Essex is still there - almost

Original Post Office in Essex, CA - officially closed in 2011

 It was just nipping at a hundred and six degrees when I drove into the tiny outpost known as Essex.

“It’s gonna be a hot one,” I could hear the slight breeze whispering, as I got out of my truck and snapped a few photos.

Snapping photos is a thing we photojournalists do. Freeze a moment in time forever, and then go home and write about it. It’s the perfect synergy – words and photos.

I was in Essex for two reasons. One, I hadn’t been there in decades. Two, readers have written to ask when Route 66 and the National Trails Highway would be open all the way to Needles.

The first reason to be in Essex was fulfilled. I was back, and the town appeared completely deserted – I mean completely.

Of course, there is the well-maintained Caltrans maintenance yard, and a small United States Post Office made of rock walls. That’s about it, really.

The Caltrans maintenance facility in Essex, CA

According to longtime resident and font of knowledge about Essex's history, John Bentley, the current population of the town is around 6 people.

“Most people have moved on,” Bentley stated. “With Route 66 closed, along with National Trails Highway, there’s no one who comes through here.”

The legend of Essex is that a driver had a flat tire, but there was nothing there. Nothing but a long drive – especially on a dud of a tire – no place to find assistance. But soon, an entrepreneur opened Bell’s Towing. Then, the Wayside Café was built to serve up tasty meals for road-weary travelers making their way across the Mojave Desert. A United States post office opened for the convenience of more and more people moving to this remote stretch of the highway, and the Essex Elementary School was founded in 1937.

Remains of the Essex market and gas station in Essex, CA

The population never amounted to a great deal in numbers, but again, in that strong sense of pioneerism, people lived and thrived here.

Turns out that Jim Craig, Bentley’s great-grandfather, had come into the area from Texas over a hundred years ago. He was a miner, working the mines in the local mountains and desert. He had traveled with his brother to seek their fortunes and then branched out into desert ranching.

One thing Bentley didn’t tell me is the story that Jim Craig may have been making moonshine during Prohibition while living near Sunflower Springs. Not sure if this is a true story, but according to the blogger, Darthjenni, Jim Craig moved to the area with his family of 5 children around 1914. He worked for the Rock Springs Land and Cattle Company. During the federally mandated drought on alcohol in the United States, they decided to be a little creative with liquor manufacturing.

Again, I am not certain if this is true, but it makes a great story.

As Bentley himself said, “People tell a lot of stories about what happened in the early days out here. Some accurate and some not so much.”

But around the 1930’s, Jim Craig did start his own ranch, and brought in the cattle which could graze on little more than small desert plants.

“They used desert cattle that had been here for centuries,” Bentley told me. “They are well used to surviving out here. Crazy, isn’t it?”

Standing there in the hot, now noon-day sun, I had to admit it sounded a bit crazy.

But what is desert ranching? Looking across the millions of acres of brown, arid soil, I didn’t see where anything could be ranched. Perhaps some jack rabbits and lizards, but the market for that sort of cuisine is probably limited.

Turns out, again, this is what a sharp researcher’s mind can learn: the cattle are called Criollo. A cattle breed brought to America by Columbus and then to the southwest by Spanish conquistadors. A cow that can thrive in the desert. 

What will those conquistadors think of next?

And thrive they did, but it turns out these cattle need a lot of space – a lot of space, to roam and nibble on sparse vegetation. And as they did this, desert tortoises suffered greatly, so by the early 2000’s, cattle ranching virtually disappeared from the Mojave Desert. Outdoor groups and the Bureau of Land Management found the grazing to be too dangerous for the endangered tortoise, and a move was made to limit or discourage ranching altogether.

Though – this is just what I have observed traveling remote areas of the Mojave - there are still ranches out in the desert lands – I’ve viewed a lot of cattle, the Criollo, walking here and there looking for something to munch on.

More research is needed on this subject. I’ll have to ask one of the cows what’s up the next time I encounter them. Of course, some of these cattle have pretty big and pointy horns. This is when social distancing takes on a whole new meaning.

But, with the traffic on both Route 66 and National Trails Highway, the town of Essex thrived – just like those Criollos.

Essex is advertising for hotel rooms in Laughlin, Nevada

Tourists on the way west or east stopped by for gas, tires, a repair, or just something to eat, and things were going swimmingly for the townsfolk. And then – yep, Highway 40 was built just about six miles north of Essex. That’s all it took to make a small town even smaller.

On an interesting side note, in 1977, the town of Essex received television for the first time. In fact, when the late-night television host, Johnny Carson, heard the news, he had the entire town driven in for a taping of The Tonight Show.

Ed McMahan exclaimed, “Heeerrrreee’s Johnny and the whole town of Essex!”

Maybe not quite like that, but the whole town was invited and attended the taping of the Tonight Show.

The population began to dwindle with less and less traffic, and by 2005, the population was a mere 89 people, and continues to dwindle.

“There’s no business here,” Bentley stated. “We’ve stuck it out because we love the solitude but pretty much everyone is thinking of leaving eventually.”

One of the few remaining houses in Essex, CA

I asked him about the Caltrans signs stating the road is closed to through traffic just as soon as a traveler exited the Essex Road off-ramp. Actually, the signs are clearly marked that Route 66 and National Trails Highway are closed east and west of Essex. The road to Essex is fine with no issues – except those darn highway signs stretched across the roadway.

“That’s the problem. We’d still have some sort of business, but people see those signs and just get back on the freeway.”

Well, this guy didn’t. In fact, I even drove east on National Trails Highway, around the road closure signs, to see why this path to Needles has been closed for nearly a decade. What could take Caltrans that long to fix a road? Is there another Area 51 out there? What was the government hiding? Were Martians marching around demanding we stop sending rovers to their world? Really – that could be annoying. 

As I’ve mentioned in other articles, I don’t believe in conspiracy theories, but I just love a good conspiracy.

Turns out, that a few miles east of Essex on the National Trails Highway, an entire bridge was destroyed from some pretty nasty flooding years back. Not passable.

I returned to Essex, dejected at not finding out anything but the truth: the roadways are not drivable.

There’s not much to see in Essex today. The buildings are deserted, falling, and dangerous to wander through.

A lot of small deserted homes in Essex, CA

But if you listen to the wind, I believe you could still hear distant, happy voices in this small desert town when it was alive and thriving.

John can be contacted at: beyersbyways@gmail.com

 

 

 

Giganticus Headicus

John R Beyer with Giganticus Headicus

I was having lunch with a friend of mine, Jim, when he asked if I had ever heard of the Giganticus Headicus.

While popping another popper in my mouth, I shook my head. “Not sure about that, and not sure that is truly a thing.”

Jim often asks me if I’ve seen this or that while I travel.

Jim travels a lot, too. And his main thoroughfare is the ‘Mother Road’, or the ‘Will Rogers Highway,’ or the ‘Main Street of America’ – all three are also known as just ‘Route 66.’

He has seen many things during his years traveling Route 66. At last count, I believe Jim told me he has traveled Route 66, all the way from Santa Monica to Chicago, about three thousand times.

That makes Jim an expert on what is and what is not on Route 66.

I’ve never been to Chicago, not even once. And, changing planes at O’Hare International Airport on the northwest side of the city does not count as having visited Chicago.

“So what is a Giganticus Headicus?”

“It is a great piece of art, created by Gregg Arnold,” Jim replied.

“Where’s it located?”

“At Antares Point,” he said. “You’ve heard of that, yes?”

I nodded. “Of course, that’s the bar where Luke Skywalker runs into Hans Solo and Chewie.”

Welcome to Antares Point

Turns out, there is a small village named Antares about twenty miles north-east of Kingman, Arizona. It began, as many villages did, as a railroad siding for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad in 1883. The tracks at this point take a large curve in their design as the rails head south toward Kingman.

In 1910, after the National Old Trails Highway made its way through the area, the village was incorporated into what is now Antares. In 1926, Route 66 blazed along the railroad tracks, and the area became a rest stop for those visitors heading either north or south through this part of Arizona.

But, there is more to this little berg than just a fuel stop. There are over six thousand mining claims in the nearby hills, where copper, gold, lead, and silver were found in abundance. The village of Antares actually took its name from the star Antares, in the constellation ‘Scorpio.’ The word is Greek and means ‘rival of Mars’, due to the reddish tint of the hillsides created by the copper found there.

Though most of the mines are now closed, there are still over two hundred in operation in and around the Hualapai Valley, where Antares is located.

I found that research rather interesting, as I do most of my research – unless it has to do with how to take a dog stain off a living-room carpet.

But, it also turns out that there is a small stop along Route 66 called Antares Point. It is owned by Gregg Arnold and his spouse, Alie Reynolds-Arnold, and is a place that is truly worth a parking break.

A small A-framed building is the center of Antares Point, which offers visitors a chance for a snack, a drink, and a gaze at some awesome pieces of artwork.

Both Gregg and Alie are world-renowned artists, and have their studio, the Antares Art Studio, in Kingman.

Alie is known for her work in many art media forms, such as acrylics, oils, and whatever else great artists use to slap on a canvas to express their innermost creativity.

Gregg, on the other hand, deals mainly in metal works. His metal sculptures appear all over the world, and the more detailed, the better.

Some of his works are on display and for sale at Antares Point.

 “Gregg is unveiling a new metal sculpture there in two weeks.”

“That sounds like an adventure to me,” I told Jim.

And, it was.

As I rounded the bend just south of the village of Antares, my eyes locked onto a huge tiki-god-like sculpture to the left of the A-frame visitor’s center for Antares Point.

Gregg Arnold's tiki-god sculpture

I had to park quite a way down a dirt road from the business since about two hundred people were milling around for the unveiling of Arnold’s latest creation. Actually, I’m not sure if they were milling, to be honest – I'm not even sure what that truly means.

“I was just milling around.”

“Well, I was milling better than you.”

There was a car show with some really sweet rides, and people were walking around gawking in admiration or jealousy. There was a band playing near some outdoor benches and awnings. And a man selling ice cream, singing Italian songs – no, those are the lyrics from a song by the band, Chicago.

Car show and directions along Route 66

Anyway, there was quite a crowd and everyone was having a wonderful time while waiting for the blue tarps to be withdrawn from the newest artwork created by Gregg Arnold.

Giganticus Headicus is huge – really a big-headed cement head which looks like it is buried up to its chin in the ground. Standing at fourteen feet tall, it is impressive.

At that moment, the artist himself walked over to me. “What do you think?”

“It’s big and green,” I replied.

Arnold smiled. “Yes, it is, and the first time I used concrete in any of my artwork. The use of concrete was a new medium for me, but it worked out.”

Giganticus Headicus

Not being much of an art consumer, except for purchasing a couple of paintings depicting dogs playing cards, I asked what inspired him for this project.

“I thought of it while sleeping one night,” he replied. “I woke up and hurriedly jotted down the design. It was like an obsession with me. I’m sure being a writer, you probably get up in the middle of the night with something important on your mind.”

I nodded, but didn’t reply. The only time I get up in the middle of the night is to find the nearest restroom.

“For the entire month it took to complete it, it was all I could think of. I was totally obsessed and was physically and emotionally exhausted once I had completed it.”

Gregg is a very passionate artist. He created the large tiki-head project at the studio in Kingman, and then transported it to the site at his Antares Point location.

“I wanted something to draw a person’s eye, as they drive by on Route 66. This did the trick, and they stopped, and I got to talk with them about the importance of art and also the magnificence of this road.”

“What is going to be unveiled?” I asked.

“You’ll have to wait and see.” He smiled.

Taking my leave from Gregg, I walked into the visitor’s center and was really amazed at the pieces of art that lined the countertops and shelves around the rooms. Small pieces, medium pieces, and some large metal artworks, which were incredible in all their detail. Wandering through the store, I saw art magazine after art magazine with stories concerning this highly creative artisan. 

Of course, there were also books, photographs, signs, and other Route 66 memorabilia for sale, as well as snacks and drinks for the visitors.

Watch your speed near Antares Point

As I exited the store after purchasing something, Gregg was standing on the front porch of the establishment. I asked him how he got his inspiration for such a varied array of artworks.

“My art just comes to me. I don’t know how or why, but it does.”

Being as successful an artist as Gregg is, his imagination must be on overdrive most of the time. 

While waiting for the unveiling, I busied myself chatting with car enthusiasts, Route 66 enthusiasts, art enthusiasts, and enthusiasts of enthusiasm.

“I’m really enthused by being here,” said one lady.

The time for the unveiling was suddenly upon us – time speeds by when everyone is enthused.

The new metal structure, which stands at sixteen feet tall, is located on the north-west section of the property as planned by Gregg, so anyone traveling Route 66 would be able to see it right away. As though anyone driving by wouldn’t first see a giant green head tiki-god in the front yard of Antares Point.

That may slow a driver down a bit.

Gregg stepped up onto a concrete platform in front of the tarped covered stature, microphone in hand, and spoke to the large crowd gathered all around.

What's under the wrappings?

He explained very eloquently why and how he created the artwork.

“This metal statue is to be the guardian of Route 66,” he stated. “I wanted something very special and meaningful for anyone traveling this wonderful roadway. I also desired it to represent the strength of our wonderful nation, and to stand tall with all those who have served her and continue to serve her, no matter their occupations.”

At this moment, the tarps dropped, revealing a truly beautiful metal statue of a female holding a shield, a crown, and carrying an American flag.

The Guardian of Route 66

The crowd’s reaction was overwhelming with clapping, cheers, and other loud noises of approval.

Gregg Arnold with his masterpiece

I looked the whole situation over, the people, the artwork, and the place, and realized that not only was Gregg a very accomplished artist, but his love of this country was palpable.

It was certainly worth the drive to share in this moment along Route 66 at Antares Point.

John can be contacted at: beyersbyways@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

Time to revisit Route 66

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the opening of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, we've decided to re-print various blogs concerning this wonderful extension of American ingenuity. It is a road that needs to be traveled to truly understand the term, Americana.

So, let's begin our journey down those 2448 miles of asphalt.

Laureen Beyer is getting ready for a road trip

In his 1939 novel, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck referred to Route 66 as the ‘Mother Road’ of America. It was the strip of asphalt that those fleeing the devastation of the Dust Bowl took from the Midwest to the Promised Land of California.

So what is it about Route 66 that beckons millions of people to drive along its nearly two thousand five-hundred-mile path from the beginning in Chicago to its end in Santa Monica each year?

It was time to find out, and one of the best places to start was Kingman, Arizona.

“Ready for a road trip?” I asked my lovely wife, Laureen.

“When am I not?”

We soon set out for the short seventy-three-mile drive between Kingman and Seligman, Arizona, to see what we could see.

Kingman is definitely a place to stop and experience. There is so much history to cherish in this small town, just one hundred and five miles southeast of Las Vegas.

It’s named after Lewis Kingman, a railroad engineer for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. He was quite the engineer, designing over thirteen hundred miles of the Santa Fe Railroad system during his tenure. 

Actor Andy Devine was raised in Kingman, where he learned his love for the West. He appeared in over four hundred films during his lifetime, not including long stints in television western series which aired for decades.

Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart dedicated Arizona’s first commercial airport on Route 66 in Kingman in 1929.

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were married there in 1939.

To say the least, Kingman is a historical place.

Laureen Beyer having fun in Kingman, Arizona

Driving along Route 66 is not like driving along an interstate. No, if speed is what someone is after, find another road.

Route 66 is meant to be a drive of knowledge. 

A drive learning about the backbone of America, where people ventured in search of a better life for themselves and their families.

A drive along America’s Mother Road is an opportunity to slow down and enjoy each mile along this iconic highway.

Millions of foreign travelers descend on this roadway each year to learn about the thing known as Americana.

Beatrice, a shop owner outside of Kingman, told us, “It is so exciting to see the tourists from all over the world stopping here. They are amazed at all the things they experience driving Route 66. It thrills me.”

As we drove north-east from Kingman, towns such as Hualapai, Walapai, and Valle Vista were soon in our rear-view mirror.

Roughly twenty-five miles north of Kingman is Antares Point. 

It is one of the showcases for the international artist, Gregg Arnold. This master sculptor has made this tiny bend in Route 66 a place for visitors to stop and enjoy numerous art pieces on display.

The small A-frame building housing the artwork is easy to spot along the road, but if the tourist fails to notice it, there is another object that cannot be missed or forgotten.

Standing in front of the artist’s studio is a fourteen-foot-tall green Tiki head, Arnold created in 2003 out of concrete. It is appropriately entitled: Giganticus Headicus. 

John R Beyer with Giganticus-Headicus

As we meandered about the place, at least twenty other vehicles loaded with tourists stopped, snapping photos of each other with the Tiki Head, before wandering into the studio. 

Giganticus Headicus is a big hit with those driving by Antares Point.

After leaving Antares Point, we soon passed through Peach Springs, Nelson, and Yampai before reaching the town of Seligman.

John R Beyer visiting Seligman, Arizona

Originally a railroad encampment known as Prescott Junction, the town was renamed Seligman, after Jesse Seligman, a railroad financier, in 1886.

It was a thriving locale along Route 66 until Interstate 40 was built on the outskirts of town in 1978. The town seemed to be on the verge of becoming a ghost town when the citizens banded together and demanded that the State of Arizona recognize Route 66 as a historic highway in 1987, and to ensure Seligman was accessible to those driving by on the freeway.

Thus, a few off-ramps were built, allowing travelers to exit the interstate and explore downtown Seligman.

Seligman soon became a major destination for tourists. An eclectic group of shops like the Rusty Bolt, bars like the O.K. Saloon, and restaurants like the Roadkill Café, line Route 66, beckoning the curious to stop and enjoy.

We wandered the town and soon realized why so many visited this little berg in Northwest Arizona.

It is just plain, good old-fashioned fun.

John can be reached at: beyersbyways@gmail.com