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5 Letters to Editor 6 Editorial 9 Rock Fiesta 11 Adventures w/Rocks 12 Traveling with Gypsy Jane 13 Election info 15 Restaurants 16 Around Town 33 Golf 30 Music JAMS 32 Arrest Report 34 Churches 36 Puzzles 37 Classifeds 38 Paul Winer Cartoon www.DesertMessenger.com • "Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper" • 928-916-4235 WEDNESDAY, February 17, 2016 VOL. 12 # 231 Now in our 12 t h YEAR! Alwa y s FREE! SEE CAMEL STOP PAGE 26 ������ | M��� G������� Rebirth of The Camel Stop By Mark Goldberg Quartzsite, AZ - The buildings at the old Camel Stop Auto Ser- vice Station and Woodson Store/Post Office are coming alive again through the personal efforts of the Merwin Family. The Daughter-in-law of Ralph and Diana Merwin, Ladina Merwin (Ralph Jr's wife), while living in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, was diagnosed with a serious brain malady which could be alleviated in a warm, dry climate. Ralph, the patriarch of the family, at the suggestion of his son, Ralph Jr., decided to check out Quartzsite. He felt that the climate in Quartzsite was ideal for Ladina and he fell in love with the Camel Stop as a future home for his antique car collection! A year later, he purchased The Camel Stop and moved the entire family from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and Montrose, Colorado. Family members now here are: Ralph and Diana, Betty, Ralph's sister; Ralph's son Chancey and his wife Ladina; Ralph's son, Ralph Jr. and his wife Traci; two dachshunds, Nestle and Mocha; and Ralph's small dog, Brody. Ralph Merwin's father, Chancey, 6'-6" tall, 280 pounds, nicknamed "Tiny," was a machinist who worked on cars and other machinery. Ralph en- joyed mechanics and had his first car, a 1939 Ford Coupe at the age of 12 years. Ralph had a large towing business in Colorado, and has a collection of 17 vehicles restored by he and his sons; as well as a 40-acre yard of about 300 unrestored cars. The family's plans are to create "Merwin's Off-The- Wall Mini Auto Museum" at the Camel Stop site. They will utilize the service station building, and the old Woodson Store/Post Office Building for display of all types of interesting old vehicles and equip- ment. They also plan to construct two metal build- ings, one to house additional museum vehicles; and the other, a full-service automobile repair/service facility run by Ralph Jr. The museum will be open to the public, hopefully by next fall. Features, in addition to the vehicles, will include: operable chassis of several vehicles where visitors can hear the engines and see the running gear op- erate; local tours in any of the displayed vehicles (all of which are operable); and special tours in a PHOTO ABOVE: The Merwin Family (Left to Right) Betty, Traci, Nestle the dog, Ralph Jr., Brody the dog, Ralph, Chancey, Diana WHAT'S INSIDE 1928 Model A Roadster w/rumble