YUMA COMING TO AN END

First I went to the Q (Quechan) casino for the $2.95 big breakfast.  Two eggs, big piece of ham, hash browns and toast.  I couldn't find anyone to go with me so enjoyed it myself.  You only get this deal if you get a players card.  When you get one they give you $10.00 to play with and I decided I should use it that day.  Well I came out with $8.80 left after I played.  Not bad with free money.  The Q is just over the border into California and just north of the Mexican border (Algodones).  After that headed to the Yuma Territorial Prison.  This prison housed a total of 3,069 and included 39 women from 1876.  The prison was open for 33 years.  This was a model institution for its time and they treated the prisoners well.  The only punishment was the dark cells for inmates who broke prison rules and the ball and chain for those who tried to escape.

The prison sits on a bluff overlooking the Colorado River.  The prison was authorized by the Legislature in 1875 by the Legislature for $25,000.   Crimes ranged from murder to polygamy with grand larceny being the most common.  They made crafts and held a bazaar at the prison after church on Sundays.  Many learned to read and write and had the first public library in the territory.  A fee was charged to visitors for a tour of the institution and was used to purchase books.  

The prison closed in 1909 because of over crowding.  The Yuma Union High School occupied the buildings from 1910 to 1914.  In the 1920's it was used to provide free lodging for the hobos riding the freights.  All that is left after fires and weather is the cells, main gate and the guard tower.

The Arizona government has started closing the State parks and a lot of the museums so the Prison is one of them.   Yuma is trying to raise money to keep it open for tourists to enjoy.   Arizona has also closed all the rest areas, which I don't like.  A lot of people relied on them for a break when traveling long distances.  I will have to rethink how I travel here now.

Another place is the Lutz Casino, not a casino at all but a restaurant that has the oldest pool hall. It is still going strong.  The Casino is in the downtown core along with a few more historic buildings.  From the outside you can hear loud music and burgers frying. On the walls are murals of pool games complete with seedy looking characters out of the Old West and a cringing hound dog with big sad eyes. The place is always crammed with people and the noise level is almost unbearable.  It has the look of an old town saloon.  Not one that was fixed up but one that just got old.  There is interesting junk all over the walls and 12 foot high walls are plastered with posters, paintings, murals and decals of every description.  Suspended from the ceiling is a full size Signal Gas sign and a Western Union one.  If you look up you will see a raggedy foot crashing through the ceiling.  There are regulars and tourists, the tourists are drinking beer and walking around looking at the walls and the regulars.

The children love the place too, there is a whole wall lined with pinball machines and other coin operated space age machines.

The building was built in 1901 and housed the New York Store that sold groceries and general stuff.  Upstairs was a hotel and they operated until 1920 when it was purchased  and turned into a Casino Billiard Parlor.  The specials are the Especial which is a combination cheeseburger and hot dog covered with hot sauce.  You can find people dressed up or just dressed down, they go for the atmosphere.  Members of the San Diego Padres baseball team was seen enjoying a beer and a game of pool.

There is no gambling there just the sale of state lottery tickets.  The men's washroom has a window in it so no one can sneak up and shoot you.  Guess in the old days that happened.

There is a camel farm in Yuma where they specialize if breeding Arabian one hump camels and other exotic animals and birds.  They have so many its too long to list.  They are open from Oct. 1 to May 31st.  The camels can be used for parades and special events.  If you want to check it out go to their web site www.blendradioandtv.com/camelfarm.  I didn't go to this place, but it is on my list for next year.

There were lots of end of the winter parties to say good bye to everyone.  I have to say I haven't cooked a lot of measl in my motorhome this winter, but I haven't put on any weight which is hard to believe.  There are a lot of great cooks on the road.  Now to move on to other adventures.