Who were the Desert Rats of the California desert?

While the Colorado desert can seem pretty inhospitable, it teems with life if you know where (and how) to look.

Especially in the early 1900s, this was a no-man’s land. There was no road between Phoenix and Los Angeles—just two ruts through the desert. Wind and shifting sands often made it difficult, and finding water was almost impossible if you were stranded.

In the beginning, horses and mules made the trip, hauling various kinds of wagons behind. Later, it was discovered that Henry Ford’s Model-Ts were excellent at crossing the desert. With the high clearance and ballon tires, it could make the trip faster and safer.

Unless you broke down.

But if you did have mechanical failure or ran out of fuel (lack of foresight), all might not be lost. There were (and are) men (and some women) who live out there. Mostly prospectors, they dug deeps wells (sometimes as much as 400 feet), built rustic cabins, and used burros a lot. Most of them lived alone, but they knew each other. They were a disparate community—perhaps separated by many miles, but always checking on each other and sharing information.

• There was Gus Lederer, who lived at Corn Springs, an old inhabitant of the Indians (there are many petroglyphs from that time). The Indians had found water, used mesquite for food paste, and even grew corn in the shadier and cooler parts of the mountain. Gus had a herd of eighteen burros, for whom he baked tortillas every morning for breakfast. Gus also painted desert scenes when he was not prospecting.

• Tommy Jones was a British man, come over to try his luck. He lived about 3 miles from Corn Springs, and he and Gus were good friends. He wrote poetry.

• Marshall South was from Australia, and his family lived on Ghost Mountain between 1930-1947. There as no water, and it was a barren mountain top (thus the name). Everything was hauled up by the Souths. He painted watercolors and oils, made pottery, carved wood and designed iron sculptures, and more.

• Peter Gruendyke is a shadowy historical figure. His name might have been Bill, or that might have been his brother who possibly lived with him. They dug a well, built a shack, and eventually, around 1918, proved up on his claim and moved away to lie a gold-rich life.

Gruendyke is important to our story because our protagonist, Steve Ragsdale, bought his land, cabin, and well when Gruendyke struck it rich. This was the beginning of Steve’s legacy and the town he founded in the middle of the desert: Desert Center.

There are many more Desert Rats—all quirky, all creative, and all tougher than nails. But you’ll have to read the novel to find out about them.