Daggett! Poking Around a Dusty Desert Route 66 Semi-Ghost Town That's Still Hanging In There
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- Welcome to Wonderhussy Adventure #718
Date of adventure: 4/7/23
As many times as I've driven past the turnoff, I'd never gone to check out the semi-ghost town of Daggett -- until now. Just outside Barstow, this dusty little town boomed way back in the 1880s...and has been on the decline ever since. But...it's still hanging on, and it's still pretty interesting!
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20 Mule team wagon: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Daggett was the home of self-taught botanist Mary Beal, who wrote a ton for Desert Magazine: Harold Weight, another heavy-hitter contributor, wrote: “If you should come upon a small active woman in some isolated corner of the Mojave, wrapped about with photographic equipment and clinging to the canyon wall with fingers and toes while she decides whether to study a flower or investigate a mineral specimen, it will be quite safe to say: ‘Hello, Mary Beal.” Lived her life in the desert at the Van Dyke Ranch in a tent, and then a cottage she built herself. She's buried at Daggett Pioneer Cemetery. Judge Van Dyke was the local law and Mojave Desert historian. Wrote a lot of books. He would host a picnic every year at his ranch for all the Old Timers that had 'lived history.' All in that area of Daggett.
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Awesome
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Kind of like Wonderhussy!
Thank you
Inspiring history thanks
I am 82 years young. When I was 10-12 years old, my Uncle and Aunt lived in Daggett. My Uncle was a U.S. Ag Inspector who worded at the Ag Station everyone passed through as they left AZ and entered CA. I remember how amazingly cold it could be at night, even in the middle of Summer. And, after dark, we were not permitted to leave the front porch to play in the yard because of an abundance of Rattlesnakes and Scorpions. It was always exciting to go outside in the early morning and find the marks left by the Sidewinder Rattlesnakes. Fun times and precious memories.
Thanks for sharing your story. My dad (1916-2001) grew up near Blythe. He said if they went out after dark they carried a lantern in each hand because rattle snakes struck at the heat.
That AG Station was the building with the funky roof WonderHussy showed us - it was also used in the Henry Fonda movie The Grapes of Wrath as just what you described. I totally forgot it was an Agricultural Inspection station and just not used to keep Okies out.
I do belive the AG station is torn down ,the ski lodge roof building served as a information station and real estate office,later a restraunt and then a private home.the buildings were directly across from one another
@@dougtodd305 Yes you are correct, I stand corrected. The woman who owned the bldg died a few years ago. I think the guy who just renovated the old Mugwumps bldg plans to turn it into a gift shop but he still hasn't done it yet.
@@joewenzel5142 👍
You are an EXCELLENT researcher, an engaging teacher and I literally look forward to your videos every Wednesday.
Image being a small town like that, and then suddenly Wonderhussy moves in together with her sister, and makes your desert arts market into a big event with hundreds of visitors!
That bridge that crosses over that dry river bed - it's called the Mojave River and water actually flows through it year round but it flows underground. Only river in the US that flows inland from the San Bernardino mountains at its head all the way to ZZZYX dry lake bed.
Always got a kick out of the exit sign and reminds me of the early hair band XYZ
@@markbirchette8740 Yes! I first saw it in 1994 and was like WTF?
I remember driving by the Mojave river when it was flowing all the way to the dry lake bed. (according to Wikipedia it did that in 2004-5) I thought this year it might have a chance to flow all the way again but from what I could gather online it only made it to Daggett before 'drying' up again.
@@garywilson1688 It did that again about 10 years ago due to all the rain AND again this year. What ends up happening to prevent the water from overflowing its banks in Victorville they open up the flood gates and let the water run above ground and yes it makes it past Daggett and onto Afton Canyon. But yeah this year it didn't go much past Daggett.
@@joewenzel5142 Thanks Joe. I did a trip to Death Valley a couple weeks ago and camped (for the first time) at Afton Canyon. Cool place. It would be really cool to see the river flowing. Maybe next year with the El Nino.
As always, happy to see your "Wednesday videos". Never disappoint!
Stay safe.
😁
The original rail line through Daggett was built by the Southern Pacific. There was a small yard with a turntable engine servicing facility. SP built the rail line from Mojave, all the way out to Needles. Now SP and Santa Fe got into a rail line exchange and Santa Fe acquired the property and moved the yard to Barstow, Ca. Later, Union Pacific came along and built into Daggett and trackage agreements were worked out between UP and ATSF that have lasted to this day. Barstow was originally named Waterman. What saved Daggett was it became a railroad town servicing the small Union Pacific yard UP built there. You might want to visit some of the museums in the area. Just some added thoughts. BarstowRick signing off.
😎 🆒️
You kinda failed to mention that UP actually had its roots in nearby Yermo since like 1902 or there abouts. Daggett was, and still is, the connecting point for the Santa Fe (via Arizona) and Union Pacific (via Nevada) lines, and they ride together to the top of Cajon Pass before splitting again.
My great grandfather Collins was a 20 mule team driver hauling borax from Calico to Daggett back in the day. My grandfather was a radio man for Santa Fe, stationed in Barstow. I taught school briefly at the Daggett middle school. Kinda know the the area a bit.
@@thebiggianthead8364 WH has quite the audience. Trackage agreement; that's when you know they are train guys. I'm not a train guy (my term, apologies) but who doesn't like to see a train go by? There's been songs written about them. I'm kind of a photographer and one of the great missed shots of my life was when camped out under a bridge on I-40 west of Nowhere. Beautiful near new looking SF engine stopped on the bridge above my camp. Perfect...except those were the film days and I had used up the last of my twelve shots.
@@Jeff-jg7jh - Gotta love digital cameras for that if nothing else. It's nice to walk out the door with 500+ shots and put in a chip the size of my thumbnail for 500 more. While dad and grandpa both worked for the railroad, after living close to the tracks I am happy to let them do their thing without me close by. That said, they, and the seaports, are the reason California has a big economy, take them away and see if you can make that much money from Hollywood tourists.
@@thebiggianthead8364 No more Fotomat.
On the final pilot's license exam the instructor reaches over and shuts your engine off and says" Now what do you do?" You land at the nearest airport available, which just so happens to be DAGGET!
My Father ran the FBO at Daggett Airport in the early 70's...
I lived in Daggett for a short, I lived in Barstow and was in the USArmy at Ft Irwin. I loved that area and always wanted to return. I am back home by Pittsburgh Pa.
After being raised on the east coast, seeing the desert sour west was soooooo cool. I would live there forever. Love ur show girly.
Isn’t Pennsylvania nice too?! It’s funny how growing up in the south west makes the green lush east coast look nice!!
@@Jennifermcintyre the tree's and hill's give Pa an old-school, VHS, slasher movie vibe. It' so hilly that there's several places to skate, skate-board, and have a good time OUTside of the house! In the winter time, there's a lot of snow & ice - also a great factor in snowboarding and other Xtreme sports! There's also a lot of underground tunneling (not just sewage, but abandoned police run's. L/R
They moved those artifacts from the Daggett Museum to that building which was used in the film The Grapes of Wrath. The Daggett Museum was broken into over 10 years ago and never re-opened - maybe they'll reopen it in The Grapes of Wrath building.
Great insight thanks
You are a Great Story Teller! Love your tales!
Sarah, when I was 11 years old, we would go back to I'll for a 2 wk vacation. Been on 66, many times in the 1950s. The blacktop was layer up an down the sand dunes....up... then down....stomach trying to keep up. Leave Anahein at 3 am. to beat the hot desert. Canvas watering tied to the grill of my folks 50 Mercury, couple yrs later 56 Merc. Windows all down, vents open, sweating bullets. 6 kids and my Mom driving. Visiting family near Elgin. Drive like he'll to get as mush time there as we could in 2 was. Dad would go by plane because he only had one wk off, then fly back to LAX. Load up kids, time to head back to Calif. Again you stirred up many old memories. Thanks.❤
The 'roller coaster road' was for flash flooding. Rather than raise the entire grade (which would have acted as a dam), drivers were to stop atop a hump and let the water pass.
I remember watching from the back seat through rear window as headlights would bob up, then disappear, then up again closer or further depending on speed.
I have been to Dagget while tooling around on 66. Thing that struck me was hot it must have been working in that all steel garage in the summer. Thing is there are tweekers running all around that desert and thievery is high.
Though true, I have to say the tweakery is way less severe here than when I lived in neighboring barstow.. Though things do happen here and there, the majority of our tweaker population is of the “harmless” type, if that makes sense? The ones in Barstow steal your catalytic converter.. The ones here generally are the “dancing on a creosote bush in 110 degree heat” type..
I got to hang out in daggett for several years while my father in law had a hay ranch. Lots of fun riding on the hay machines. I would come up each weekend and made them a big pot of beans.
Hi! Lol. She forgot to go by Alf's blacksmith shop. It was around the corner from daggett store.
Went down the rabbit hole on this channel…what a trip! Very compelling stories and video shoots. As a former Californian who now lives in the AZ desert and has relatives in Vegas, I really enjoy this lady’s take on this part of America. Also, I like her quirky personality….her voice and mannerisms remind me of Kristen Wigg when she’s impersonating Kathie Lee Gifford.
I have to thank covid lockdown for turnin' me on to Wonderhussy!
20 miles to the south from Daggett near Lucerne Valley is Soggy Dry Lake, where in 1999, I did scientific research in Natural VLF Radio Emissions.
The world's first commercial solar power plants, SEGS I (built in 1984) and SEGS II (built in 1985) of the SEGS network were located in Daggett.[1]
Daggett was also home to a unique solar thermal energy plant named Solar One, a pilot project which was operational from 1982 to 1986.
During calibration of the power plant's thousands of heliostats, a ball of glowing light was sometimes seen in the nearby area. This effect was caused by the heliostats focusing sunlight onto a specific point. As the intensity of the light increased, it reflected off dust in the desert air. This phenomenon was sometimes seen by passersby on nearby Interstate 40 and 15.[citation needed]
I was a pipefitter on segs 2 1985
I remember seeing that everytime I drove through there in the 90"s. It kinda looked like angel wings floating in the air. It would take your eyes a few minutes to readjust after looking at it.
My Grandfather and father were on the Solar One project, I have some fond memories of Daggett.
The Daggett Ditch deserves its own video!
Nothing better than to travel with wonderhussy so many interesting facts great landscapes scenery thanks wonderhussy
Next time you're in the area head west to the town of Boron, about halfway between Barstow and Mojave. Just north of town is the Rio Tinto Borax mine, the largest borax mine in the world. They have a neat visitors center on top of the slag pile overlooking the open pit. Inside they have displays on all the ways borax is used today (everything from makeup to msedicine and insulation) and lots of old mining artifacts. Outside there's a restored 20 mule team wagon train complete with 20 mules (OK, they're statues but they give you a good idea of how the wagon train looked back in the day).
Wondering and Wandering, with very intriguing history. Absolutely loving it all!!
I totally love watching your videos of my old stomping grounds 😏
How insightful, St. Ives IS a misty, temperate village..
It's a little fishing town down in the south west corner of England.
Years ago there would have been pirates there and all sorts of skullduggery going on 🏴☠️
Wonder, thank you once again for giving me a tour through places I have once been!👍🌸
I don't remember a lot about that yet except making a long distance phone call from there, but there is one thing that I appreciate about your videos, and that is there's a lot of historical content, and I really enjoy seeing some of this way out localized improvise architecture, shows a lot of things built by people, when I drive around areas like that it has very little to do with looking at peoples desperation but more so celebrating some of the unique aspects of those little towns, they have some really cool stuff there, unfortunately not everybody appreciates it, a lot of them think you have to have a shiny new plastic home the size of a castle to have any value in this world, I was just the opposite wasn't willing to buy into that color big show, I've had my chance to flaunt and I never did I thought it showed a lack of character. And frankly I'm not that interested in
with a whole mess of people anymore. Matter of fact, ghost town sounds pretty good to me.
And as far as the kid goes playing in a ghost town is a blast have done plenty of that ...
My kind of girl,,we are big time desert explorers,, since I was a small lad my family worked out in the desert for the government,we grew up at the beach,,surfed our brains out,,but the vastness of the desert has called us ,,, great stuff!,, good job hussy!
You are the happy face in a happy place life is what you make it Sarah☮️🌵🙂
That was a blast from my past growing up in Barstow in the 60s my parents did a lot of Jeep trips all round the Mojave desert and I remember Daggett was one town we pass through quite a bit lots of exploring in the mountains, where calico ghost town is some great memories there thanks for the video!!
I remember growing up in Southern Ca. and exploring Calico before Knotts changed it to a tourist place. My Dad and sister and I explored the wash behind the abandoned stores and my sister and I loaded up our pockets with turquoise rocks. Turquoise wasn't valuable back then in the late 40's to early 50's like it now. Also we lived in Sought Gate and Fullerton and I worked in the "Steak House" at Knott's Berry Farm in 59 or 60! One of the buss boys I worked with was so slow I nick named him "Lightning" and everybody knew who I was talking about.
@@daveneil3963 🩶 fabulous post! thank you for sharing
Great video. Love your enthusiasm for out of the way locations.
A manufactured home apartment complex 😂😂😂😂😂 We call those trailer parks & that was a nice one.
Wonder hussy found a distant relative of mine. Daggett was home for a while. Crazy little community 😂 wild for sure 😊
Your narratives are well researched, presented and informative as hell…YOU ARE A NATURAL STORYTELLER…thanks so much
hey w/h, and yet another entertaining, and informative video from the olden days in ca............thank you for the video.👍
Back when I was knee high to a grasshopper (early fifties), my parents and I visited my Grandmother who lived with her boyfriend in their bar/restaurant in Daggett featuring tourist cabins. I can still picture the layout, but other than that, all I remember was that we toured a train station whose communication system utilized Morse code telegraphy, complete with the operator wearing the visor with long-sleeved, gartered white shirt.
Nice small town where the kids don’t have to go school.. And you gave a nice bit of history, which was very interesting.
The USPS Postal Distribution Center in San Bernardino still maintains a mail distribution bin for what we call the "desert cities" for letters and packages and performs daily deliveries to Daggett, Yermo, and Newbury Springs on the Barstow truck. Many of Calico's old buildings are preserved and were relocated to Knotts Berry Farm as part of their Old West Theme Park.
In the 60's I worked at radio station KWTC owned by tom and Ester Brown..I asked him why he built a radio station here(Barstow) he said union pacific was going to build a major hub in Barstow They did not, I worked there long before the freeway bypassed the main street. One of my many jobs, , still waiting for your continuation of El Cajon , waiting for you to get to Vasquez rocks??
keep up the good work.
Thanks WH! Another great adventure! Keep ‘em coming!!
A swamper was basically the cook and was in charge of harnessing and unharnessing the team.
That fire engine is a mid '50s Seagrave. Great fire apparatus makers. I've been lucky enough to have driven a couple of them during my career. They are beasts!
We called this type of Seagrave "long nose" LACOFD still had these rigs in front line service in the 80's
@@pameladutton9076 You are right! Both LAFD and LACoFD had them. Next to the Crown Firecoach They are my favorites...
I’m in my 70s and the 1st time
I heard the word mugwump, was when
I was a kid on my granddad’s farm. He asked if
I knew what the bird on the fence was. He said it was a Mugwump, it’s mug was on one side of the fence and it’s wump was on the other side.
Daggett was busy in the '50's and '60's with Route 66 gas stations and restaurants. Once Daggett was bypassed by the Interstate in the '70's, the town almost disappeared. Yes, that's a fire truck that was made by Seagraves in Columbus, Ohio; the company has moved but still is a major manufacture of fire trucks.
Just saw Carol Burnette on Kelly Clarkson today and realized how similar you are to her. Especially young. "How do nudists dance?...cheek to cheek". I love your channel!
Thank you for card you sent back in December, anyway you keep on having fun 🎉 your a little rascal ,Darla gone hussy lol 🤣
Ronald Reagan used to hawk 20 mule Team Borax laundry detergent in the TV show Death Valley Days 1964 -66.
The Dagget-Barstow airport has an interesting back story. For WW2 there were four VERY long open-sided buildings used to reconfigure brand new aircraft for their specific theaters of operation (including Russia). One structure remains.
I absolutely love you're honesty I've followed you're channel for 3 years now I have alot in common with you thank you for all you're hard work ❤
While at Ft Huachuca Ar, back in the early 70s I used to love doing what you do, now I just watch and enjoy your exploring adventures.
hey, that's my family name on my mothers side! my great grand father came from Syriain 1914. his name was Joseph Elias Saba Haddad Daggett
You crack me up Sarah, i'll never desert you. ❤😅😊
Speaking of LARRY: wHere the heck is he?
I had fun documenting stuff there not too long ago. Cool museum.
During the Depression my grandparents ran a Sprouse-Reitz variety store in Daggett. They sent my father and aunt to their grandparents orange ranch in Santa Ana, CA. As they were too busy to look after the kids while they were at work.
In the 1980s, I was on a college geology and botany trip to Death Valley. We toured the Lila C Mine. We rode an elevator into the ground and road rail cars. What an experience!
I'm here!!!!...gosh daggett!
We have massive collection of Desert magazines and Nevada Magazines from the 40's,,50's,,,60's,,, great history,, thanks
What a treat ! Twin videos in one day with Sarah..and trains..historical locations..a ghost town (kinda)..interesting vehicles..creepy cemetery..so much cool stuff ! Thanks Kiddo. We ❤You.
OMG! When you started to talk about roofing and the Russian house I've fell in love with you. 🕺🎉🕺🎉😂😅
Thanks so much
This is exactly my kind of fun too! I love exploring this old former boom towns in the desert!!
YeS you mentioned Deadwood! I’m here come visit!!! I would happily show you all the best things in the Black Hills of the SoDak ❣️
Hello, I work at the Marine Corps base right down the way from Daggett. The Russian House is not abandoned. I occasionally see the owner sitting on the porch. Keep it up, I love your spunk and you’re travels are fun to watch!
Loving the longer videos!!
Love exploring the dessert with you Huss. Thanks for sharing.
Good job. Very useful.
There use to be a museum up the street from the market, we had a plaque in front of it also, like the Dagget Garage plaque.
Wonder hussy, they do have a museum next to the water department ❤️
Thx for the tour...gotta love Daggett...been there and thru there many times .
Mugwumps was also the name of a Folk Music Group that Mama Cass Eliot was a member of before the Mamas and Papas
Talk to me Goose✈️ Wish I had a better jet for you Huss😜🎸
That yellow sign with the arrow was Lumberjacks, a California Home improvement chain before Home Depot or Lowes, they were everywhere in the 70's and 80's!
Some of the interstates in San Diego county have the route numbers painted in the lanes such as Interstate 8.
I live in a little town here in Iowa (60 or so people) that has the U.P.Railroad tracks running through it. It’s a block away from me and gets upwards to 150 trains a day on it. Most of These trains are almost two miles long. I grew up here and have become accustomed to their noise. Those black tankers you saw could have come from my town. They make soy oils and soy diesel here. Peacefully living in Iowa…
Death Valley Scotty at one time lived at that Stone Hotel.
You are " knee slapper", funny, Sarah.😅😂
Great video. They say don’t mess with success, but an interview with a local now then might be worth trying. I would have liked to see inside the store, and hear what they have to say.
"Oh look, here's #2!". That's damn funny. The Debble knows why. I think George Carlin mentioned The Great Cabbage Fart Panic of 1892? The great thing about Wonderhussy is that she'll never run out of imagination; and I mean never Daggett!
yes -that is an old jail. There is an identical one at the Mojave River Valley Museum in Barstow.
Little did she know that she would spend a week in one shortly after that 🙂
@@Rob2 Lol
Imagine how hot / cold those iron boxes would get.
thanks for the adventure and the well researched history stay safe
Heh heh...
Wonderhussy has a friend named Larry.
Does he have 2 brothers named "Daryl and Daryl?"
"Hi... I'm Larry.
"This is my brother Daryl, and my other brother named Daryl!"
a very Fun video ;
awesome History ;
we are envious of your travels and in awe of your skills ❤🎉😊
Coooool stuff, ur great as usual!!
Love what you do all the adventures you find are so interesting wish I could join you at least once one day
Another super interesting and educational adventure Ms. Wonderhussy !!! Love them All !!!
Another great historical lesson ❤😮😅😊
Your knowledge base is exceptional. I love listening to you clarify.
They do put labels on many highways darlin.😊
Another great tour from the “Queen of Nowhere “, love all the effort you put in your videos 😎⭐️🤩🤣🥃🥃
I have a great grandfather and grandfather in that cemetery. My dad used to deliver bread out there in the 50’s and 60’s
Wonderhussy another great video. Thanks for taking us along with you on your journey.. 😊✌😘💯
Thanks,
I needed that!
Thanks for the video tour & story, WH - you're always an informative guide, and charming to boot! I like old cemeteries too. 😊
That was cool! Dag nabit.....
Thank you for all Adventures that we can join you . I always look forward for Wednesday to See a new one
From the cahhoonas pass . To a semi route .. can’t wait for wonderhussys life choices ..great way to live and informative USA back in the day was a crazy place real cowboys n injins… quaint town as they says in them their places
Great report! Wow,! Lots of U Hauls there. Must be moving into town! Thanks for sharing!
I went to Dagger middle school in junior high 8th grade for a short time while my dad worked at the coal gasification plant in Newbury Spring, I quickly got a lay of the land as I had a Kawasaki KX 500 dirt bike to explore. Made friends all over the place Yermo and all the way to Barstow.
Stopped in there back in 87 with my Marines in our Jeeps, last time we drove out there before we got our Hummers. We had lunch and to relieve our selves, I would love to do what you did but stay a day or so, I love digging into old junk and explore the grave yard. 👍❤️🇺🇸
My property has the last remaining remnants of the Daggett Borax railroad bed. It ran right through my property - all the other properties bulldozed it away but it remains on mine.
Wow wonderhussy, I have to say if you weren't so appealing I wouldn't have spent the last twenty-five or thirty minutes watching you drive around a Dusty little town... In the middle of the desert... But I did learn some things and also I have to say it's kind of comforting to know that time stood still and some parts of America are still the same... Keep on truckin you gorgeous explorer😊
Have you ever been to Jerome, AZ? It’s an old mining “ghost town” that is built into the side of a mountain. It’s just about 30 mins from Sedona. We have been a couple times when visiting Sedona, and I find it super interesting. Maynard James Keenan of the band Tool actually had a winery there and a vineyard. He has a great restaurant in Cottonwood at the base of Jerome called Merkin. It makes me giggle. If you don’t know what a Merkin is, give it a google. Lol Anyway, I think it would make a great video!
Great idea!