Corn Springs
Corn Springs | |
Nearest city | Desert Center, California |
---|---|
NRHP reference No. | 98001286 |
Added to NRHP | October 30, 1998 |
Corn Springs is a
The springs were added to the United States National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
History
The springs were used for thousands of years by nomadic
Early white visitors found feral corn plants in the vicinity, giving the spring its present name.[1]
In the late 19th century, miners came to the area and used the water for processing their gold ore. The most notable resident of the spring was Gus Lederer, the self-proclaimed "Mayor of Corn Springs". Lederer lived at the spring until 1932, when he died from a black widow spider bite, and was subsequently buried at Aztec Wells".[1] Following Lederer's death in 1932, the land passed into public domain and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established a campground.
A BLM-run campground, with a well for drawing water from the spring, was established nearby. One mile past the camp ground is a miner's cabin and the remains of one of the mills. Edward Wodetzki and family mined this area until the early 1980s. At the time they had numerous gold, silver, and iron ore claims. More mines and cabins are located further up the road.
Geography
The area is located on the USGS Corn Spring, California, 7.5-minute quadrangle (1981) at latitude/longitude 33°37′34″N 115°19′31″W / 33.62611°N 115.32528°W. Over 60
The spring is dynamic, and for unknown reasons the amount of water coming to the surface has fluctuated widely over the years. The source of the water is unknown – very little rain falls in the area, and the nearest body of water is the Colorado River, over 40 miles to the east.
The spring can be reached via Corn Springs Road from Chuckawalla Valley Road just off Interstate 10, about halfway between Indio and Blythe.
References
- ^ OCLC 12103181
- ^ a b Corn Springs Campground Archived 2010-03-05 at the Wayback Machine, United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Corn Springs Wash, 33°41′37″N 115°13′02″W / 33.69361°N 115.21722°W