Page 9 - 2003 DT 12 Issues

Wha t’ s Insi d e !
Featured Articles
Death Valley Scotty.....................................1
Boot Tracks.................................................5
Special
Volunteer Training.......................................3
Quiz............................................................7
Departments
February 2003 News & Notes............................................2
Programs & Hikes........................................4
Desk Schedule............................................6
Bulletin Board.............................................8

Death Valley Scotty ○ ○ stunt rider. It was a glamorous existence ○ the Coyote Special. He did break the
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○ for a young man, and he spent twelve
○ ○ record. “Got there so fast nobody had
A Legend in His Own Time ○ years with the show, touring America and ○ time to sober up,” he said. Wealthy in-
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(and a Con-man) ○ Europe. ○ surance executive, Albert Johnson, was
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In 1900, Scott married Ella Milius in ○ among those greeting Scotty in Chicago.
○ ○
by Chuck Kleber ○
○ New York City. A few months later they ○ This was the beginning of a life-long
○ ○
t’s almost natural to add the word moved to Colorado where he tried his ○ friendship that endured even after it be-
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“Scotty” when speaking of Death hand at gold mining . . . unsuccessfully. ○ came clear that Scotty had woven pure
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I Valley. He is part of the lore, and ○ That really set the stage for Scott’s fu- ○ fiction to get Johnson’s grubstake money
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○ ture of swindling and tall stories. It just ○ to pursue the gold in Scotty’s fictional
his legacy seems assured by the mere ex- ○ ○
istence of “Scotty’s Castle.” It is not a ○ seemed to be in him; it came naturally. ○ ○ mine. But for the moment, it looked like
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castle and it was not his, but that is part ○ He convinced a rich New Yorker that he a real thing to Johnson. In 1906, he trav-
○ had discovered a gold eled west with Scotty to
of the fascinating story of this truly col- ○
orful character who remarked during its ○ ○ mine in Death Valley and see “the mine.” Gunmen
construction, “The hall of fame is going ○ ○ there was big money to be ambushed them along
up. We’re building a castle that will last ○ had. The man took the the way (Scotty ar-
○
a thousand years. As long as there’s men ○ bait, and Scott set out on ranged it) and Johnson
○ a two-year period of never saw the diggings.
on earth, likely these walls will stand ○
here.” ○ ○ glowing reports about his Three years later, they
“Scotty’s Castle” is a large, two-story ○ ○ gold strikes. But with no were in Death Valley
villa in the Spanish style, nestled in Death ○ ore being shipped, he had again. Johnson liked the
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Valley’s Grapevine Canyon. Its nine ○ to find some way to lend climate; it was good for
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buildings are actually a mix of Spanish, ○ credibility to his claims. his health. He also liked
○ He took a train for the Scotty. Even after his
Mexican and Moorish influences, and ○
there is nothing like it in the nearly 3,000 ○ East Coast with what he prospecting friend ad-
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square miles of Death Valley National ○ claimed was $12,000 in mitted that the mine was
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Park. How did it get there? It began with ○ gold. It was conveniently a hoax, Johnson contin-
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the birth of Walter E. Scott in Cynthiana, ○ “stolen” along the way, but word began ○ ued to provide financial support so Scotty
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○ to spread in the press about Scott and his ○ could at least continue to live in Death
Ky. in 1872. Children grew into adult ○ ○
responsibilities early, and by age 11 he ○ ○ gold strikes. He was getting a measure ○ Valley. By now, he seldom saw his wife.
had left home for Wells, Nev. to join two ○ of fame. Before long they began to call ○ ○ Death Valley Scotty’s Castle was
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brothers on a ranch. Scott was good with ○ him, “Death Valley Scotty.” The name ○ born in the 1920’s as an idea when
○ ○ ○ Johnson decided to build a beautiful
horses, and he was soon working for the ○ would stick.
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○ ○ ranch in Death Valley, where he and his
Harmony Borax Works, running those ○ Scotty looked for some new scheme
legendary 20-mule teams across some of ○ ○ to feed his desire for attention and money. ○ ○ wife could live and enjoy the climate.
the most barren and harsh land on earth. ○ He decided to break the speed record ○ Scotty was right there in the midst of
○ ○
His restless and adventurous nature soon ○ between Los Angeles and Chicago and, ○
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led him into Buffalo Bill’s Wild West ○ as usual, he found a backer in L.A. to put ○
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Show. He was only 16, but a first-class ○ up the funds for a three-car train dubbed ○ Scotty, continued on page 6