[1959 HOME MOVIE TRIP TO DEATH VALLEY, CALICO GHOST TOWN]

Genre: home movie

Year Published: 1959

Description:

This silent, untitled, color home movie film chronicles the filmmaker's travels across California’s Death Valley National Park and Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park. Likely shot sometime in 1959, the film features stunning footage of the impressive rock formations and natural wonders in both national parks. Additionally, the film features clips of tourist sites, highlighting particularly southern California’s mining history with scenes of Calico Ghost Town and Death Valley Railroad.

Film opens, camera pans Scotty's Castle (built 1922-1931) - two-story Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style villa located in the Grapevine Mountains of Death Valley National Park (0:10). Clock tower at Scotty's Castle (0:35). More detailed shots facade, architectural details (0:44). Death Valley Ranch guesthouse (Hacienda), perspective view of rock and cactus garden (1:25). Scotty’s Castle main building (1:40). Barren mountainous formations of Death Valley National Park, montage detailed shots of intricate ridges and divots (likely Furnace Creek area Zabriskie Point, white color from mineral deposits of sodium borate/ “borax”) (1:56). Perhaps view of Panamint Range in Death Valley National Park, snow-covered peaks (2:39). Sprawling views of terracotta colored rock formations, barren landscape (2:58). Close-ups of Creosote Bush (3:26). Rock formations with green hues likely from presence of minerals like chlorite, serpentine, and other iron or magnesium-rich minerals (3:44). Old Dinah Steam Tractor at Borax Museum, used for transporting ore out of the valley (4:09). Furnace creek carriage (4:23). Borax Museum sign for 20 mule team wagon train c.1885 (4:37). Devil's Golf Course - area of rock salt eroded by wind and rain (4:51). Perhaps White Top Mountain (5:07). Marker indicating sea level (5:34). Badwater Basin - lowest point in North America (5:40). Wide-shot of Artists Palette (6:15). Close-up colorful hues of Artists Palette (6:36). A mountain peak near Artists Drive (6:59). Mushroom rock (7:04). Car drives along dusty road between white rock formations (7:18). Grey hills around Golden Canyon (7:30). Furnace Creek Inn (8:05). Hotel guests swim in pool (8:15). Death Valley Railroad ​​Baldwin 2-8-0 "Consolidation" steam locomotive (8:31). Entry gate for Furnace Creek Ranch (8:39). 19th century mining equipment from mining in the Mojave Desert (8:56). Stagecoach that ran between San BernaRdino and Panamint Valley in 1874 (9:18). Another view of Death Valley Railroad ​​Baldwin 2-8-0 "Consolidation" steam locomotive (9:26). 20 Mule Team Borax Wagon (9:42). Borax Museum (10:18). Rambler American (1958-1969) exits Furnace Creek Ranch gate as 1960 Plymouth Valiant pulls in (10:31). Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, cameraman writes initials “HHD” in white sand (10:47). Grassy area, orange patches on sprawling hills, perhaps wildflowers in bloom (11:29). Close-up orange wildflowers, white wildflowers (12:43). Joshua-trees (Yucca brevifolia) flowering during Death Valley super bloom (13:16). Calico Ghost Town, Yermo CA - tourists walk through structures of former silver mining town f. 1881 (14:10). Woman guides around donkey (15:01). Antique carriage cart (15:09). Bottle House at Calico Ghost Town (15:42). Horses and buggies (15:58). Donkey follows some visitors through town (16:40). Entrance gate for Calico Ghost Town (16:51). More flowering Joshua-trees (Yucca brevifolia) (17:02). View of Grand Canyon, Mather Point (17:22). Kaibab Limestone Pillars on Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park (17:36). More of South Rim, Grand Canyon (18:12). Colorado River flows through canyon (18:20). Red and green hues in canyon stone (18:38). Desert View Watchtower (18:52). Another view of canyon from South Rim (19:33). Film ends (19:48).

Complete Record: This silent, untitled, color home movie film chronicles the filmmaker's travels across California’s Death Valley National Park and Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park. Likely shot sometime in 1959, the film features stunning footage of the impressive rock formations and natural wonders in both national parks. Additionally, the film features clips of tourist sites, highlighting particularly southern California’s mining history with scenes of Calico Ghost Town and Death Valley Railroad. Film opens, camera pans Scotty's Castle (built 1922-1931) - two-story Mission Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival style villa located in the Grapevine Mountains of Death Valley National Park (0:10). Clock tower at Scotty's Castle (0:35). More detailed shots facade, architectural details (0:44). Death Valley Ranch guesthouse (Hacienda), perspective view of rock and cactus garden (1:25). Scotty’s Castle main building (1:40). Barren mountainous formations of Death Valley National Park, montage detailed shots of intricate ridges and divots (likely Furnace Creek area Zabriskie Point, white color from mineral deposits of sodium borate/ “borax”) (1:56). Perhaps view of Panamint Range in Death Valley National Park, snow-covered peaks (2:39). Sprawling views of terracotta colored rock formations, barren landscape (2:58). Close-ups of Creosote Bush (3:26). Rock formations with green hues likely from presence of minerals like chlorite, serpentine, and other iron or magnesium-rich minerals (3:44). Old Dinah Steam Tractor at Borax Museum, used for transporting ore out of the valley (4:09). Furnace creek carriage (4:23). Borax Museum sign for 20 mule team wagon train c.1885 (4:37). Devil's Golf Course - area of rock salt eroded by wind and rain (4:51). Perhaps White Top Mountain (5:07). Marker indicating sea level (5:34). Badwater Basin - lowest point in North America (5:40). Wide-shot of Artists Palette (6:15). Close-up colorful hues of Artists Palette (6:36). A mountain peak near Artists Drive (6:59). Mushroom rock (7:04). Car drives along dusty road between white rock formations (7:18). Grey hills around Golden Canyon (7:30). Furnace Creek Inn (8:05). Hotel guests swim in pool (8:15). Death Valley Railroad ​​Baldwin 2-8-0 "Consolidation" steam locomotive (8:31). Entry gate for Furnace Creek Ranch (8:39). 19th century mining equipment from mining in the Mojave Desert (8:56). Stagecoach that ran between San BernaRdino and Panamint Valley in 1874 (9:18). Another view of Death Valley Railroad ​​Baldwin 2-8-0 "Consolidation" steam locomotive (9:26). 20 Mule Team Borax Wagon (9:42). Borax Museum (10:18). Rambler American (1958-1969) exits Furnace Creek Ranch gate as 1960 Plymouth Valiant pulls in (10:31). Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, cameraman writes initials “HHD” in white sand (10:47). Grassy area, orange patches on sprawling hills, perhaps wildflowers in bloom (11:29). Close-up orange wildflowers, white wildflowers (12:43). Joshua-trees (Yucca brevifolia) flowering during Death Valley super bloom (13:16). Calico Ghost Town, Yermo CA - tourists walk through structures of former silver mining town f. 1881 (14:10). Woman guides around donkey (15:01). Antique carriage cart (15:09). Bottle House at Calico Ghost Town (15:42). Horses and buggies (15:58). Donkey follows some visitors through town (16:40). Entrance gate for Calico Ghost Town (16:51). More flowering Joshua-trees (Yucca brevifolia) (17:02). View of Grand Canyon, Mather Point (17:22). Kaibab Limestone Pillars on Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park (17:36). More of South Rim, Grand Canyon (18:12). Colorado River flows through canyon (18:20). Red and green hues in canyon stone (18:38). Desert View Watchtower (18:52). Another view of canyon from South Rim (19:33). Film ends (19:48).