From Lakeside to Ghost Town - Tranquility All Around (Patagonia Lake State Park, Nogales, Arizona / Shakespeare Ghost Town, Lordsburg, New Mexico)

We left Quartzsite on a brisk (45F degrees) but sunny morning, destination Patagonia Lake State Park, Nogales, Arizona.  We had smooth sailing along I-10, where the plants and bushes were green and blooming, thanks to recent rains.

To avoid Phoenix traffic, we took US-85/I-8, which made for a stress-free drive for Mom’s turn behind the wheel.  Dad took us through Tucson and and made an “executive decision” to get on I-19 to bypass the Santa Rita Mountains.  This resulted in us going through the heart of Nogales at a busy time of day for border crossings.  Mom was SO glad she was not at the wheel!  Despite this less-than-stellar route, we arrived safely at Patagonia Lake State Park.  We were lucky to reserve Site #2 on the East side of the Park for 3 nights, the ONLY space in the entire place that could possibly fit us.  The crescent-shaped pull-through site was level and easily accessible.  There were no boulders or trees to navigate, and there was plenty of room for the slide-outs.  We had water and electric hookups, a picnic table and grill, and use of a dump station.  We were lucky to get a site at the rate of $30/night, having made the reservation prior to February 25, when the rate increased to $50/night. 

 

The only drawback to our site was that our RV door had to face the road. 

But once outside, our "back yard" was quite private.

Patagonia Lake was created in 1968 when the Sonoita Creek was dammed.  The Park offers good fishing and hiking, and it is a bird-watcher's paradise.  They have bird-feeding stations set up outside the Visitor Center and at the entrance to the Sonoita Creek Trail to attract a variety of feathered friends.  We learned the Park offers avian boat tours on Saturdays and Sundays.   Unfortunately, no spots were available during our stay, which were the last boat tours scheduled until October 2025.

We went hiking twice a day along the 2.5-mile round-trip Sonoita Creek Trail, and it was an adventure around every corner.   We spotted several ladder-back woodpeckers, vermillion flycatchers, warblers, and cardinals (though our photo evidence is pretty lousy).   Deer sightings were abundant, too.  The cool breeze made cottonwood and ironwood trees creak like the bones of an old man getting out of his rocking chair.  

We also hiked along another route that leads to the Circle Z Ranch, Arizona’s oldest operating dude ranch.  We followed this horse trail towards our destination for over a mile until we encountered another stream crossing.  This pic tells ya how well that went.

Patagonia Lake State Park is the perfect place to unwind (especially Sundays through Thursdays when the Park is not inundated with families with young kiddies.)

I was bright eyed and bushy tailed when we departed Patagonia Lake State Park—no easy feat since it was 7:30 a.m.  But we were attempting to be gone before 9 a.m. when The St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in the Park began.  We were told by a member of the Park Staff that it included merchandise and food vendors, Mariachi bands, Mexican dance troupes, and imbibing in some adult beverages from local wineries.  Sounds like fun, but my Mom had alternate plans for us:  We were off to Lordsburg, New Mexico to visit Shakespeare Ghost Town.  Originally, we planned to boondock overnight at Veterans Park in Lordsburg, less than 2 miles from our destination.  Then Dad learned that Shakespeare Ghost Town is a Harvest Hosts location.  So, we arrived at the premises about 1 p.m., with plenty of time to set up in the large parking lot, have lunch, and take the 3 p.m. tour with Dave the Docent.

 

A view of us in the parking lot from afar.  If you look real closely, you will see 4 headstones in the private Hill Family Cemetery on the mountain in the background.

The area has a rich history.  Known by some as Mexican Spring for its small, clean water source, it became a stop on the Butterfield Overland Stage Line in the 1850s.  After the Civil War, the town was called Grant, in honor of the U.S. General.  In 1869-70, silver was discovered in the nearby hills, attracting the attention of William Ralston, a banker.  The town was renamed Ralston City after the mining operations’ financier.  During the silver boom, Ralston City’s population surged to 3,000.  But as all good things must come to an end, so did the successful finds of silver ore.  But that didn’t stop prospectors from coming.  You see, the powers-that-be circulated false rumors that diamonds were found nearby.  But the hoax was discovered, and Ralston City’s population dwindled.  William Boyle entered the scene in 1879.  He purchased the remaining silver claims and gave the town the more upscale name of Shakespeare, thinking it would negate the stigma from the diamond deceit.  He continued his mining company there until 1893.  That’s when bad economic times caused the mines to close, and the area once again became a ghost town.  But that is not the end of the story.  In fact, it is just the beginning.  In 1935, Frank and Rita Hill from Texas purchased the entire town as a ranch.  They had 1 daughter, Janaloo.  She held degrees in history and the arts and was a talented actress and dancer.  But she also was a true-blue Texas cowgirl.  When Frank got ill, Rita gave Janaloo an ultimatum: return to help at the ranch OR lose her inheritance (we all know which option Janaloo picked).  Janaloo and her husband, Manny Hough, worked diligently with Rita (until Rita’s death in 1985) to tend to the horses/cattle and preserve the history and authenticity of Shakespeare.  In fact, Shakespeare was declared a National Historic Site in 1970 (shortly before Frank’s death).   Though Janaloo and Manny had no children together, it is Manny’s daughter from a prior marriage and his son-in-law (Docent Dave) who are carrying on the Hill family dream and tradition of restoring Shakespeare now that Janaloo and Manny have both died (2005 and 2018 respectively).  What a great tour!  Well worth the $15/person.

Some magnificent views from this property.

Exterior of Grant Station.  Once a stop on the stage coach line, later it became a saloon.  It is the only 1 of 16 saloons still standing in Shakespeare Ghost Town.

The interior of Grant Station.

Grant Station was a "multi-purpose" structure:  It was used by guests for rest, refreshments, and raucous behavior.   Due to lack of tall trees in the area, Grant Station was also used by the "justice system" to perform the hangings of criminals like Russian Bill and Sandy King during its "Wild West" days.  But they say crime was low back then.  The butcher's meat cooler served as the jail.  And if you killed someone, you were responsible for burying them, no easy feat in this dry, rocky topography.

A magazine built into the side of the mountain to store gun powder.

Equipment used in the local assay office.

The large building to the right was the local hotel.  Lots of blood, sweat, and tears is going in to its restoration.

Janaloo used this building as her dance studio.  Through the years, she instructed 500+ students.  This building, along with the General Store in which Janaloo and Manny lived (which succumbed to fire in 1997), did not have any electricity until 1985! 

After the tour, we walked over to Shakespeare Cemetery.  It was a park-like setting, with elaborate landscaping and decorating done by the families of the deceased buried there.

OMG!  I am looking at my future resting place!  It has "PoPo" written right on it.  And it is decorated with lots of yellow flowers--Mom's favorite color! 

Well, at least I will be in the company of other well known "celebrities" like Russian Bill and Sandy King.

Across the road from Shakespeare Cemetery is the Continental Divide Trail.  It spans 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada.  I hiked a mile of it, so only 3,099 more miles for me to do!

 

Sunset above the mountain where the silver ore was mined.

We left at 9 a.m. the next morning on a sunny but extremely windy morning.  It was so gusty, the birds were having a hard time flying, and it was even difficult for them to stay perched on a bush.  Gusts were predicted at 55-65 miles/hour by noontime.  Dad, always diligent in watching future weather patterns along our route, booked us at a Harvest Hosts location in Deming, less than 1.5 hours away from Lordsburg.  

We arrived safely and set up at Adobe Deli an hour before I-10 was closed for 5+ hours due to zero visibility from the dust storm (a.k.a. haboob).  Mom freaked out with all the red dust getting into the rig through the window weep holes.  Finally, at 5 p.m., we braved the reduced winds to patronize the restaurant.  It turns out we were their very first customers of the day since opening at 11:30 that morning.

We were pleasantly surprised by Adobe Deli.  Though its outward appearance was not aesthetically inviting, it is a classic case of don’t judge a book by its cover. 

Once inside, it is reminiscent of an old hunting cabin combined with old mining saloon.  It contains animal heads, penny inlaid foyer flooring, antique kitchen cooking appliances, and a woodburning stove to generate a warm ambiance.  It has pool tables, bar, even a stage for bands.  And the food is very good to boot!  We all had a crock of French onion soup topped with lots of ooey gooey melted cheese—simply scrumptious!  Dad’s burger was cooked perfectly to medium rare, and Mom and I enjoyed a French dip sandwich.  It is easy to understand why Adobe Deli is rated as Deming’s #1 Restaurant.

Pieces of wood cut to the same size were lying in heaps next to our parking area.  They looked like they could be used for some ginormous Jenga set!

Well, I must sign off now, but I’ll talk to you again soon!