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April 3, 2013 www.DesertMessenger.com Voices from The Past in Quartzsite, AZ Excerpts from "In the Shadow of Saguaros" by Rosalee Oldham Wheeler Livingston Hills Joe & Mrs. Livingston GNU Free License Back in 1927 when folks drove through Quartzsite on the then-new US Highway 60, or when family came to visit, nearly everyone asked the same question, "What is it that made you move to Quartzsite and then, what is it that makes you stay"? Even earlier than 1927, back at the beginning of the Arizona Gold Rush of 1859, the answer was easy, "Because there's gold in them thar hills" when most newcomers came to stake a placer claim or to work someone else's, until they earned enough for their own grubstake. Fortunately, back then it didn't take a lot of money to buy what was necessary for a gold venture. Prospectors just needed a gold pan, a big shovel, a small shovel to put the pay dirt in the pan, and a bottle for their gold. Then in the 1930s, the Great Depression drew a new kind of prospector to Quartzsite. It was desperate families who camped at abandoned mines, where in a couple of days turning the handle of a dry washer might yield tiny nuggets of gold to stash in a bottle to be exchanged at Scott's Store for food and other necessities. In 1934, an ounce of gold could buy $35 in provisions. In the preceding year, President Roosevelt announced that it was illegal to own gold bullion. Law-abiding Americans turned in their gold to the government at $20 an ounce. Then, when the gold came in, he raised its price by 75%, to $35 per ounce with the government pocketing the difference. Several years later, it was at Scott's Store that we first met Joe and Mrs. Livingston. Joe was making the gold exchange and Mrs. Livingston was carefully selecting her pantry supplies. Joe loaded the supplies into their old Model T Ford with its missing ragtop. Mrs. Livingston settled in the car to read her magazine while Joe joined a couple of mining buddies, whose claims were not far from his out in the foothills (now known as Livingston Hills) south of the Kofa Mountains. On the long wooden bench at the front of Scott's Store, the miners swapped stories and sipped beers. Charles and I left the store in our truck headed out to the Edward's Ranch to tend our yard of bees. The flowers were in bloom and everything looked promising for a good crop of desert bloom honey. From the Kofa Mountains, we could see and hear a big desert thunderstorm headed our way. Charles said we needed to get back to where the Tyson Wash crossed the gravel "Yuma Road" before a torrent of water would make the road impassable. As we neared the Tyson, we came upon quite an amusing sight. Apparently, after quite a few beers, Joe had offered his mining friends a ride back to their claims. Through the rain, we could see three very drunk men trying to push the Model T across the wash before the water rose any higher. Charles waded out, hooked up a chain to their car, and pulled them across. Poor Mrs. Livingston was so embarrassed and pretty upset with Joe. We crossed the Tyson and had quite a laugh about the comical scene. We didn't know it was the Livingston's little cabin that was situated not far from our bee yard. On our next trip to check on the bees, we noticed SEE LIVINGSTON PAGE 17 13