Echoes of the Southwest

Van Houten, Murdered, 1879 He was beaten in the face with a stone until he died.  Trouble was over his mining claim, which he had not recorded. James Hickey, 1881, Shot by William Clayborne He was shot in the left temple by Clayborne for his over-insistence that they drink together. Chas Helm, shot, 1882 Shot by William McCauley.  Two hot-tempered ranchers who disagreed over the best way to drive cattle, fast or slow. Jos Wetsell, killed, 1882 He was stoned to death by Apaches.  His friends were not far away, and it was thought the Indians wanted to avoid attracting their attention by shooting him. Freddie Fuss (behind Wetsell), 1882 A small boy who died from drinking stagnant or poison mine water. John Heath Taken from county jail and lynched by Bisbee mob, February 22, 1884.  He was called the leader of the five men who were legally hanged and was said to have planned the robbery.  He was hanged from a telegraph pole a short ...

Frank Bowles, 1880 His horse became frightened and threw him off.  This caused a rifle to discharge and badly injure his knee.  He lay in camp for several weeks without medical attention and when friends took him to a doctor for amputation it was too late. (This information was given by his daughter.) Tom and Frank McLaury Casualties of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881 between the Earps, Doc Holliday and the cowboys. The third casualty of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1881.  He was only 19 years of age. He and several other men were ambushed on a cattle drive by Mexicans.  He was killed.  His remains were moved a year after his death and buried next to his son Billy. William Clayborne, 1882 Shot by Frank Leslie in front of the Oriental Saloon trying to settle a wrong. Lester Moore He was a Wells Fargo agent at Naco and had a dispute with a man over a package. (Information from an old resident.) Born in China and ...

While eating dinner at Big Nose Kate's Saloon in Tombstone, AZ, Sharon and I met this wonderful, quirky, minstrel named Johnny Bones.  We had a fun time talking with him and watching him entertain the crowd.  He told us he usually can be found somewhere along Allen Street playing bones and tambourines.  We finally ran into him after touring the Bird Cage Theatre.  Meet Johnny Bones... If you ever get to Tombstone, say hi to Johnny and be sure to give him a tip.

Sharon and I are on our way to Tombstone and then Bisbee.  We plan to make a few stops along the way.  I will be putting pictures here and on Facebook of this trip.  In Tombstone we will be walking the streets at night, and during the day, visiting the Bird Cage Theatre, OK Corral, and Boothill.  We even plan to take another old time picture. I have been to Bisbee many times and stayed at the Copper Queen Hotel, twice.  Both times I stayed in room 401 with some friends, and both times we had paranormal experiences.  (Read my four part series of my second experience:  part one,   part two,   part three,  and  part four .)  Sharon and I are staying two nights at the Copper Queen Hotel in a room on the third floor.  We plan to do a spooky night walk through Bisbee.  I hope I have lots to tell you. Stay tuned.....

At the edge of the historic district of Prescott, AZ, sits the Hassayampa Inn.  To the west of the inn is the famous Whiskey Row and Yavapai County Courthouse.  Across the street is the "legendary" Elks Theater which is currently being renovated. The building was constructed in 1927 and was known as the Hassayampa Hotel.  When the town's residents wanted an up-scale place for visitors to stay, "hotel" was changed to "inn" .  For a buck a piece, the community was able to purchase a share of the inn.  They also wanted it to be constructed of red brick in keeping which the Midwestern look.  The name, Hassayampa is Apache for "the river that losses itself" . The Hassayampa Inn is on the National Register of Historic Places and a member of the "prestigious Historic Hotels of America" .

Sitting at the bottom of a hill and amongst many other graves, sits the modest grave of the woman known as "Big Nose Kate".  Her final resting place is at the Arizona Pioneers' Home Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona.  Like many of the graves around hers, it is located with a simple marker bearing the name, "Mary K. Cummings", her real and married name at death. She came into this world as Mary Katherine Horony (or Haroney) on November 7, 1850 in Budapest, Hungary. Her father was a Hungarian physician and brought his family to the United States in 1862 after being appointed personal surgeon to Mexico’s Emperor, Maximillian. After the disintegration of Max’s reign of power in 1865, the family made their home in Davenport, Iowa in a largely German community. Kate's parents died when she was a teen and her early life wasn't easy.  She was living in Dodge City in 1874 and was a dance hall girl known as Kate Elder.  After moving to Fort Griffin, Texas i...

What is the Thing?  Along Interstate 10, from Tucson, Arizona to El Paso, Texas, you see billboards with messages to tickle your interests.  One will say, "The Thing?", and a few miles more you will see "What is it?" and down the road a ways another might say "Mystery of the Desert".   Located on a hilltop between Benson and  Wilcox , Arizona, you will see a large red, yellow, blue filling station and gift shop.  Inside you will find the typical southwest roadside gifts such as bows, arrows, moccasins, baseball caps, turquoise  jewelry  and The Thing? shot glasses, T-shirts and other items with the logo on it. What is it?  I sounds like a  novelty  which peaks enough people's interest to get them to stop and check it out.  For a dollar, you walk past the register and into a tiny outside courtyard.  In the courtyard is three prefabricated corrugated steel sheds full of odd exhibits.  You will see unusual wood ...

This building is located high above downtown Jerome on Hill Street.  It was constructed in 1916 for the town of Jerome’s chief surgeon.  It has arched windows with stucco walls, a red tiled roof with beautiful foliage growing all over the grounds and building. “Surgeon's House was originally the George W. Hull Homestead Tract.  Mr. Hull was far-sighted and industrious, and obtained what became the town site of Jerome, Arizona and much of the surrounding mineral rights. When major companies wanted his interests, his price was one million dollars. The United Verde Copper Company paid it.” On that property, they erected an innovative hospital and nearby dwelling for the lead physician to call home.  The house was used as a nurses’ residence in the 1930’s and eventually the home of Chief Surgeon, Dr. Arthur Carlson and his family.  The Carlson’s decorated their home with premium items and threw lots of parties. When the mines closed in the 1950’s, ...

To say that being in the Goodyear-Ocotillo Cemetery (Chandler, AZ) at night is creepy, is a bit of an understatement.  The weather was brisk when we arrived there before the sun went down.  The dark clouds in the sky not only lend itself to an amazing sunset, but it provided us with the best pictures we have taken there to date.  It also gave the place a more eerie feeling, but that wasn't all we saw. Sharon noticed some strange claw marks in the dirt.  There was only one set and they were near a deep hole.  We saw lots of canine paw prints all over the grounds, but these were different and we could not explain them.  After the sun went down, the place became pitch black with small rays of light coming from some of the houses surrounding the place.  There was instantly a weird vibe inside the walls of the cemetery and we felt like we were being watched but not by any of the humans living around the perimeter.  It was something inside the gro...