- A tour of the arid, inhospitable region of the southern California desert known as Death Valley, originally named because of the many travelers in the 1840s who died of thirst, starvation and/or exposure trying to cross it.
- This Traveltalks visit to California's Death Valley begins at Badwater, a small salt lake that is 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in North America. We then travel by car to the resort at Furnace Creek, where many tourists are seen using the facility's swimming pool. We are then taken to Ryan, a mining town that flourished in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries because of its borax deposits. It is now a tourist resort where visitors can see the sights in Death Valley by riding the railroad that originally transported the borax. The last four minutes showcase the estate known as Scotty's Castle, the home of Walter Scott, known as Death Valley Scotty, and his benefactor, Albert Johnson. Narrator James A. FitzPatrick is seen arriving at the estate by car with two female companions. He introduces us to Scott and Johnson.—David Glagovsky <dglagovsky@verizon.net>
- Death Valley is located in the northeast section of Southern California. From this location, the lowest and highest points in the United States can be seen. Badwater, a small salt lake that is 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in North America, while the Sierra Nevada Mountains can be seen in the distance. So many pioneers lost their lives trekking across this barren waste, that one of the survivors looked back and said "Farewell to Death Valley," unwittingly giving this region the name it bares today. From Badwater to Furnance Creek, one travels over a road called the Artist's Drive. Pioneers, deprived of road, food, water, or any modern convenience, once travel this route to the gold fields of California. The Furnace Creek Inn appears almost as a mirage, built upon the burning wastes of the desert. Hidden springs were discovered here transforming the sands of the deserts into a garden. From the beginning of November to the end of April, the dry warm climate has become an alluring feature for vacationers. Rainfall is seldom an issue. Tourists flock to the resort's swimming pool is a miracle wrought by man in Death Valley. The little village of Ryan was made famous by the borax mines. The hills behind the village still contain borax but it is more economical to mine this valuable mineral in other regions nearby. Ryan still exists as a vacation resort and an attraction for curious travelers interested in exploration possibilities. A railway previously used to transport borax is now a scenic railway for sightseers. For about seven miles, the little train winds around the rim of a canyon revealing vistas of abandon mines as well as thrilling scenes of Death Valley. According to geologists, millions of years ago Death Valley was an immense sea of water. As the water receded, it's chemical deposits became the basis the borax found there today. More romantically associated with borax mining is the 20-mule teams, one of which wagon train still stands near the spot where the tired and dusty mules were finally unhitched. In the early and hectic days of borax mining, an attempt was made to replace the 20-mule teams with wood and coal burning steam engines, but the idea was not successful. Scotty's castle may be the most spectacular manmade wonder in Death Valley, which stands on a plateau 3000 feet about the level of the sea. The estate known was the home of Walter Scott, known as Death Valley Scotty, and his benefactor, Albert Johnson. Johnson came to Death Valley in 1904, a sick man, and he attributed the restoration of his health to the assistance he received from Scotty. The reward for his help with this sumptuous castle. Death Valley Scotty was born in Kentucky, but traveled to Death Valley as a young boy and has been the dominating personality of this region ever since. A dead shot and a good rider, Scotty was Buffalo Bill's star performer in wild west shows for 12 seasons. The relationship between Scotty and Johnson has been a long and enduring one, yet they are widely different personalities. Albert Johnson is a modest man with strong religious convictions. Scotty is a down to earth realist famous for his escapades. One of these was Scotty's Famous Ride in 1905 when he chartered a special train to take him from Los Angeles to Chicago. The trip was made in 45 hours establishing a speed record that was only broken many years later by the modern streamliners. Scotty and Johnson are congenial hosts and have entertained some of the world's most distinguished people as well as thousands of tourists who have traveled vast distances just to meet these extraordinary men and visit their famous castle Even more elaborate plans are envisioned for the castle including an enormous outdoor swimming pool and a huge tropical garden, but all work suddenly stopped for unknown reasons. The main entrance to the castle is by way of an incomplete gate and drawbridge. Legend persists that Scotty has hidden gold mines which he taps from time to time. However, most believe that the source of Scotty's money is his wealthy partner Albert Johnson. Daddy's View is considered one of the most spectacular vistas in Death Valley and is an example of the terrain that would stand in the way of gold seekers who would follow in the footsteps of Death Valley Scotty. Temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit have been recorded in this inferno of white heat. Although Death Valley has been thoroughly explored by numerous pioneers none of whom have ever recorded any startling discoveries of gold, the legend still persists that Death Valley Scotty holds the key to great deposits of that precious mineral hidden away in the remote regions of Death Valley. Scotty and Johnson have found something more precious than gold in this region. They have found health, friendship, trust in each other and fame as the mystery men of Death Valley.
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