Welcome sign in Quartzsite, Arizona. Why are there camels on it?
Did you know there were once camels in Arizona? I didn’t know until I spent some time in Quartzsite.
According to Roadside America,
In 1856, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis had a novel idea: transporting freight and people across the desert Southwest on camels. He eventually imported over 70 of the beasts. Along with the first batch came a Syrian caretaker, Hadji Ali. His American masters called him Hi Jolly.The locals were so fond of him that, after he died, they spent several weeks building Hi Jolly a special pyramid tomb, made of multicolored petrified wood and quartz. It was dedicated on Jan. 4, 1903.
This is Hi Jolly’s tomb.
Hi Jolly is not the only person buried in this cemetery. Many of the graves are very old, the final resting place of many Quartzsite pioneers. During my first visit I picked up a booklet with a map of the graveyard. The booklet (found in a nearby informational kiosk) also offers biographical information about many of the people buried in the cemetery. One day I hope to go back to the cemetery when I have a lot of time and a hat and a bottle of water and the booklet so I can read about the old-timers buried there.
Many of the graves in the cemetery are decorated with local stones.
I think that’s petrified wood all around the headstone.
What a wonderful inscription! “A wise and loyal friend.” I hope I am remembered that way.
I don’t know the story behind this one.
This is one of the old grave sites.
I’d never seen a grave with a headstone and a footstone.
I think this plaque set in the ground is related to the cemetery being on the National Register of Historic Places.
I-10 exit 17. North side, about a half-mile east on Business 10/W. Main St. Turn north at the Hi Jolly Tomb sign and drive through the flea market to get to the town cemetery and the monument.