b'Agua Calientes whitewashed hotel remains today, baking in the sun. It is signed off with "no trespassing" warnings so best take any pictures from the road. Nearby guest quarters constructed from stone and adobe have crumbled into ruins. A busy farm directly across the road hosts various animals and expansive fields, as it has for many years. The rest of the Agua Caliente, on the east side of the road, opposite the farm, is free to explore. Little more than one-half mile away on a raised mound along the side of the main road is the old towns cemetery. Here are the graves ofthewanderinglensman.cominfants who lived only months, as well as fathers and mothers who passed away between 1900 and to walk over and around the shafts safely, whilethe mid-1980s. Most of the individual crosses eerily peering down the deep black holes. There isand markers have vanished or deteriorated overthe mine was located. The initial mining helped to an interpretive trail, hiking trails, picnic spots, andthe years and the graves are marked only by adevelop the town but the claims quickly played out ATV trails in the area. The interpretive trail takessunbaked ring of stones. More recent burials are atand the area was reduced to a ghost town. When you through the workers cottages, general office,the south end, older at the north, nearer the ruins. Route 66 was constructed, the town was revived company store, company residences, railroadwith several service stations. Bad luck returned depot, managers house, copper smelter, dustHACKBERRY when Interstate 40 came along, and the town was chamber, the hospital, and school site along withToday, Hackberry is an iconic Route 66 stop foronce again reduced to almost nothing. rusted old cars and magnificent views. many travelers. Lt. Edward Fitzgerald Beale (1822-Although there are a handful of small campsites in1893) who was commissioned with opening andBob Waldmire acquired the Hackberry General Swansea, it is not recommended for any large RVssurveying a wagon road along the 35th parallelStore and re-opened it in 1992 as a souvenir shop or trailers due to the hairy roads getting into thefrom Fort Smith in Arkansas to California passedand information center. Bobs mom and dad town site. The campgrounds at Swansea are perfectthrough Hackberry and named the spot "Gardeninvented the corn dog in the 1940s and named it for small vans or tent camping only. Its a fun daySpring." His route was used by many settlers on"Cozy Dog," selling it at their Cozy Dog Restaurant trip and a beautiful drive in from Parker where it istheir way to California and one of them, Charlesin Springfield, Missouri, on Route 66. Bob worked recommended that you park your RV or camper. Cummings, established a ranch here in the 1870s.at his parents restaurant but later became an Silver was discovered by Jim Music in 1875 and theartist, traveling as a nomad in his school bus along community grew. The post office opened in 1878.Route 66. He retired in Hackberry and continued AGUA CALIENTE The mine was named Hackberry after a Hackberryworking towards the preservation of Route 66. North of the Gila River near the town of Hyder istree that grew beside a spring on the hill whereHis 1972 VW microbus inspired the character Agua Caliente, which translates to hot water. It"Fillmore" in the 2006 movie Cars. He sold the is about 120 miles southwest of Phoenix. Unlikestore in 1998 to John and Kerry Pritchard. Amy many Arizona ghost towns, Agua Caliente wasFranklin, a resident of Hackberry since 1999 is the built around a natural hot spring (and eventuallynew owner and caretaker of the fantastic lifelong a stagecoach line), rather than a mine. The springcollection John and Kerry left in her trust as of had been used by American Indians and later as2016. There are many vintage cars outside and the a relaxing stop by travelers along the Butterfieldplace is full of gadgets, signs, mementos, billboards, Overland Mail Route in the early 1860s. Pioneerand artifacts from the 1940s through the 1960s. King S. Woolsey owned the Agua Caliente Ranch. He used the springs for limited agricultural purposes and raising livestock like goats and cattle. By the year 1897, a 22-room resort was built, complete with a swimming pool fed by the hot springs. Many used the resort for its healing properties, but farming in the area ultimately sucked the springs dry. ArizonaRealCountry.com April 2023 25'