Nevada Backroaders

As some of you know, I help out with the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association in Goffs California from time to time. For those who don't know what this is, check out their website at www.mdhca.org, and their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MDHCA.

This is a great resource for learning about the history of the Mojave - particularly the homesteading days south of Vegas. Anyone interested in mines, ranching, old roads, early military use, or just about anything else that happened in that area can find things at the MDHCA. They have archives that are found nowhere else - including hundreds of interviews with homesteaders who lived in the Mojave, and tens of thousands of photographs of homesteads, mines in operation, you name it.

This is also a great place to help out. Once the folks there get to know you a little, you may have the chance to work on projects that are extremely interesting, and often unique - projects that, elsewhere, would probably be done by specialists. For example, I transcribed a whole bunch of hand-written mining claim papers from the Vanderbilt area in the 1890s. Other folks have worked on restoring both a two-stamp, and a ten-stamp mine mill to operational status- creating a sound that probably hasn't been heard in the Mojave in a hundred years (there are only a handful of working antique stamp mills in the country, and the MDHCA has two of them).

They're also in need of simple presence. Only a handful of people live at Goffs full time. It's a remote location, and there are many thousands of dollars worth of equipment, along with priceless collections of microfilm, papers, maps, and books. They need people just to BE THERE. They have some minor accommodations, and several full RV hookups. They particularly need people who can stay for a few months at a time (hint - all you retired folks who'd like to work on some interesting projects). But, even if you can't stay long, I'm sure they can find something for just about anyone to do.

As you might imagine, they need to get to know you a little before they set you loose on their coolest projects. They've had some trouble in the past with people who turned out to be - shall we say - difficult and expensive. And with the irreplaceable nature of their archives and infrastructure, they need to be a little careful.

But, they are not scary people. I used to be on their Board of Directors, so if you don't think I'm scary, you have nothing to worry about. If you do think I'm scary, well then, I don't know what to say.

Yes, this is a shameless plug for the MDHCA. But, I don't think any of you would be in the Backroaders if you weren't at least vaguely interested in the history of this area. The MDHCA is a great place to learn more, and to make a difference and help out.

If you want to know more about visiting and/or helping, check out their website.

In addition, they will be having their annual Rendezvous, September 27th through the 29th. During this time, there are projects to work on, trips to go on, talks, the stamp mills to see in operation, and food to eat. It's a good time to get a sense of what the place is about. They have lots of camping spaces, plus toilets and showers. There is a fee (not sure what it's going to be yet), but you might want to check that out as well. I may be leading one of the trips. Don't let that scare you away.

Cheers.