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P��� 8 VOICES FROM THE PAST Excerpts from “In the Shadow of Saguaros” By Rosalee Oldham Wheeler Find In the Shadow of Saguaros at Readers Oasis Bookstore, Qtz. THE HISTORY OF CONNOR FIELD (Previous story was: “Guiding Light to Water) George Washington Conner came West in the early 1900s. He later learned about the Homestead Act and, with his father and sister, each applied for 160 acres and built an adobe home while hand-digging a 65-foot well using a windlass. In 1903, when he joined up as a performer with Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West ARIZONA WESTCOAST REALTY Realtors: BARBARA COWELL 928-916-4222, Cell CAROLYN GUTHRIE 928-916-8469, Cell JOHN YACKLEY, BROKER 928-916-1195, Cell E-mail: j_yackley@yahoo.com 360 N. Plymouth Ave., Quartzsite • www.arizona-coast.com • 928-927-8900 ���.D�����M��������.��� Show, George used the name “Buck.” Traveling the world, the show even performed for European royalty. In fall, when the show closed for the win- ter, Buck would come to his Home- stead and work on his home. Buck “retired” from the Wild West Show on October 23, 1910 when, after 25 years, the last show was pre- sented to a sell-out crowd in Yuma. Buck’s sister, Jes- sie Leah Jasper, and her son Billy also loved the desert. The family worked together to build her adobe home and dig a well. As with Buck’s well, Jessie’s offered just a trick- le of water. Six years after the last Wild West Show, Buck was given the opportuni- ty to perform in a Hollywood cowboy movie. While performing in a later movie Buck met Hazel, the producer’s daughter. Hazel and her father were impressed with Buck’s worldly experi- ences as he told about serving in the Spanish American War, being a Texas Ranger and shooting pictures of the Mexican Revolution. Buck and Hazel were married and Quartzsite became their winter home, spending the rest of the year in Hollywood or on movie locations. When the United States got pulled One of the best buys in Quartzsite. Park Model on 1/3 acre with 2 additional RV spaces. Storage shed. Shade trees. Town water and sew- er. $45,000. #8116. Another good buy just North of Brenda is a 5 acre parcel out of the fl ood plain. Gently slop- ing. Electricity at the property line. Open land to the North and East. Legal access. Owner will carry with low down. Make the terms easy on yourself. $42,500. #8114. We still have another good buy in the Brenda area. This property is two equal parcels totaling 9.68 acres. Well and Septic are on the parcel with the travel trailer that is included. Electricity is close by. Legal access to the property off Hwy. 60. Buy now, keep all, or sell one parcel off. $85,000. #8126. If you’re looking for a good buy on land in Quartzsite check out this .36 acre parcel with Town water and sewer at the street. Electrical pedestal installed. New development in the area. Check this one out at $39,900. #8125. into World War I the government needed emergency airstrips along the fl yways. They sent a Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) team to develop a level piece of land somewhere near Quartz- site for a 2,600 by 75-foot airstrip. Buck offered his Homestead. It met all the criteria and the FAA agreed to pay Buck $3,000 if he could have it cleared and leveled within 45 days. Buck went to work using two horses and a Furnow scoop. He wanted to A���� 6, 2011 complete as much of the work as pos- sible during the spring. The work was tedious, but an early summer rain fi n- ished off the leveling job just right by Connor Home packing the sand and light gravel into a smooth surface for airplanes to land. The FAA came out to inspect the proj- ect and gave their approval a few days before the deadline. With the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918, the hostilities of World War I ended along with the need for emergency airstrips. Conner Field remained on aeronautical charts as an airstrip with no facility. A pilot himself, Buck continued to drag and maintain the airstrip. From time-to-time a plane would land, creating a lot of interest around Quartzsite. On June 13, 1928 joy came to Buck and Hazel with the birth of George Washington Conner II. That joy was short-lived when little George was di- agnosed with Bright’s kidney disease, and passed away on January 8, 1932. He was buried in a fenced, dedicated burial plot near a tall fl agpole behind The Little Church Beside the Road that Buck had built for the Episcopal Church and where he often served as lay minister. During World War II the Air Force asked Buck about renewing their agree- ment to use the airstrip and would need a Quonset-type hanger for mechanical SEE CONNOR ON PAGE 9 This is a nice piece of property. .54 acre. 10’x20’ shed with lean to. Two other metal sheds all with concrete fl ooring. 4 RV hookups. 2005 20’ pull trailer included. Gov- ernment land and wash just on the other side of the fence. $74,500. $64,500 without the trail- er. #8133. Want Commercial prop- erty, an income and a home. Got all of this on 2.44 acres. Meat and Deli shop. Laundromat, pro- pane sales, rental income from 2 other buildings plus open storage rental. Room to expand or build. 3 bed- room, 2 bath 1600+ square foot home. Call for more details. $495,000. #8132. If you’re looking for Commercial Investment property, we’ve got that too. 2.11 acre corner parcel just north on exit #19 off Interstate 10. Corner lot between Arco and Chevron properties. Great location. Make an offer. Asking $499,000. #8131. If you’re looking for luxury, here it is. 1960 sq. ft. 3 bed- room, 2 bath home. 28’x24’ custom workshop with ½ bath. 31’x34’ Garage with 14.5 high electric door. Cov- ered deck. Swimming pool with kool coating surface. 2 RV hookups. Call for more details, too many extras to list. All this is completely engineered, permitted and to code. $249,000. #8124. Gem Stone Jewelry & Black Hills Gold Jewelry JEWELRY • FINDINGS Black Hills Gold Jewelry, Moun� ngs, Gems, Minerals, AMERICAN INDIAN JEWELRY & POTTERY BEADS • Southwest & How-to Books Open Daily 8-5 Sun. 9-4 928-927-6381, Fax 928-927-4814 1250 W. Main, Quartzsite (across from McDonald’s)