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Showing posts from 2011

26 Bar Ranch (John Wayne Ranch)

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Immersed in the Hereford’s history in Eagar, AZ, sits the 26 Bar Ranch.   It was first known as the Milky Way Ranch in the 1940’s with its big white show barn which housed many Hereford cattle.   The barn is now a local landmark.   In 1964 the ranch became the 26 Bar Ranch or John Wayne’s Ranch, who was one of the owners.   Wayne, along with Ken Reafsnyder and Louis Johnson, his business partners, kept the ranch until John Wayne’s death in 1979 from lung and stomach cancer.   Lately, I have heard rumors that Bigfoot has been seen near the ranch.   I don’t know if that is true or not, but it would be worth checking out.  John Wayne and Louis Johnson

Hassayampa Building

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The Vernetta Hotel was originally a hotel specifically built to serve overnight railroad passengers and early day tourists to the Wickenburg area and Castle Hot Springs.  Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, a black businesswoman from the East, contracted one of Arizona's Finest architects at that time, Mr. James Creighton, to design and build the hotel.  The building was heated by nine fireplaces, has a community kitchen and an outdoor barbecue area.  Now know as the Hassayampa Building, it contains offices for Remuda Ranch. ( Source: Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce pamphlet )

It Used to Be Someone's Home

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Another abandoned house found in Chandler, AZ by Sharon and myself.  This one is next to the small wood house where the zombie housewives recently took pictures.  It looks like it probably was a beautiful home in its heyday.

The Santa Fe Depot

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From Wikipedia: "On 29 July 1995, Wickenburg celebrated the one hundred year anniversary of its railroad depot (dedicated 29 July 1895). The structure stands in its original 1895 design, without additions or modifications, and is one of the few such surviving examples of "Wild West" railroad architecture. Vice-Mayor Carol Ann Beard briefly described the history of the depot, which now serves as the Chamber of Commerce. "Estelle's Garden", in memory of a longtime Chamber supporter, was dedicated at the ceremony.  This depot last saw passenger service in May 1969 when Santa Fe discontinued the daily train between Phoenix and Williams Junction." Standing near the train station is a statue of a school teacher.  She has just disembarked from the train with  her luggage. Behind the old Santa Fe Depot (now Wickenburg's Chamber of Commerce) is the railroad line referred to as the "Peavine Line".  It was built in 1893 and ran between

Lolly the Jeep

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If it is weird and wacky, Sharon and I will find it.  We were leaving a mall after enjoying a nice dinner and doing some shopping when something caught our eyes in the parking lot.  Sharon pulled into the empty space next to a jeep with all kinds of characters attached to it.  This was just the thing we like to take pictures of, and we did.  Another family thought the same thing and was shooting pictures of this unusual jeep we found out was named, Lolly.  For more on Lolly the Jeep and its owner, check out his website: www.CurtisGPhotography.com Sharon  (Autumnforest) is putting a video up of Lolly and other hot jeep drivers.

The Jail Tree

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In the middle of the city of Wickenburg, AZ, sits a 200 year-old mesquite tree known as "The Jail Tree".  The tree once served as the town jail where from 1863 to 1890 outlaws were chained to it and kept there until they were transported to the nearest jail in Prescott.  There were an unknown amount of escapees who were able to remove the chains and get away.

Closed For Now

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One of the places I had the pleasure of visiting this year was Vulture Mine.  The place had many of the original buildings, some intact, while the others were crumbling and had fences around them.  The moment you walk up the path to where the buildings are located, you feel many eyes of the ghosts from past residences who seem to still call the place home.  Sharon and I met Marty and Roma, the owners at that time.  Marty was featured on the Vulture Mine episode of Ghost Adventures.  Apparently they sold the place and now the new owners have closed it for "reorganization".  All I can say is don't keep it closed for long.  There are many tourist who love to visit the place and take tons of pictures of the buildings, machines, and mining equipment while enjoying the history. The haunted residence house. the Gate House

Superstition Mountains Claims More Lives

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Sadly, on this past Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, a twin engine plane took off from Mesa’s Falcon Field airport and crashed in the Superstition Mountains. On board were the pilot and father, his three children, a co-pilot, and a mechanic who were headed to Safford. The children were to spend Thanksgiving with their father this year. Some witnesses said they saw a blue light followed by an explosion and then a large fireball. It took rescuers a while to get to the crash site because they had to use a DPS helicopter, then two by two they were dropped off on the top of the mountain, and had to hike in to where the plane went down. There were no survivors. The Superstition Mountains have a steep and rocky terrain and have claimed many lives in the past especially from those seeking the riches of the mysterious “Lost Dutchman Mine”. Last year, July 2010, there was a report of three men who hiked into the mountains looking for the Lost Dutchman’s mine. They had been hiking

No Cable, No Vacancy, No More

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I have driven by this abandoned motel many times and finally one day had my camera with me.  I decided to stop and take pictures before the place was torn down.