FTJ, Entry 88: Relaxation in Yuma

I am behind again. We left for Yuma on June 7th. What a drive from Benson to Yuma on Interstate-8! Long and flat, lots of desert, sand, rocks, tumbleweed, and not much else. Whew! We were very relieved that old Harvey the Marvey RV made it without a hitch. (Well, actually we DO have a hitch for the car...but you know what I mean!)

We were happy to finally arrive at our home in Yuma for the next two nights -- The Palms. Oh mama! Very, very nice RV resort in the desert. This place is so top-drawer, they even have their own stage and entertainment. Granted, it is kind of hokey old-timer entertainment: The Gatlin Brothers and Mel Tillis are going to perform there next winter -- for those of you old enough to even know who they are/were! (God, we are OLD.)

We had The Palms pretty much all to ourselves. Apparently, in Yuma, snowbirds come down for the winter and by the end of May, they have ALL gone back home. The second day we were the only people at the pool! We even brought Buddy along in his bag, although pets are forbidden in the pool area. HA! Broke the law again.

Our site at The Palms.

 

Beau and Buddy and I sat here all day, totally alone.

 

Pretty squish.

 

We enjoyed every minute of our stay and the absolutely magnificent weather -- dry and 95-ish degrees. I wanted to stay more than the two nights, but Beau was anxious to get to California. 

Phooey!

One Historic Prison, and One Historic Supply Depot

There is not a lot to see in Yuma, but we did scope out the historic Yuma Territorial Prison and the Quartermaster Depot Historic State Park.

The "3:10 from Yuma" came to the prison, which opened in July 1876, when the first seven inmates entered and were locked into the new cells they had built themselves. More than 3,000 prisoners -- including 29 women -- lived there during its 33 years of operation. Severe overcrowding forced it to close in 1909.

Love the ball and chain.

View of the Colorado River from the prison.

What is left of the prison -- a few walls, basically, and the burial ground (below), where 111 men died from disease, suicide, murder, accidental death, or from escape attempts.

The burial ground has only unmarked graves. Kind of spooky.

 

We also saw the remains of the Quartermaster Depot. Currently, the grounds serve as a visitor center. Not much else is here, really, other than a commemoration of the history of the place.

What is that history, you ask?  Happy to oblige...

For nearly 20 years, beginning in 1863, all the military posts in the Southwest traced their lifelines back to here. The supply chain went like this: Ships brought clothing, food, ammunition, and other items to the Gulf of California, where they were loaded onto steamboats for the trip up the Colorado to Yuma. The supplies were unloaded in Yuma and stored, or sent further upriver or overland in wagons pulled by 20-mule teams.

The depot held a six-month supply of goods for Army forts in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas.

 

Being a fan of Old West legend and lore, all the history in Arizona really appeals to me. I was sorry to have to pack up and leave the state. Next stop: San Diego (Chula Vista, actually, right outside San Diego).

NOTE: After just two days, we are so LOVING San Diego -- we'll provide the "travelogue" on that great city next time. We already extended our stay here another night, so we will be here a week.

Tanks, Panky