Desert Magazine of the Southwest

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ABOUT THE ARTIST: John Burgess, documentary artist who lives at Lancaster on California's Mojave Desert, is dedicated to the urgency of recording the story of yesterday's West before it vanishes completely. This artistic documentation, he feels, will fill a niche for posterity in the historical records of the land, as well as in the art world. According to Burgess, the documentary approach to art is "more important" than the contribution being made by the romantic or colorist type artist. Burgess, a transplanted New Englander, came to Muroc (now Edwards) 17 years ago. From the first day, he reports, he was "enthralled by the desert's color, light, distances and aura of vanishing past." composite of all old desert mining camptowns, recreated by Glen and Dorene Settle, co-owners of Burtons Tropico Gold Mine and Gold Extraction Mill five miles west of Rosamond. THE MINE, of course, is not in operation. Hardly any gold mines have worked since the war. The Settles, however, are making a rare and concerted effort to check gold mining lore in its slow slide into oblivion. For one thing, Burtons Tropico is probably the only complete gold mine and mill open to the public in the state. Most mine owners long ago abandoned their mines and dismantled the equipment. The Settles had to shut-down operations, but they have kept Burtons Tropico as it was—all equipment intact, and tons of $30 and $40 ore still in view along the veins. AS THE DAYS and years passed, however, Glen and Dorene realized that this was not enough; that the shards and tools of the men who had followed this golden dream were vanishing like weary yesterdays. For the past 15 years they have searched for mining relics in old ghost towns, not only throughout California, but throughout the West and Alaska. Their interest overflowed into saving the historical buildings and memorabilia of Antelope Valley and Southern California. They have moved old pioneer homes, schoolhouses, and abandoned mine buildings to Goldcamp. THEY HAVE CLUSTERED their collection into a replica of an old mining camp at the foot of Burtons Tropico. It is complete with a believable 20 / Desert Magazine / June, 1963 Assay Office Assay Office, Melting Room, Livery Stable, Miners Hall, Blacksmith Shop, General Store, Post Office, Rooming House, and Superintendent's House . . . and the electric hope of striking gold. FOR THIS ENDEAVOR, and for organizing the Kern-Antelope Historical Society in 1959, the California State Assembly recently passed a resolution citing Glen Settle. This honor followed an Award of Merit from Los
Angeles County for the same efforts, and Kern County preceded them both by two years in recognizing his contribution to the preservation of the mementoes of early Antelope Valley history. GOLDCAMP IS MORE than a make-believe mining town. It is 100 Years of Gold on parade. It is Southern California history, Antelope Valley history, and Burton and Settle history—all placed on view with a living touch and a devotion to heritage. The treasures garnered here give history an immediacy. WHAT TOASTS were drunk from this old glass? What guest dined on June, 1963 / Desert Magazine / 21
Page 1 and 2: JUNE, 1963 SOLD CAMP ON THE MOJAVE
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Volume 26 Number 6 JUNE, 1
Page 5 and 6: Available in: 2 MATERIALS POLYETHYL
Page 7: Shatterproof Glasses— Want a prot
Page 11 and 12: long till we make a So if you got a
Page 13 and 14: ence Foundation to support the 1963
Page 15 and 16: laboratories, group discussions, pe
Page 17 and 18: CHRISTY SORENSEN EXAMINES A NEWLY-M
Page 19: GOLD CAMP ON THE MOJAVE By LADY RAE
Page 23 and 24: Lee's Fort. Built with thick stone
Page 25 and 26: other Western states, but also with
Page 27 and 28: society makes so readily available
Page 29 and 30: 4 BOOKS FROM NATUREGRAPH Common Pla
Page 31 and 32: the tractor and plow make short wor
Page 33 and 34: TEN FOSSILS $1. Fossil fish $2. Tri
Page 35 and 36: TAMARISK (continued from page 18) t
Page 37 and 38: CALIFORNIA DESERT WILDFLOWERS. PHIL
Page 39 and 40: NOW! YOU CAN OWN A VALUABLE LOT IN

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