scotty’s charisma and exaggerated stories attracted figures like Chicago businessmen Albert M. Johnson and Edward A. Shedd, who invested $2,500 for a two-thirds stake in his fictional mine. However, as investors demanded proof, Scotty’s deceptions escalated, leading to elaborate hoaxes to maintain the illusion. His persona became synonymous with Death Valley, and he later lived at the opulent Scotty’s Castle (built by Johnson), perpetuating myths of hidden wealth until his death.

Events Leading Up to the “Battle”

Newspaper cartoon of "Death Valley Scotty", around 1905
Newspaper cartoon of “Death Valley Scotty”, around 1905

By early 1906, Scotty’s investors were growing suspicious. New England mining promoter A.Y. Pearl had introduced Scotty to Eastern bankers and businessmen eager to inspect his claimed gold properties in Death Valley. They insisted on an evaluation by Daniel E. Owen, a reputable Boston mining engineer based in Nevada. Fearing exposure—since Scotty had no real mine—he persuaded his associate Bill Keys (a prospector and half-Cherokee Indian) to allow the group to view Keys’ modest Desert Hound Mine as a stand-in. Still anxious that Owen would deem it unworthy, Scotty hatched a plan for a staged ambush to make the area seem too dangerous for further exploration.

On February 23, 1906, the party departed from Daggett, California, equipped with two wagons, mules, horses, provisions, and whiskey. The group included Scotty, Owen, Pearl, Albert M. Johnson (president of the National Life Insurance Company of Chicago), Scotty’s brothers Bill and Warner Scott, Bill Keys, A.W. DeLyle St. Clair (a Los Angeles miner), and Jack Brody (a local desert character). Keys and Brody were sent ahead to prepare the ambush, possibly with help from an Indian named Bob Belt. The party camped at Granite Wells on February 24 and proceeded toward Lone Willow Spring the next day, leaving Bill Scott behind to guard extra animals.

Description of the “Battle”

The hoax unfolded on February 25, 1906, as the group approached Wingate Pass near Dry Lake. Shots rang out from behind stone breastworks (five of which still exist today as historical remnants), simulating an attack by claim jumpers or bandits. An ex-deputy sheriff from Goldfield, Nevada, reported being ambushed earlier, causing his pack train to stampede, adding to the chaos. Scotty fired two warning shots, startling the mules and tipping Owen from his wagon. Then, a rifle shot from the hidden assailants struck Warner Scott in the groin, an accidental injury likely due to the ambushers’ drunkenness (possibly Bob Belt). Scotty galloped toward the “attackers,” yelling for them to stop, which inadvertently exposed the ruse to the suspicious Owen.

The “battle” was brief and one-sided, with no return fire from the party. Panic ensued, and the group retreated hastily to Daggett, abandoning provisions in the desert. Warner was rushed to Los Angeles for medical treatment, where he survived after surgery. The staged nature became evident through Scotty’s over-the-top reaction and the lack of pursuit by the “ambushers.” The event involved real bullets, turning a planned scare tactic into a near-tragedy due to poor execution.

Death Valley Scotty and the Johnsons
Death Valley Scotty and the Johnsons

Immediate Events Following the “Battle” (Late February to March 1906)

The group’s return to civilization sparked immediate chaos. Los Angeles newspapers sensationalized the story, with Pearl initially claiming it was a genuine fight against four outlaws who were “claim jumpers” guarding Scotty’s mine. However, Owen, suspecting foul play, reported the true details to the San Bernardino County sheriff and the press, asserting that Scotty had orchestrated the ambush in an attempt to kill him and cover up the fraud. This led to a public unraveling of the hoax, as investors like Johnson realized they had been duped—though Johnson would later reconcile with Scotty and fund the construction of Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley.

The sheriff’s investigation uncovered incriminating evidence: abandoned provisions at Scotty’s “Camp Holdout” and a witness statement from the Nevada lawman who spotted Keys fleeing the scene. Media coverage intensified, portraying Scotty as a swindler and the “battle” as a farce. Scotty, ever the showman, initially denied involvement but soon faced mounting pressure.

Court Actions and Legal Proceedings (March to April 1906)

The legal fallout began swiftly. On March 14, 1906, just over two weeks after the incident, the San Bernardino County District Attorney issued arrest warrants for Scotty, Bill Keys, and Jack Brody on charges of assault with a deadly weapon. Scotty was arrested in Seattle on March 24 and released on $500 bail. He was rearrested two days later on March 26 but again released. On April 7, Scotty pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault in San Bernardino County Court and was freed on $2,000 bail.

Meanwhile, Warner Scott, seeking compensation for his injury, filed a civil lawsuit on or around April 1906 in Los Angeles County Court against Walter Scott, Bill Scott, Bill Keys, A.Y. Pearl, and a “John Doe” (likely Brody or another accomplice). The suit demanded $152,000 in damages for his wounds and related suffering.

Keys was apprehended on April 10 at Ballarat, a mining camp near Death Valley, and pleaded not guilty before being jailed in San Bernardino. On April 13, Scotty, Pearl, and Bill Scott were arrested once more and briefly jailed in San Bernardino. However, they were released the next day after a successful habeas corpus petition challenged their detention.

The cases collapsed on April 27, 1906, when all criminal charges were dismissed by the San Bernardino County Court due to a jurisdictional error: the “battle” had occurred in Inyo County, not San Bernardino County. Inyo County authorities declined to pursue the matter, possibly due to lack of evidence or interest. Scotty later boasted that he had moved a county boundary marker to create this confusion, though this claim remains unverified.

Warner eventually agreed to drop his damage suit on the condition that Scotty pay over $1,000 in medical bills owed to Dr. C.W. Lawton in Los Angeles. Scotty consented but never paid, leading to a default judgment against him—though he had no attachable assets at the time. This unresolved debt would resurface years later, culminating in Scotty’s 1912 contempt-of-court jailing and public confession to the hoax, but the immediate 1906 proceedings ended without convictions.

Broader Implications and Legacy

The “Battle” of Wingate Pass marked a turning point in Scotty’s career, exposing his deceptions to a wider audience and costing him most investors—except Johnson, who ironically became his lifelong patron. The event highlighted the lawlessness of the California desert frontier, where jurisdictional ambiguities often allowed scams to evade justice. While no one was ultimately prosecuted in 1906, the hoax cemented Scotty’s legend as a colorful charlatan, and Wingate Pass remains a footnote in Death Valley lore.

Participants of the Battle

Albert Mussey Johnson

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Walter Scott (1872 - 1954)

Walter Edward Perry Scott – “Death Valley Scotty”

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Warner Elmore Scott

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William F. Keys reenacts the scene of the fatal shooting of Worth Bagley - Photo NPS

William Franklin Keys

William Franklin Keys (September 27, 1879–1969) was a rugged American frontiersman, rancher, and miner who became a notable figure in the history of the Mojave…

Curtis Howe Springer

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Curtis Howe Springer was a charismatic radio evangelist and self-proclaimed doctor who founded the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort in California’s Mojave Desert, operating it as a fraudulent health retreat from 1944 until his eviction in 1974.

Early Live

Curtis Howe Springer
Curtis Howe Springer

Curtis Howe Springer was born on December 2, 1896, in Birmingham, Alabama, though verifiable details about his childhood remain scarce due to his propensity for fabricating personal history. Springer often embellished his background, claiming to have served as a boxing instructor during World War I, campaigned against alcohol alongside politician William Jennings Bryan, and worked at a school in Florida. He also asserted attendance at a college in Chicago and possession of multiple advanced degrees, including an M.D., Ph.D., and N.D., some purportedly from nonexistent institutions like the “Springer School of Humanism” or the fictitious “National Academy.” In reality, no records exist to confirm any formal education or medical training, marking the beginning of a lifelong pattern of deceit.

By the 1910s and 1920s, Springer had emerged as a prohibition crusader and self-proclaimed Methodist minister, despite lacking official ordination. He transitioned into roles as a radio evangelist and lecturer, blending Christian gospel with health and hygiene advice. During this period, he worked as an insurance salesman before fully embracing his persona as a “doctor” and promoter of dubious remedies.

Rise as a Radio Evangelist and Quack Practitioner

In the 1930s, Springer traveled extensively through the Midwest, delivering sermons and selling homemade elixirs and cure-alls, often without disclosing ingredients or efficacy. He positioned himself as “the last of the old-time medicine men,” hawking products like homeopathic treatments for hair loss, hemorrhoids, and other ailments in exchange for “donations” to his ministry. His charisma propelled him onto the radio waves, following in the footsteps of figures like Aimee Semple McPherson and Father Charles Coughlin. By the mid-1930s, he was broadcasting from Chicago, falsely presenting himself as a licensed physician and promoting “miracle cures” that promised to make listeners “internally, externally, and eternally clean.”

These claims drew scrutiny; a 1936 paper by the American Medical Association, titled “Nostrums and Quackery and Pseudo-Medicine,” debunked his practices. Undeterred, Springer relocated to Pittsburgh and continued his radio empire, eventually syndicating shows to over 300 stations in the U.S. and abroad at its peak. He emphasized Christian doctrine intertwined with physical fitness, mental alertness, and spiritual soundness, while selling products such as Antediluvian Desert Herb Tea, Acidine, Hollywood Pep Cocktail, Manna, O-M-R, RE-HIB, Zy-Crystals (containing Epsom salts and salt from Soda Dry Lake), Mo-Hair, and F-W-O. In the early 1940s, he retired to Los Angeles, where he sought a permanent base for his operations.

Establishment and Operations of Zzyzx in the Mojave Desert

In 1944, Springer discovered the remote site of Soda Springs (also known as Fort Soda Springs) in the Mojave Desert, about 200 miles east of Los Angeles. On September 13, 1944, he filed mining claims under the General Mining Act of 1872 for 12,800 acres of federal land, intending to “mine” salt crystals but with no genuine mining plans. He renamed the area Zzyzx (pronounced “zi-zex”), claiming it to be “the last word in health” to ensure it appeared last in alphabetical listings.

Springer transformed the barren desert into Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort, starting with tents and expanding through labor from homeless men recruited from Los Angeles’ Skid Row, whom he paid minimally with room, board, and promises of redemption. Facilities included a two-story hotel called “The Castle,” concrete cottages (“Zycott” housing), a dining hall, lecture room, chapel, library, office/recording studio, pool house, goat shed, diesel generator, subterranean rabbit chambers, an artificial lake named Lake Tuendae (falsely claimed to mean “where the waters come together” in Native American), and a private airstrip called “Zyport.” He installed diesel-powered boilers to heat the naturally cold mineral springs from the Mojave River, creating imitation hot springs for “healing” soaks.

The resort operated as a Christian health retreat for nearly 30 years (1944–1974), accommodating over 100 guests nightly. Visitors followed a regimen of detoxification, special diets (including on-site-grown rabbit meat, goat’s milk, fruits, and vegetables), abstention from alcohol, smoking, and quarreling, sunshine exposure, and daily sermons. Springer promoted it via his radio broadcasts, newspaper ads, a newsletter called The Elucidator, and a free shuttle service using buses and an eight-door Chevrolet from Los Angeles. Fees were on a sliding scale, with no one turned away for lack of funds, though large donors received land parcels—a practice that later proved illegal. He dubbed the main road “Boulevard of Dreams” and erected eye-catching signage along the highway. At its height in the 1950s and 1960s, Zzyzx was a bustling oasis, blending snake oil sales with salvation.

Legal Battles, Eviction, and Downfall

Springer’s empire unraveled in the late 1960s amid complaints from dissatisfied customers. In 1968, he was arrested by the California Department of Public Health on 65 counts of false advertising and misrepresentation, pleading guilty to eight counts of false advertisement and mislabeling. The American Medical Association condemned him as the “King of Quacks” in 1969, leading to a conviction, fine, and 60-day jail sentence.

Concurrently, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) investigated his land use, suing in 1967 for $34,187 in damages and back rent, deeming him a squatter for failing to conduct actual mining. His sale of land parcels to donors violated federal terms. On April 11, 1974, U.S. District Judge Francis C. Whelan ordered his eviction, granting just 36 hours to vacate. Springer fought the decision but lost, marking the end of his 30-year desert venture.

Later Life and Legacy

Following eviction, Springer retired to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he continued advocating for Zzyzx through writings, including a 1984 editorial titled “The Legal Rape of Zzyzx” in the Baker Valley News. He died on August 19, 1985, at age 88, never regaining his desert domain. (Note: Some sources list his death as January 19, but August aligns with verified records.)

Zzyzx was nearly demolished but was repurposed in 1976 as the Desert Studies Center, a research outpost for California State University campuses, focusing on ecology, climate change, dune formation, endangered species like the Mohave tui chub, and even Mars rover testing by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Today, remnants of Springer’s era—abandoned buildings, signage, and the Boulevard of Dreams—serve as historical curiosities in this now-academic haven, underscoring his legacy as a masterful con artist who turned public land into a profitable mirage.

William Franklin Keys

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William Franklin Keys (September 27, 1879–1969) was a rugged American frontiersman, rancher, and miner who became a notable figure in the history of the Mojave Desert, particularly in what is now Joshua Tree National Park, California.

William F. Keys reenacts the scene of the fatal shooting of Worth Bagley - Photo NPS
William F. Keys reenacts the scene of the fatal shooting of Worth Bagley – Photo NPS

Early Life and Background

William Franklin Keys was born on September 27, 1879, in Palisade, Nebraska, to parents of Russian descent. In the early 1890s, his family relocated to Nebraska, where a young Bill began his journey into a rugged, self-reliant life. At age 15, he left home to work as a ranch hand, smelter worker, and miner, honing skills that would define his later years. His early adventures took him to Arizona, where he served as a deputy sheriff in Mohave County, and to Death Valley, where he befriended the colorful prospector Walter “Death Valley Scotty” Scott. Their association led to involvement in the infamous “Battle of Wingate Pass,” a swindle that added to Keys’ reputation as a tough frontiersman. By 1910, Keys arrived in the Twentynine Palms area of California, drawn to the harsh yet promising Mojave Desert.

Life in the Mojave Desert

In 1910, Keys took a job as custodian and assayer at the Desert Queen Mine in what is now Joshua Tree National Park. When the mine’s owner died, Keys was granted ownership of the mine as payment for back wages. In 1917, he filed for an 80-acre homestead under the Homestead Act, establishing the Desert Queen Ranch. He married Frances May Lawton in 1918, and together they raised seven children, three of whom tragically died in childhood and were buried on the ranch. The couple built a self-sufficient life, constructing a ranch house, schoolhouse, store, sheds, a stamp mill, an orchard, and irrigation systems, including a cement dam and windmill. Keys supplemented ranching with mining, operating a stamp mill to process ore for other miners and digging for gold and gypsum. His resourcefulness made the Desert Queen Ranch a symbol of early desert settlement.

The Wall Street Mill Dispute and Shootout

On May 11, 1943, a long-simmering feud with neighbor Worth Bagley, a former Los Angeles deputy sheriff, culminated in a fatal confrontation near the Wall Street Mill in what is now Joshua Tree National Park. The dispute centered on a property line and Keys’ use of a road that crossed Bagley’s land. Bagley, resentful of Keys’ access to the road for hauling ore to his mill, had posted a threatening sign: “KEYS, THIS IS MY LAST WARNING. STAY OFF MY PROPERTY.” On that fateful day, Keys, aware of the serious nature of such threats in the untamed desert, stopped his car to assess the situation. According to Keys, Bagley ambushed him, firing first. In self-defense, Keys returned fire, fatally shooting Bagley. Hours later, Keys turned himself in to authorities in Twentynine Palms, claiming he acted to protect his life.

Trial and Imprisonment

Keys was charged with murder and faced a contentious trial. The desert community was divided, with some viewing Keys as a hardworking homesteader defending his rights, while others saw him as an aggressor in a property dispute. The court convicted him, and he was sentenced to ten years at San Quentin Prison. During his incarceration, Keys utilized the prison library to educate himself, maintaining his sharp mind, which had been honed by years of navigating the desert’s challenges. His time in prison was marked by resilience, as he adapted to confinement with the same determination that had sustained him in the harsh Mojave.

Exoneration and Later Life

Keys’ conviction sparked controversy, and his wife, Frances, sought help from Erle Stanley Gardner, the renowned author of the Perry Mason novels and a frequent visitor to Joshua Tree. Gardner, moved by Keys’ story and convinced of his innocence, took up the case through his “Court of Last Resort,” a project dedicated to overturning wrongful convictions. Gardner’s investigation highlighted inconsistencies in the trial and supported Keys’ self-defense claim. In 1950, Keys was paroled, and in 1956, he received a full pardon, largely due to Gardner’s efforts. After his release, Keys returned to the Desert Queen Ranch, where he lived quietly until his death in 1969. To mark the site of the 1943 shootout, Keys placed a stone inscribed, “Here is where Worth Bagley bit the dust at the hand of W.F. Keys, May 11, 1943.” The original stone, vandalized in 2014, is now preserved in the Joshua Tree National Park museum, with a metal replica at the site.

Legacy

Bill Keys’ life embodies the tenacity and resourcefulness of early desert settlers. His Desert Queen Ranch, now part of Joshua Tree National Park, is preserved as a historic site, with park rangers offering guided tours from October to May to share his story. The ranch, with its array of buildings and mining equipment, stands as a testament to Keys’ ability to thrive in an unforgiving environment. The 1943 shootout, while a tragic chapter, underscores the challenges of frontier life, where disputes over land and resources could escalate to deadly confrontations. Keys’ exoneration, facilitated by Erle Stanley Gardner, highlights his enduring fight for justice. Today, the dirt road where the shootout occurred is a tourist attraction, and Keys’ story remains a compelling part of the Mojave Desert’s history.

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