We drove out Harquahala Road for a drive and it was one of the most interesting drives so far. I want to go back and find the Smithsonian Observatory and see what it is like. It looks just like a little square cement building in the pictures but I want to see what is cool about it, maybe the stars look really neat as there is not a lot of lights in this country.
We found this little Cemetery, the only marking was three caution type signs by it. It has been well maintained by someone, the rocks are in order and flowers and decorations. When I got home I searched on the internet and found it and pictures of it.
It was from the mining town of Harqua Hala started in the 1760's. The Pima Indians ran everyone off but they returned in 1863. The town had around 500-600 people that lived there year around. The town had a stage line, a newspaper and other businesses. The graveyard is listed in the pioneer graveyards and they have 50 known graves and think there are more. The ones they know about are 40 adults, 5 boys ages 2 thru 5 and 2 females one 4, one 10.
The mine had trouble with thieves stealing their gold shipments so they decided to make a 400 lb nugget where it was so big no one could haul it off easily. They put the huge nugget in a covered freight wagon and headed to town. The weight of the nugget caused the floor of the wagon to come undone and when they arrived they had no nugget and no floor. The returned and found the nugget at the bottom on a canyon and it took weeks to get it out. It does not say how they did it, I don't know if they melted it down or what but it took a long time and they never shipped that way again.
The mine closed in 1907. We did not go closer as we did not know if it was an active mine. They have one area fenced off. The next trip we are going to drive up closer to it.
I thought this was so interesting!!
Today we go to Alamo Lake and see what we can find. I love the little church I found and I love the ghost town. It is funny cause if someone told you it was there it probably would not have been as much fun to find it...
Have a great day and enjoy the pictures. Be safe and God Bless
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