PC - Greetings from Death Valley
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A great "Greetings From" Linen postcard, circa late 1930s. Deco'd edge, bright colors "Greetings from Death Valley."
Read MoreThe Mojave Desert
“It’s alive and waiting for you. Ready to kill you if you go too far. The sun will get you, or the cold at night. A thousand ways the desert can kill”
The Mojave is a desert of wind, temperature extremes, Joshua Trees and solitude. When most people hear the word ‘desert,’ images of tumbleweeds, rattlesnakes and bleak desolation typically come to mind. In reality, the Mojave is anything but a wasteland. Amongst the sand and sagebrush lie many places of beauty and wonder, and of historic importance. Some are the result of time and the elements, some are the result of man and his efforts to live in the Mojave, both in recent and prehistoric times. Let’s go see what we can find.
Owens Lake
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Did you know that Owens Lake was once a 110-square-mile lake, estimated at being over 1,000,000 years old? Or that it used to have a vibrant ecosystem that supported expansive bird and plant habitats? I didn’t. I really didn’t even know for sure what that big hunk of dry lakebed was that I’d pass by while driving along Hwy 395. But this last time I was in the area, I stopped at an informative overlook and took some pictures. And the next day as I was driving to Death Valley from Lone Pine along 136, I turned off one of the roads that led down to the lake for to get a closer look.
Read MoreCoaldale, Nev
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It’s a little creepy exploring the abandoned buildings; there wasn’t much traffic on the highway and I pretty much had the place to myself (although there is a tale of a young man who was gunned down here in the 1950s, maybe his ghost is still looking for trouble). All of the buildings are badly damaged and filled with debris, and many have some interesting grafitti. Images of The Walking Dead may have flashed through my imagination as I explored and took pictures, but I won’t admit to it in public.
Read MoreSwansea, Cal
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Swansea, Cal. was founded in 1870 by James Brady, who had recently assumed operation of the Owens Lake Silver-Lead furnace and mill. Located on the eastern shore of Owens Lake, Swansea reportedly had a population of 2,200 at its peak. The main reason for its existence was to house workers from the nearby silver mining operations and those who were operating the smelting works.
Read MoreGrave of the Unknown Prospector, Cal
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I imagine there are probably hundreds of unmarked graves in the Mojave Desert, the final resting places of prospectors and others who traveled across the sands in search of their golden dreams.
Read MoreOld Homestead
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This old homestead is located on Hwy 247 just a short distance north of Lucerne Valley. I had just tracked down the King Clone Creosote and was on my way to Barstow when I spotted someone taking pictures of several abandoned buildings on the opposite side of the road. This place called to me and I had to stop to take some pictures. Something draws me to these places and I often wonder what stories the old places could tell.
Read MoreNevada Test Site
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I was in Nevada, driving south on I-95, probably about an hour north of Las Vegas, when I passed one of those big Nevada State Historic Signs. I caught the words “test site” as I was speeding by and when I realized what it was referring to, I headed back to get a closer look.
Read MoreRoute 58 Stone Ruins
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I was driving west on Route 58, out of Barstow, heading to I-395 and points north. My first stop of the day was going to be the abandoned Boron Air Force Station/Federal Prison Camp located a few miles north of Kramer Junction. As I'm speeding along, eating a cookie, I spot some old stone walls out in the middle of the desert. I passed by too quickly to be able to stop, so I continued up the road until I could turn around and go back to investigate.
Read MoreConvict Lake
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I’d seen the sign for Convict Lake numerous times while driving by on Hwy 395, but this trip was the time I would turn off the highway and check it out. I’m glad I did. It’s only two miles from the highway, but once you get there it’s like being in another world. You’ve got the Mojave Desert type of terrain along 395, but two miles later you’re next to a 170-acre lake nestled in the aspens of Convict Canyon, with the towering peak of Mount Morrison stretching skywards above you. What a dramatic change in view in just two miles.
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