For a town that I've never really liked, I sure am finding myself painting the local scenery around there lately:
Daily Whip Out: "Dust Storm Over The Needles"
According to Olive Oatman's map that accompanied her best-selling tell-all, "The Captivity of The Oatman Girls," the Mohave Captivity location is shown on the east side of the Colorado River, which would put her in Arizona (actually New Mexico at the time of her ordeal). This map indicates her locale as being closer to Topock, than Needles, California.
The Captivity Map in Royal B. Stratten's book
Of course, we now know the Tonto Apache Captivity site is completely wrong. At the time of Olive's capture and subseuqent release five years later, it was thought that the raiding party who massacred the Oatman's were Apaches. Any time an arrow flew in that time period, it was invariably blamed on Apaches. Turns out the raiders were more likely Yavapais, who were sometimes called Yavapai-Apaches.
Most historians now believe the site of Olive's second captivity was right on the spot that became Needles, the town. And speaking of the name of towns, I just discovered that Topock was originally called Mellon, after this guy:
Captain Jack Mellon Museum in Yuma
Oh, and what's with White Guys dressing up like In-dins?
And speaking of White guys playing In-dins:
HOW, White Man!
HOW! Indeed? As in—how in the hell did we end up at this crazy place in the long history of this country?
"Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt."
—Herbert Hoover
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