THERE WERE MANY EXCITING EVENTS IN GOFFS DURING THE WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 10-12, 2014:   THE 35TH MOJAVE ROAD RENDEZVOUS, THE CELEBRATION OF THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE OLD GOFFS SCHOOL HOUSE, THE DEDICATION OF THE AMERICAN BOY TEN STAMP MILL, AND A VISIT FROM BERT THE CAMEL, TO NAME A FEW!

 

 

THE  1913 GOFFS SCHOOLHOUSE:

THERE WAS ONE CLASSROOM, ONE TEACHER AND AFTER 8TH GRADE STUDENTS WHO WISHED TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION WOULD HAVE TO BOARD WITH A FAMILY IN NEEDLES. 

ABOVE BERT THE CAMEL JOINS IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE CELEBRATION!

WHEN DENNIS AND JO ANN CASEBIER PURCHASED THE TOWN OF GOFFS, THEY BEGAN RESTORING THE SCHOOLHOUSE WHICH WAS SUFFERING FROM THE RAVAGES OF WEATHER AND VANDALS. TODAY IT IS A MUSEUM AND HAS BEEN DEEDED OVER TO THE MOJAVE DESERT HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ASSOCIATION.

THE SCHOOLHOUSE WAS ONLY ONE DRAW FOR THE WEEKEND.  THE STOTTS TWO-STAMP MILL WAS FIRED UP AFTER YEARS OF RENOVATION.  IT IS PROBABLY THE LAST REMAINING ORIGINAL AND COMPLETE STAMP MILL IN THE MOJAVE DESERT.

After this stamp mill was purchased and moved to Goffs, the area where it came from burned to the ground. Thank goodness it is in safe hands.

 

THE AMERICAN BOY TEN-STAMP MILL:

Surrounded by history buffs, the ten-stamp mill was fired up.  There were many similar mills in the area, but all were scrapped out during the world wars.  This one was disassembled and moved from Montana to Rosemond CA and sat in a wareyard.  Purchased by the MDH&CA and moved to Goffs, it was painstakenly restored.

Reassembled with as many original timbers as possible, it now runs on deisel.  It was first fired up in 2013 and officially dedicated this weekend.

 

 

 

BERT THE CAMEL CHECKS OUT THE FESTIVITIES AT THE OFFICIAL DEDICATION OF THE AMERICAN BOY TEN-STAMP MILL.

 

 

 

MEMBERS OF THE MOJAVE DESERT HERITAGE AND CULTURAL ASSOCIATION COME FROM ALL OVER THE U.S. TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RENDEZVOUS EACH YEAR.

THE TOWN OF GOFFS WAS CREATED IN 1883 AS A SIDING AT THE “TOP OF THE HILL”  30 MILES WEST OF NEEDLES ON WHAT WAS TO BECOME THE MAINLINE OF THE SANTA FE RAILROAD. IT WAS ON ROUTE 66 WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1926 BUT WAS OUSTED LATER DUE TO  A RE-ALIGNMENT.

BY 1911 THE SANTA FE HAD CONCENTRATED ENOUGH EMPLOYEES IN GOFFS TO ESTABLISH A SCHOOLHOUSE.

 

BELOW IS BERT WHO APPEARS NOT ONLY ON HIS OWN BEHALF BUT TO TELL THE STORY OF THE CAMELS OF THE DESERT!   AFTER THE GOLDRUSH THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO PROTECT DESERT LANDS FOR  TRAVELERS.  A BILL WAS PASSED TO PURCHASE CAMELS FOR USE IN HAULING SUPPLIES.

 

NANCY FITE POSES WITH HER CAMEL.  SHE IS IN THE RESERVES STATIONED IN SAN DIMAS.

 

IN 1857,LT. EDWARD BEALE USED 25 CAMELS AS HE SURVEYED THE LAND BETWEEN NEW MEXICO AND THE COLORADO RIVER.  AFTERWARDS HE CONTINUED ON WITH THE CAMELS THROUGH THE MOJAVE DESERT NEAR GOFFS TO LOS ANGELES AND FT. TEJON.

ALTHOUGH THE CAMELS CARRIED THE SUPPLIES, INCLUDING THE WATER FOR THE MULES AND HORSES, AND ATE CREOSOTE WHICH NONE OF THE

OTHER ANIMLAS WOULD EAT, PASSED ON THEIR SHARE OF WATER, AND PROVED TO BE SUPERIOR TRANSPORT ANIMALS, THEY WERE BRANDED A FAILURE.  WHY?  THEY SMELLED BAD, IRRITATED THE MULES AND WOULD KICK ANYONE WHO WOULD BEAT THEM.

IN THE END, THE ROAD FORGED BY BEALE WAS A FAILURE, MUCH OF THE ROUTE BECAME ROUTE 66, AND THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC RAILWAY (later the Santa Fe).

 

FIELD TRIPS ARE A FAVORITE PART OF THE RENDEZVOUS.  EACH MORNING CARAVANS OF FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES LINE UP AND TAKE OFF INTO THE THE WILDS TO EXPLORE OLD MINES, ABANDONED TOWNS, PETROGLYPHS AND SUCH.  YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU WILL FIND!

 

RILEY WAS AN OLD TIMER IN THE DESERT.  HE SPECIALIZED IN EXPLOSIVES AND WORKED FOR MANY OF THE MINES.  WHEN THE PRESERVE WAS ESTABLISHED HIS RANCH BECAME GRANDFATHERED IN, ONE OF THE FEW INHOLDINGS.

AFTER HIS WIFE DIED, HE RAISED HIS CHILDREN IN A SMALL CABIN WHICH HAS BEEN RENOVATED BY THE BLM.  A CEMETERY IS NEARBY.

 

 

 

 

 

WE MADE A STOP AT THE CONTROVERSIAL CROSS OF THE MOJAVE DESERT.  A GROUP WAS THERE SETTING UP FOR A CEREMONY.

THERE WERE IN THE PAST COMPLAINTS BECAUSE THE CROSS WAS ON PUBLIC LAND AGAINST THE LAW OF SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.  THE VETERANS PROTESTED.  FINALLY THERE WAS A LAND SWAP AND NOW THE CROSS REMAINS ONLY ON PRIVATE LAND.  IT IS A LOVELY CROSS REFLECTING THE SUN’S RAYS AGAINST A BLUE SKY.

 

 

 

 

 

THIS BLOGSITE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND NOT FINISHED.