What a wonderful day. We left early to head to Swansea Town Site where there was a guided tour today. We had been there a few years ago on our own but wanted to hear a little more about this ghost town.
First of all, where is Swansea? Well, from our campsite to Bouse is about 20 miles. From Bouse to Midway, it is 16 miles, all but 2 of those miles is on dirt roads. Then from Midway to Swansea is another 15 miles – all dirt roads. And I have to say that the trip is an adventure all its own – the scenery is AWESOME!
The start of the dirt road:
The ocotillo are really green – should be blooming soon:
Check out the sides of the road – I would not want to be here when it rains – Yikees:
We went past the East Cactus Plain Wilderness. Its uniqueness lies in the crescent dune topography and dense dunescrub vegetation know only in this area of Arizona. There are no motor vehicles or bicycles allowed in the wilderness – walking/hiking only. Beautiful
We crossed one of the major aqueducts which carries water from the Colorado River to various areas in Arizona.
The road continues:
Not this way:
Although the scenery in that valley was awesome:
OH NO!!! Here we go:
We are going up and over that???:
How narrow???:
Beautiful flowers and lots of green:
Coming down – yep that is the road:
Does it ever end???:
Almost there:
For those who know me and how I am in a car, I have to tell you that I did good. Andy drove and I did not scream – :-))) But, sheesh, it was narrow and steep!
Swansea:
Swansea was once a flourishing copper mining development. Although prospectors began working in this area in 1862, it wasn’t until 1908 that the town started to grow. This growth mainly started with George Mitchell who incorporated the Clara Consolidated, then built a blast furnace smelter, power plant, water system and dug more mine shafts. By 1909, with a population of about 500 people, the town blossomed to include saloons, a general store, post office and even a moving picture house.
The first train arrived at the adobe depot on the new Swansea Railroad in 1910.. By May of that same year, the furnaces began producing the first copper at a rate of 50 tons a day. Unfortunately, Mitchell, who invested heavily above ground and not enough in the mines, was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1911.
After bankruptcy was declared, the mine had several false starts until 1915, when Ernest C. Lane became the manager and successfully ran the mine for a number of different owners. New adobe houses were built for company families and worker cottages were built near the store.
The mine fell victim to the Great Depression and a declining copper market, and never boomed again. The last milling was reported in 1944.
We were here in 2009 did a self guided tour (http://thehitzels.blogspot.com/2009/02/february-20-2009-swansea-ghost-town.html). We found it really interesting and when we found out that there was a guided tour, we just had to come.
Our tour guide was Mike Riddles, who is the curator and the Lake Havasu Museum of History:
Mike took us thru the history of the area and of the town and told us stories that was told to him by people who lived here – Wonderful. He took us thru how the are stabilizing what is left (or trying to) and about the different artifacts they are finding to help tell the story of the town and the people who lived her. He said he is currently going thru what was their garbage dump – and finding some interesting things.
From there we went on a walking tour of the industrial area.
This is part of the furnace, dust chamber, and copper smelter:
One of the mine shafts – this is 1200’ deep:
When we were here 3 years ago, none of the mine shafts were capped. Now they all are.
The mine tailings:
The light grey rock is waste rock discarded during the mining of copper ore. The black is slag, the remains of the rock after processing the copper ore. Slag was dumped here in a molten or semi molten state. The round slag above is actually a casting of a slag car from the smelter. It was cooler when it was dumped so it retained the shape of the car.
As we walked around this area there was lots of sparkling and neat colors of rocks – we found out that most of it is copper or hermatite or turquoise. I picked up a few pieces and was really tempted to keep – :-((.. But I did not cause I truly do believe we should leave as we find it so people can enjoy in the future.
The building in the distance is the Railroad Depot (circa 1910) and Andy and I decided to take the trail to see it up close:
The trail took us thru the wash:
And on to the old railroad bed:
To the depot:
More artifacts:
We continued down the railroad bed:
To the rail scales – or rather where they were:
A few more sites:
There were two cemetaries here but many of the graves were pilfered as time when by. All the bodies that were left have been moved to another cemertary (not here). This grave is of a 6 month old who died here is Swansea. She came from a large family who come here every President’s Day weekend, camp, and put flowers on her grave. The have been doing this for many years and their decendents continue the tradition.
What a wonderful tour and I highly recommend it if you are in the area. The tours take place in March every year.
And this is where we had our lunch – life doesn’t get any better than this.
But wait – our day was not done. We still had to go back on the road. On the way up, we found this arch:
Beautiful view:
Oh my!
Down the other side:
The road continues:
Can you believe these views?:
A major intersection in the middle of the desert – :-)):
At Midway, we went left instead of straight. We were on our way to find Camp Bouse – with another interesting road:
Now I know why we never found it – there are no signs to tell you where to turn. We did have the coordinates from the Bouse Chamber and that is how we found it. We had to get off the main road unto this road:
After a mile, we arrived:
Camp Bouse was a top secret tank training base established in August of 1943 by General George Patton. It's purpose was to develop and test modified tanks that carried "Canal Defence Lights". These lights were 13 million candle power arc lamps that were going to be used to light up battlefield action at night. The light from these lamps passed through shutters that opened and closed 6 times per second. This strobing effect was intended to dis-orient enemy fighters. The concept was perfected, but very few, if any, of the modified tanks actually saw any battle. There were 5500 soldiers stationed at the base including six tank battalions, one armored infantry battalion, an ordinance company and a station hospital. The base was abandoned in 1945.
We had seen pictures of what was left of the camp but since those pictures were taken, the desert has taken over. We did find some cement slabs and sidewalks but that is all.
Every February, there is a tour here so that will be on our list for next year.
There were some beautiful chollas:
Back on the road to Bouse – look at that scenery:
There is a dirt road off Plomosa that heads into Quartzsite. We have heard about it and saw it and today decided to take it. On the road:
I would not call it a short cut but it is scenic – :-)). The road comes out near the Town Park.
What a wonderful trip! Since we got back late, we went to Silly Al’s for pizza – Yum!
A beautiful sunset to end a great day.
Enjoy today.
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