THE CENTURIES OVER MOHAVE COUNTY

The Centuries Over

1604 Juan de Onate, Spanish explorer, crosses Northern Arizona along Bill Williams River to its mouth where he turns north and explores the Colorado River to the vicinity of the The Needles, thus becoming the first white man to traverse the south and west borders of present day Mohave County.

1776 Padre Francisco Garces crosses the Colorado, at or near the site of old Ft. Mohave and continues east along the 35th parallel, the first white man to cross Mohave County. In the same year Padres Silvestre Escalante and Francisco Dominguez with a small band of soldiers and guides explore strip country north of the Colorado River.

1826-7 Jedediah Strong Smith, "Knight of the Buckskin," follows the Virgin River south to where it meets the Colorado which he and his party descend to "a valley occupied by the Mohave Indians." A year later he returns from California by the same route and ten of his men are killed by Indians.

1829 Pete Skene Ogden of Hudson's Bay Company follows Smith's route and also meets hostile Indians in the vicinity of The Needles. Ewing Young, from Tennessee, and party trap up the Verde to its source and head for California reconnoitering near Padre Garces' Pozos de San Brasilios, which Young names "Young Springs" (present day Peach Springs). In his party is a young man new to the westChristopher (Kit) Carson.

1830 Young joins with William Wolfskill, a Kentuckian, to open The Old Spanish Trail which crosses the northwest area of Mohave County, lost when Pah-Ute County was created.

1848 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo brings Mohave County area into the United States.

1852 Capt. Lorenzo Sitgreaves, one of the first U.S. Topographical Engineers, and party cross present day Mohave County and reach the Colorado in early November.

1853-4 Francois Xavier Aubrey, famous French-Canadian plainsman, is in the area looking for gold and exploring a wagon road from California to Santa Fe.

1854 Lts. Amiel Weeks Whipple and Joseph Christmas Ives travel the southwest area of Mohave County and reach the Colorado River in February.

1857-8 Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale, commissioned by the government to lay out a wagon road along the 35th parallel, uses camels in addition to pack mules and horses. He reaches the Colorado in January '58. To prove his experiment is practical he retraces his route back to Zuñi.

Lt. Ives explores the Colorado in the stern-wheeler EXPLORER, ascending Black Canyon to the mouth of the Virgin, where he meets Mormon missionaries. Ives then returns eastward by land across Mohave County.

1858 Prospectors are trickling into the area. Ft. Mohave is established 60' above the river on a bluff by Col. William Hoffman, 6th U.S. Infantry, as a protection against the Indians. Maj. Lewis Addison Armistead is placed in charge. A group of Mormon pioneers, led by Jacob Hamblin, camp at Pipe Spring, on an exploration party to find a crossing on the Colorado and make peace with the Indians.

1861 Ft. Mohave is abandoned at the beginning of the Civil War in the east.

1862 Jacob Hamblin crosses the Colorado at the site of Pierce Ferry.

1863 Ft. Mohave is regarrisoned by two companies of Fourth California Volunteers. Men from the fort explore for gold. John Moss discovers a rich deposit about 51/2 miles N. W. of Oatman, and is said to have shipped out $240,000 worth in first year.

Soldiers named Sacramento Valley-gold is discovered in the Cerbat range. Mining enthusiasm in area running high. Territory of Arizona is created.

Dr. James M. Whitmore and Robert Mcintyre settle at Pipe Spring to run cattle.

1864 Mohave County is established with first county seat at Mohave City. Littlefield is settled by the Mormons and first called Millersburg and later Beaver Dam. Callville is settled by Anson Call at the head of navigation on the Colorado.

1864 Capt. W. H. Hardy establishes a trading post and ferry south of Callville which becomes known as Hardy's Landing or Hardyville. Mohave City, founded by B. P. Fagan and Samuel Todd, about a mile north of the fort, by July 4th has "a large ferry boat and the new town boasts three stores, a saloon stocked in a manner that would do credit to a place of higher pretensions. Some half dozen adobe buildings have been commenced and the newborn bids fair to grow and wax strong."

By July 30 "Duke and Company's Pony Express is running via Mohave to California."

Aug. 4th "Aubrey Landing has been established at the mouth of Bill Williams River."

Nov. 3. The incorporation of the Mojave and Prescott Toll Road is approved by the Legislative Assembly with toll as follows: "each wagon and two horses 11/2c per mile and each additional animal 34c per mile; one horse and vehicle 34c per mile; pack animals 1/2c per mile; horned cattle, horses and mules and others in droves 1/2 of 1c per mile; sheep, goat or hog 1/8 of 1c per mile."

1865 A contract is signed by Hualapai Indians and Prescott Toll Road Co. and paid in merchandise to the value of $150.

Second Territorial Legislature splits off northern part of Mohave County to create Pah-Ute County, with county seat at Callville.

1866 All of Pah-Ute County west of 114° 42'59.25" given to state of Nevada. Any part left in Arizona returned to Mohave County.

1867 Army officers report there are 1500 Hualapai in the area.

1868 Two companies are sent to Ft. Mohave for protection of the depot and for two outposts on the road to San Bernardino.

1869 Bishop Anson P. Winsor arrives at Pipe Spring and builds a fort, improves the spring and takes care of the church's cattle.

1870 More mines are discovered and towns of Chloride and Mineral Park appear.

1871 Act creating Pah-Ute County repealed.

Desert telegraph line, first in Arizona, reaches Pipe Spring. Ella Stewart, later the wife of D. K. Udall, is first operator.

1872 A letter from Ehrenberg Nov. 22, informs that "steamer Cocopah has just arrived with news of the burning of Hardyville . . . the loss will not fall short of $150,000."

In Chloride "lumber is $75 to $100 a 1000-canned goods $1.00 a can-sugar and coffee $1 a lb. and miners' wages $5 a day."

A mill and furnace have started in the Sacramento Valley. A public school system is inaugurated with first school at Cerbat.

1874 Hualapai Indians are removed to the Colorado River Agency at La Paz (They desert it a year later and return to their homes). Hackberry mine is discovered by Ridenour (Ridenour) and Crozier. Cerbat, west of Hardyville, is now the center of a rich mining district and has "a free school, two physicians and two lawyers."

There is now "a semi-weekly mail from Arizona City up the Colorado via Ehrenberg to Camp Mohave en route to St. George, Utah. A weekly mail from Prescott (goes) via Camp Beale Springs, Cerbat, Meneral Park and Chloride to Hardyville.

By fall the McCrackin mine is discovered, one of the most famous of its time and a bonanza rush follows.

Mohave County ROANNA H. WINSOR

1876 Up to October, exclusive of old and abandoned locations, 2000 mines have been located and recorded, of assays from $1000 to $10,000 per ton silver. Population of Mineral Park is now about 200 with a five-stamp mill, private school house, post office, stores, saloons and private dwellings. Harrison Pearce has established a ferry (Pierce Ferry now covered by Lake Mead) for the Mormons.

In 1877 Mohave County has two schools with 46 pupils and an average daily attendance of 30.

In 1880 Ft. Mohave Indian Reservation established Sept. 19th.

In 1882 Army reports 700 Hualapai in area.

In Mohave County Miner is published at Mineral Park.

In 1883 The railroad comes. Kingman is founded by Conrad Schenfield, laid out by engineer Middleton. By Executive Order a Hualapai Indian Reservation is set apart.

In 1884 Mineral Park's population is 400 or more with two stores, a hotel, restaurant, five saloons, a blacksmith shop, school house and courthouse.

The weekly Phoenix Herald tells of the funeral of the Hualapai chief, Sequanyah, at Kingman, June 6th.

In 1887 Kingman becomes the county seat.

Mohave County Miner moves to Kingman.

In 1890 Mohave County's population is now about 1500 with 300 at Kingman. Cerbat has a five-stamp gold mill and a five-stamp silver mill. Gold Basin has a ten-stamp mill and Signal a tenand twenty-stamp mill.

About 60,000 head of cattle and 5,000 goats range the mountains and mesas and 2000 acres are under cultivation in the valley of the Big Sandy (alfalfa, barley and vegetables).

In 1892 Kingman Mercantile Company incorporated.

In 1893 Mineral Wealth (paper) is established.

Land is selling at $6 an acre.

In 1894 Miss F. S. Calfee is employed by the Massachusetts Indian Association to start a school among the Hualapai.

In 1896 Mohave County's real and personal property's assessed valuation is $970,923.86.

In 1898 President McKinley signs an executive order setting aside the Hualapai Indian School Reserve.

In 1899 Arizona-Utah Railroad is completed and runs daily (except Sunday) to Chloride.

In 1900 Chloride is now a booming town of 2000.

In 1901 Truxton Canyon School for Indians is opened.

In 1902 Oatman-Goldroad mining area is opened up.

In 1903 E. T. Perkins surveys along the Colorado River and recommends dam sites at Boulder, Black Canyon, Bullhead and Parker.

In 1907 Kaibab-Piaute Reservation is established in part.

In 1911 Mohave Reservation and Hualapai Reservation increased in size.

In 1914 Mohave County courthouse built.

In 1915 Government reports 474 Hualapai Indians.

An exciting boom is in full swing at Oatman.

In 1916 "Hotels are full and being enlarged. Streets are filled with autos, 12and 24-mule teams in Oatman."

In 1917 Executive Order 2667 sets aside 125,000 acres in Arizona for Kaibab-Piaute Indians.

In 1919 Oatman has five excellent hotels, five or six good eating places, two mercantile stores, two drygoods stores, one drugstore and two banks.

In 1922 Post Office is established at Wickieup.

In 1923 Pipe Spring National Monument established.

Idea for Mohave County Public Library born at a PTA meeting and in four weeks 400 books are collected.

White Hills, Arizona

1928 Kingman Municipal Airport opens.

Congress authorizes Boulder Canyon Project.

1930 Government builds Peach Springs School for public school purposes to which Indian children, by agreement, are admitted. Hoover signs bill for Boulder Dam.

1931 Mohave County celebrates completion of road to Boulder damsite.

1932 Grand Canyon National Monument established.

1935 Hualapai Mt. Park opens to public (road built by CCC) Boulder Dam (now Hoover Dam) dedicated.

1937 Truxton Canyon Indian Boarding School abandoned.

1938 Christmas Tree Inn at Santa Claus started by Talbots (today featuring rum pie, Kris Kringle sandwiches, etc.) Willow Beach resort opens on Colorado below Black Canyon. Hualapai Tribe organized under constitution and by-laws. Peach Springs School turned back to government (WPA funds have built public school).

1939 Clark Gable and Carol Lombard married in surprise ceremony at Kingman.

1941 Davis Dam construction authorized. Bullhead City begun by Utah Construction Company (prime contractors for Davis Dam).

1942 Odd numbered sections along railway relinquished by Santa Fe to Hualapai tribe. Kingman Air Force Base activated.

1943 World War II auxiliary airfield, to the base at Kingman, constructed at Site Six on Colorado River.

1944 Truxton Canyon Indian Agency established.

1946 Pupils from little red school (public) move across tracks to building of former Truxton Canyon School.

Kingman Army Air Force Base de-activated.

1947 Temple Bar resort on Lake Mead begins to grow.

Boulder Dam renamed Hoover Dam by act of Congress.

In 1950 Davis Dam begins to store water.

In 1951 Natural gas comes to Kingman and Mohave County.

Kaibab band of Piautes organized under constitution and by-laws.

In 1952 Katherine Landing resort opens to public.

Valentine (formerly Truxton Canyon) Hualapai Indian Agency (named for Robert G. Valentine, former Commissioner of Indian Affairs) becomes sub-agency under Parker. Kingman incorporates. U.S. 66 by-passes Oatman.

1953 Davis Dam completed.

1956 Ford Proving Ground at Yucca dedicated (4000 acres of Yucca abandoned Army Air Base set up for performance and durability testing in a hot dry climate).

1957 New Peach Springs School opens (built under Public Law 815).

1958 Daughters of Mohave County Pioneers organizes with 70 members from all over United States who have lived in Arizona prior to 1900.

1960 McCulloch Corporation of Los Angeles takes over Site Six as a testing ground for endurance and performance of marine engines and as a planned resort area. Mohave County Pioneer Historic Society incorporates with plans to build a museum with 40,000 used bricks purchased from old Truxton Canyon School buildings torn down. 1961 Walled Lake Door Company of Detroit and Vagabond Coach Company of Michigan lease space for operations at Kingman Airfield.

Wide-open spaces of Mohave County