The first rusty relic I came across on my hike was this beauty! It's partially buried in the desert sand and hidden by some bushes, so most people probably walk right by it. I like the green paint... looks good with rust!
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| Good leg room. That's a plus! |
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| Used car #2, front view. |
Also on the same hike is this headstone with a very interesting story behind it. The original one was made of stone by Bill Keys but I heard it was stolen some years ago. The park service replaced it with this one:
It says:
Here is where
Worth Bagley
Bit the dust
At the hand
Of W. F. Keys
May 11, 1943
If memory serves, the fight was over property boundaries and access to the Wall Street Mill. People took that stuff very seriously back in the day, and they really did shoot trespassers! Interestingly, Keys turned himself in to the local sheriff and was convicted of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 10 years in San Quentin.
Lucky for Keys, he was friends with Erle Stanley Gardner (a desert explorer best know as the creator of Perry Mason). Gardner felt that Keys was wrongly convicted and championed on his behalf. Keys was given a full pardon and walked out of prison a free man in 1948. Keys returned to his family at his Desert Queen Ranch (not far from these old rusty cars) to live out the rest of his days. A fascinating man and interesting story! For more of the details, check out this post: Cali49.com/worth-bagley.
Thanks for stopping by!
Oh, I almost forgot. I think I'll make an offer on car #2!😉
Do you have a favorite?
Linking with Skywatch Friday.
...used or abused? They look like art against the beautiful landscape!
ReplyDeleteCool shots.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful as a work of art
ReplyDeleteI enjoy looking at the cars but I'll pass on ownership. Great post today.
ReplyDeleteWorth Bagley's life was surely worth more than what his killer got sadly. Some might see junk but these rusted older model cars of a bygone era do look like art in the desert.
ReplyDeleteDearest Peter,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fate for Worth Bagley...!
Yes, car #2 is the winner here.
Hugs,
Mariette
We absolutely love this. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI kind of like #3. It might be your photo though, I love the background.
ReplyDeleteI just wonder who left those cars there and why. How did they get out of there? Did they just abandon them? So many questions. I like #3 the best, I think, but they all have character.
ReplyDeleteThe abandoned car shell is a prized gem!
ReplyDeleteFascinating post about Worth Bagley ~ and Earle Stanley Gardner ~ and awesome blue sky shots ~ As for abandoned vehicles ~ I like the green color with the rust ~ lol
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
A real good story about that época.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great restoration project to me. :-)
ReplyDelete"If you like rust, you're going to love this car!" Lol! I really fascinating post. Thanks Aloha!
ReplyDeleteIt must just be shredded rubber from the heat but the tires on "your new car #2" look like they have chains. For a minute I wondered if those would work on sand like they do on snow and ice. Anyway -- yeah, must have been hard to choose which one to make an offer on -- they are (and now I really do mean this) very photogenic and what amazing adventures their owners must have had. That was so interesting about Keys and Erle Stanley Gardner too. If the original tombstone said the same thing, Mr Keyes wasn't shy about admitting what he'd done!
ReplyDeleteYou found treasures. There is an old car farm about 90 minutes from here. I've only been once. It's only open for a week in November, but if I have a chance I'd like to visit again.
ReplyDeleteYour photography has made them very art worthy!
ReplyDeleteThe collection of old cars is excellent subject for photography.
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a good summer.
Worth a Thousand Words
Good photos and I bet they were beauties in their day.
ReplyDelete#1 is my fav. But they are all beautiful!
ReplyDeleteInteresting story about trespassing. Quite a warning...
I agree with you, # 2 is my favorite too if I have to choose. I'm not a big fan of rusty cars, and I think the desert had been more beautiful without them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for telling the intresting story about Worth Bagley and trespassing in the desert. I like your beautiful shots of the landscape and the blue sky!
I can always count on you for a great post!
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots of those old, rusty and partly hidden cars. The first one is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteAnd a great story about Worth Bagley and W.F. Keys.
That desert seems to me to be an inexhaustible source of finds and stories.
Youo really do find things of interest there in the desert, cars like that would rust way to noting here, I have come across a few old cars in my travels but nothing that old. Intersting story about Key's / Bagley mind you does it still go on today
ReplyDeleteWas hätten diese ausrangierten Gefährte wohl zu erzählen?? Nostalgie pur!
ReplyDeleteWhat you all can find in the desert and yes I go for number 2. The most complete in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteWonder what would be left of those cars if they were in our maritime climate. Love the look of them! Great photos!
ReplyDeleteNumber 2 is a winner. :) All the cars are a wonderful piece of vintage art. Love it!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I like car #1. That green is a great color.
ReplyDeleteFascinating history. Have you ever gone to the Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona Del Mar? I visit the gardens every year but last week was the first time I actually went into the library. The library is full of all kinds of historic documents from the American west but especially from California. I wonder if you could find more stories about that area there. I posted about my visit to the library last week on 8/10.
I always wonder why cars are abandoned like this. My wife's aunt and uncle, when they bought a new car, would park the old one out on their ranch near a ravine. And these cars still ran and were not that old (when first parked). They could never say why they did that. Drove me crazy.
ReplyDeleteI like both cars but I'd choose the first one. Interesting story about Keys, I'll check out the link.
ReplyDeleteAs it happens, I went to a car show not long before I read your post. There was a beautiful car there and a picture of what it looked like before the current owner bought it. It ranks up there with all of your contestants. Maybe that current owner should buy vehicle #2 and work a miracle or two on it. That was my favorite although the leg room of #1 is a good selling point. Thank you for the laugh!
ReplyDeleteWell, I like the first one, but they all seem like the same model.
ReplyDeleteWow! These inanimate cars come alive with your photos and stories!
ReplyDeleteNowadays it is a crime to abandon cars in the environment...
ReplyDeleteVery interesting story and headstone.
ReplyDeleteCool finds, the desert seems to do a very nice job of weathering old metal. I for one am not touching any of those cars in case some descendant of Bill Keys owns them!
ReplyDeleteFantastic pics again! Your hike through the desert seems like quite the adventure, discovering these rusty relics and uncovering the intriguing story behind the headstone. Car #2 has my vote.
ReplyDeleteIch finde diese alten Autowracks mit dem Rost und Sand sehr ästhetisch fotografiert. Super schöne Bilder.
ReplyDeleteWhat were these cars doing in the desert? Interesting stories indeed. I like the 3rd picture; it looks rather elegant.
ReplyDeleteSe encuentran abandonados, en cualquier lugar del camino y eso desgrada el medio ambiente..
ReplyDeleteAquà en España se suele llevar al desguace, que está habilitado para los coches en desuso.
Un abrazo
Loved the post, wonderful pics.
ReplyDeleteI think the second car looked great! All cars must have been grand back then. Interesting post!
ReplyDeleteHello Peter,
ReplyDeletemy favourite car is Number 3, but this is post is so interesting and all the Cars are incredible to see in the landscape,
greetings
Kirsi
Very interesting collection! Isn't it incredible how long cars can last left to the elements? They might be there a thousand years ago unless the developers come and use them as landfill.
ReplyDelete