Desert Messenger

October 5, 2016 www.DesertMessenger.com 3 WE'RE BACK!! TRANSPONDER AUTO KEYS (Electronic Chip Keys) Jeep, Chrysler, Ford Chevrolet, Toyota & many more! Betty Crenshaw, Owner C & B LOCK & KEY 41 YEARS EXPERIENCE 928-927-6589 Mobile Service Only ROCKS IN MY HEAD The World's Greatest Rock, Prospecting & Outdoor Education Company RICE RANCH SPACE A37 Quartzsite, AZ OPEN Nov. thru March GOLD, SILVER, BUY & SELL Unique Rocks & Fossils Cabs - Rough - Slabs METEORITES-PETRIFIED WOOD Dino Bone & Mammoth Ivory Animal Parts & Leather Native American Artifacts Jewelry - Supplies - Beads GOLD PROSPECTING ROCKHOUNDING - LAPIDARY New-Used-Parts-Supplies Books-Maps-Local Site Info CONSIGNMENTS - RENTALS CLASSES - DEMOS QUARTZSITE PROSPECTING T-Shirts, Totebags, & More! Outdoor & Emergency Supplies EQUIPMENT RENTAL Specializing in Unusual & Hard to Find Items www.RocksInMyHead.com 605-376-8754 Q150 history pageant planned We can get the Shih tzu out of your carpet! 520-255-9081 MD CARPET CLEANING SERVING QUARTZSITE - BLYTHE Let's Talk Dirty! Dave's DIESEL DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE David Atherton 605-999-0720 • Pat Atherton 816-797-5460 Located at Quartzsite Marketplace 50 E. Kuehn WELDING & FABRICATING SERVICES Mobile Shop - Machine Shop Services - Hydraulic Hose Repair - Quartzsite's history to be reenacted at 150th anniversary pageant By Joanne Winer This year marks the 150th birth- day of the founding of Quartzsite, and there will be several special events commemorating the his- tory of Quartzsite during the next two winter seasons here. One of these events will be the " Quartzsite Hostorical Pageant--A Walk in the Past. The idea for this histori- cal look at the pioneers who came to Quartzsite and settled here in the 1860's was the brainstorm of Dinice Ross, keeper of the Hi Jolly Cemetery records and in charge of the cemetery. She started with the first "Spirit Walk" near Halloween in 2011, and there was so much in- terest and fun in it that it was put on for several years, with the last one being done in 2014. Last year, Dinice decided that due to her health she did not want to take on this event again, so it was not done last season. So many peo- ple were disappointed, especailly the people who played the parts of the local pioneers in costumes of that era, It was a part of Quartzsite history that made it fun to learn and visit the cemetery to see the graves of the early pioneers here. When the QIA was looking for things to do for the Grand Gathering this year, Paul and Joanne Winer thought about the pageant and asked the QIA if they would like to have it as part of the Grand Gathering, but in the end the scheduling conflicts prevented it being held there. The Quartzsite Business Cham- ber of Commerce was thinking about what event they could do for the ses- quicentennial next year when the idea to do this event was brought up after the planned pageant that was going to be done at the QIA was not going to happen there. After meet- ing with the Cemetery Board and proposing that it be held there again by the Business Chamber, it was ap- proved as one of the events that will be held for the 150th birthday. If it goes well next February 18, it will be done again the next year and hope- fully for a long time after--the Busi- ness Chamber just felt that it was such an important part of the histo- ry here that it shouldn't be stopped. Hopefullly it will keep going for years to come if not by the Business Cham- ber then by another group. Dinice Ross did such a great job of organizing this event that she de- serves a medal for all her hard work. She has agreed to give the Business Chamber access to all her paperwork and notes, and to act as a consultant if needed. She was told at the meet- ing that she can be as much a part of this event as she wants, health per- mitting. This is still her "baby" and the Business Chamber just wants to keep it going in honor of her hard work and also to show people just how great the history of this area has been. Many of the pioneer fami- lies played in the pageant have de- cendants that still live in Quartzsite after 150 years!! What a great legacy they have given this town!! In the next few weeks, decisions about what parts are needed for this event will be figured out and players who have been in the pageant be- fore will be contacted to see if they want to be a part of it again. Some of the original players have moved or passed away or are too sick to participate, so we will need new actors for those parts. Once it is figured out, there will be planning meetings held over the fall and winter, and the pageant will take place on February 18, 2017. Anyone who wishes to put their names on the list for being one of the players, please contact Joanne at 927-6551 or call the Busi- ness Chamber at 927-9321 or come in to the office and let us know. The Quartzsite Business Chamber is looking forward to continuing the legacy started by Dinice and having a very successful historical pageant that she would be proud of. Please tell all of your friends to set this date aside to come out to the Hi Jolly Pio- neer Cemetery and have a fun afternoon with all the "ghosts of the past" who will thrill them with sto- ries of the town that will show them what a won- derful community this has grown into after such a rough start and lots of trials and tribulations along the way. Join us in celebrating our 150th birthday and have a lot of fun!! PHOTO- Pastor Bruce Swart will reprise his role as the Travelling Preacher for next year's pageant. Courtesy Joanne Winer

• Cover