The Arnold Hotel Fiasco

I'm happy to say the hurricane is moving off to the East side of Florida, so hopefully Dave and Marcia can get home soon.  I'll take bugs over hurricanes and tornadoes any day!

 It started out rather weird in the desert yesterday.  I was up until late talking to the King of the Magic Kingdom of Bingo.  It seems HE had to work the infernal machine at Bingo that night.  I thought the schedule was set until I returned, but apparently it's not everyone's priority.  They had no one to sell, so the King was IT for the night.  Then it was on to the mini infernal machine ... he had not used that one before.  

When the phone rang again at 10:00, I knew what it was.  I jumped up for another training session on how to close out.  I have to congratulate the King on getting it done, even if he didn't balance.  Pleads to return ensued.  Soon ............ tell the players I'll be back soon.  I just HAVE to find someone to train for that job.

This is the sunrise, usually not visible looking this direction.  I sipped my coffee, wondering where I could go and not get into trouble.  You know ... things like getting washed away by a flash flood or getting stuck going places I probably shouldn't be going.  It's an ADVENTURE!

When the sun finally came up, I spotted this bird in the bush.  What's that old saying .. a bird in the hand is quite tasty?  At least that's true if it's a chicken type bird.  Anyway, I'm really not sure what it is, but I think it's a female cardinal.  It had a distinctive call and flew off after cleaning it's feathers.  Jonathan would have been proud.

I watched the hummers for awhile, but these guys are hard to capture.  There is a war over who owns the feeder.  They are so fast you can't even begin to focus your camera. Although they mostly look black, up close they have gorgeous green and purple feathers.

I started the day by working on this quilt, but it didn't last long.  I've had the itch to be doing anything but sitting home.  

After checking the game camera and finding the bobcat walking by on the left, I had had enough.  I gathered up my camera and some water (completely forgetting food) and headed off in the truck, not really sure where I was going.  

Who am I kidding ... I was headed straight for Tombstone.  I don't know where the time went, but I'm already having to make plans to leave, sooooooo.  The very LEAST I can do is get in ONE adventure.  

First stop .... Benson.  This is really irritating.  This is the hotel and small houses used by the train personnel in the very early 1900's.  About five years ago, I was on the hunt for just such an investment.  Believe me, it looked MUCH different back then.  

Sadly, I was told it was too late.  The City Council was going to vote to approve the sale to a local woman to make a bed and breakfast along with a small library.  

Here's the Hotel Arnold back in the day, housing railroad workers, cowboys and tourists.

This is what it looked like when I tried to purchase it.  It was still in great shape, having been built in 1890 by Mr. and Mrs. Arnold McGinnis.  He was a retired engineer.  His wife filled it with wonderful antiques.  When they both passed, her son just locked it up and used it for storage.  At some point, he sold everything of value and I think just let it go to the city.

There was a caretaker there for awhile, and I spent several hours talking to him about the property.  The lady who purchased it, took everything that was left, then let some gold hunters tear up the entire outside, removing all the old lumber so see what gold they could find.  They literally destroyed the house and wraparound porch.  

I can't tell if any of the original windows are still there, since it's all covered with plywood now.  To put it nicely, it's a hot mess.  What a shame the house above now looks like this.  The porch flooring and sidewalls are completely gone and the roof propped up with 2 x 4's.  

The two houses next door used by the train crews are in bad shape also, completely overgrown.  I've never heard what happened to the lady.  I'm sure the buildings will be bulldozed in no time.  It just makes me sick they destroyed this beautiful old hotel.  

So sadly I drove on off to Tombstone, enjoying the cooler air.  The good news is there was no rain, at least not until I was on my way home, but the wind was blowing dirt everywhere.  

I had an agenda this time .... I was looking for Wyatt and Virgil Earp's home locations, using old maps and newspaper accounts.  It's too long of a story to post today, so I'll tell you about it tomorrow.  After that, I went on a little off-road adventure.  At least I didn't get lost this time.  I'll be going back for that one.