Desert Messenger

40 www.DesertMessenger.com November 15, 2023 SPECIAL SECTION December 21, 2011 What's Inside 2 Editorial 4 Letters to Editor 8 Voices from the Past 10 Around Town 18 Perspectives 23 New column: Paperglassaluminumtinplastic 19 Thoughtbuster.com 36 QPD & QFD holiday cards 37 Adventures with Rocks 38 Church Directory 34 Rock Art Map 42 Puzzles 43 Show Schedule 45 Astrology 46 Classifieds Watch council meeting videos at www.YouTube.com/ user/qwatchingeyes photos by Starr BearCat www.DesertMessenger.com "Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper" 541-218-2560 WED. DEC. 21, 2011 Vol. 8 Issue #142 FREE! MAIN ST. EATERY Open 6AM- 2PM Vol. 8 Issue #142 REE! "Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper" 541-218-2560 FREE Community Paper" 541-218-2560 FREE The Gathering Place of By Joanne Winer Over a hundred people came out to the Hi Jolly Cemetery this past Saturday to take part in a special ceremony. The Quartzsite Historical Society and the Hi Jolly Cem- etery Board have been working really hard to have the Hi Jolly monument designated as a Historical Place on the National Reg- istry of Historic Places for a long time, and it just happened that Hi Jolly would have celebrated his birthday this week, so the ceremony was at a good time. The ceremony started out with the VFW honor guard posting the flags, then the pledge of allegiance. The emcee for the event, Pastor Bruce Swart from the First Assembly of God Church, gave the prayer, and also introduced all the Town council members Barbara Cowell, Mike Jewitt, Jerry Lukkasson, Joe Winslow, and Patri- cia Anderson, and Mayor Jose Lizarraga. Also present were Vice Chairman of the Cemetery Board and Vice President of the Historical Society Kay Mooring, and sev- eral board members. Dinice Ross was also introduced for all her hard work getting this ceremony planned and organized, as well as her work having it placed on the Na- tional Registry. Hi Jolly Monument now on National Register of Historic Places Pastor Swart, who also sits on the Cem- etery Board, introduced Mayor Lizarraga, who spoke about Hi Jolly and the history of this area, and how important it was to preserve it. State Representative Nancy McLain then spoke about the need to pre- serve history so it will never be forgotten. Arizona Humanities Council executive di- rector Brenda Thompson was also there to speak about the National Registry of His- torical Places, and how great it was that this monument to the spirit of Hi Jolly was a great part of Arizona History and should be acknowledged. Kay Mooring also spoke of the history of the area, and how it came about to get put on the national registry. Dennis Dole, state commander of the VFW, spoke about the history of Hi Jolly, a camel driver who was hired by the United States Army to bring camels from Syria and Turkey by ship to America to see if they would make good beasts of burden for the Army fighting in the desert. The camels landed in Texas, and traveled overland to Arizona, where they settled in this area and were being trained. They did not get along with the other animals, and were very un- ruly, and with the Civil War starting, the experiment was shelved, and the camels SEE SIGNS ON PAGE 44 were let loose in the desert. Hi Jolly settled in Quartzsite after becoming an army scout for many years, and he became a prospec- tor, artist, woodcarver,, and nature enthu- siast. He was known as Nature Boy because he often wore skirts in the hot summers. Pastor Swart then read letters and mes- sages from State Senator Jon Kyle, House of Representative Raul Grijalva, Mayor of Blythe Joseph DeConinch, and Governor Jan Brewer--all of them thanking the cem- etery board for all their hard work and for inviting them to come. He also read two let- ters from descendents of Hi Jolly, one from step granddaughter Leota Smally-Gruber and a second from step granddaughter Shirley Price, who told more of the histo- ry of their famous ancestor, and how they were raised to know of him. After all the speeches, the plaque denot- ing the fact that the monument was placed on the National Registry was unveiled--it was a very nice ceremony and thanks to ev- eryone who came out to take part in it--the guest speakers, town staff, VFW, histori- cal players, cemetery board and historical society, and everyone from the public who came to participate in this historic event. Welcome signs all lit up The Main Street Eatery Proudly Presents A Dinner Club Event Dec. 27 & Jan. 3

• Cover