THE BRADSHAW TRAIL

From Palaver Invitations 51 - 75
Appendix C, referencing Palaver #59

by Jack Harris

Jack Harris, Palaver #82, 1995


In the early winter of 1863, Captain Pauline Weaver, trapper, scout and guide, was leading a party of trappers up the Colorado River from Fort Yuma. Upon reaching a spot ten miles above present day Blythe they discovered gold flakes in the bottom of a small gulch. Word soon spread of this find and in a short time, a matter of a few months, a thousand or so miners were busy at the placer mines in this area.

A major obstacle at that time, however, was the difficulty in reaching the mines especially for those "left-over" miners from the California gold rush of ‘49.

Three routes were open to these miners, all long, arduous and time consuming. Sailing boats regularly left San Francisco sailing down the coast, around the tip of Baja California and up to the mouth of the Colorado River. From here the miners could purchase tickets on steamers that puffed their way the 300 miles up the river to Fort Mojave near present day Needles. Another route was the Butterfield Stage route from Los Angeles to Warner’s Hot Springs then on to Yuma with still another 60 rough miles to the La Paz mines. A third route traveled the Mormon Trail from San Bernardino over the Cajon Pass to Fort Mojave with still a long hard trail, south to La Paz.

It was soon evident to the residents of the mushrooming town at La Paz a shorter more direct, as well as less expensive, route was desirable from the coast not only for travelers but for the hauling of freight and supplies required to maintain the town.

Operating a ferry service across the Colorado river at Olive City seven miles down stream from La Paz, was one William D. Bradshaw and his partner William A. Warringer. Leaving Warringer to operate the ferry, Bill Bradshaw set out for San Bernardino to establish that much sought after shorter route.

With today’s direct route along Interstate #10, we might wonder why Mr. Bradshaw chose a more southerly route. In those days of horse-drawn vehicles, water stations were the gas stations of today and there just weren’t any of the former from Blythe to Indio. Therefore, following a map given to him by the Cahuilla Indian, Chief Cabazon, Mr. Bradshaw was able to leave San Bernardino and a few days later return following a string of water holes known only to the Indians up to that time.

Mr. Bradshaw, however, can not be given credit for trail-blazing from San Bernardino to Agua Caliente or Palm Springs as it is called today. Earlier settlers had been pushing their way east and a road of sorts was easily enough to follow. Leaving Palm Springs, however, there were many miles of soft sand or rocky terrain that discouraged anyone driving a team and wagon. It was into this area then, with his Indian map for a guide, that Bill Bradshaw blazed the way for that all illusive, more direct route to the gold fields at La Paz.

Leaving Agua Caliente, eleven miles of soft sand to the east a water hole of sorts was located. This was called "Sand Hole" which lived up to its name in the hot summer months when it dried up leaving only the sand. It required another six miles of travel before the next permanent water supply was reached at Indian Well.

From Indian Well the Bradshaw Trail turned southeast to the vicinity of the fish traps near Valerie, then turned east to the Indian settlement of Martinez where deep wells furnished a good supply of water. Next the trail led through present day Mecca to Palma Seca or Soda Springs about 12 miles from Martinez. While there was a good supply of water at Soda Springs, the bad news was that it was so impregnated with sulfur and soda that the animals wouldn’t drink it. It was generally advisable when traveling this route to continue on another seven sandy miles to Dos Palmas where the water, while still containing plenty of soda, was preferable to that at Soda Springs.

Due east of Dos Palmas the next water supply was ten miles away at Canyon Spring on the west bank of Salt Creek. Then Tabaseca Tank seven miles further east was the last water for 18 miles of soft sand that tested the strength and stamina of both man and animal before Chuckawalla Spring or Well was reached. Twenty miles east of Chuckawalla Spring, a stage station was established at Mule Spring near present day Wiley Well which was not dug until about 1915. Mule Spring no longer exists having dried up completely in the 1920’s.

From Mule Spring the trail turned northeast skirting the northern fringe of Mule Mountain, arriving in the Palo Verde Valley at present day Avenue 18 with another stage stop at Adobe Station a mile or so west of present day Neighbors. Another nine miles and the Bradshaw ferry on the Colorado River was reached near where Interstate #10 crosses today.

By the fall of 1862 the Bradshaw route was pretty much accepted as the best route to the gold mines at La Paz with Bill Bradshaw himself guiding a party of 150 miners over the route from San Bernardino at that time. While freight wagons started using the route as soon as possible, it wasn’t until September of 1862 that the first passenger coach ventured over the route.

The active life-span of this route was about 15 years. By the spring of 1877 rails had been laid from San Bernardino by way of the San Gorgonio Pass to Indio, Mecca and Pilot Knob located on the California side of the Colorado River at Yuma. By now the placer mines at La Paz were exhausted and had been for several years. Also, nine years earlier in 1868, the county seat of Yuma County had been moved from La Paz to Arizona City or Yuma as it was later named.

So with the coming of the railroad the Bradshaw Trail passed into history. A century was to pass before this once active but almost forgotten route was re- established. In 1977 the State Highway Commission officially designated this as the Bradshaw Trail a Historical Route. With few variations it follows the original route. Parts of the road passing through the Chocolate Mountain Impact Area, is closed during the week but it is all open to the public on the week-ends.


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