tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post214994781772788788..comments2024-03-11T18:10:42.788-07:00Comments on Places That Were: The Sprawling Ghost Town of Desert Center - Part 2 - Abandoned School and Junkyard HousePlacesThatWerehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08906573012383225740noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-1918427156028080842023-08-08T20:01:28.916-07:002023-08-08T20:01:28.916-07:00I spent the early 80’s in Desert Center. I went to...I spent the early 80’s in Desert Center. I went to school and was friends with Stanly Ragsdale, grandson of Steve Ragsdale. I went to the school up at Eagle Mountain Kindergaten and 1st Grade. My teachers name was Mrs Moody. A few of my fellow classmates besides Stanly were Carolina Hogan, Alton (can’t remember his last name) and Gary Rineheart. We went to the baptist church on Kaiser Rd, north of Lake Tamrisk. The season 2 episode 1 of Airwolf was filmed in Desert Center and livened up the town for a couple of weeks. We moved away in 1985. I’ve been back 1 time to see the place and visit with friends but that was is 1995. I would love to take atleast one more trip back to refresh the memories of my childhood. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-21912624049668142922022-07-10T13:23:35.747-07:002022-07-10T13:23:35.747-07:00They were the owners care takeser is S&D trail...They were the owners care takeser is S&D trailer park . sorry she is my Cousin not my neiceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-44452449783934434502022-07-10T13:18:17.051-07:002022-07-10T13:18:17.051-07:00My niece was Donna Ragsdale she wad married to Ste...My niece was Donna Ragsdale she wad married to Steve Ragsdale the son of the founder of desert Center. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-49554176608037126312022-07-10T13:13:51.072-07:002022-07-10T13:13:51.072-07:00There is a place across from Desert Center , acros...There is a place across from Desert Center , across the highway, behind the mountains . an old crazy man used to live there by name of Donald Pickel. I know because he was my uncle . the place is probly still there . I was only there a couple times . we lived in Eagle Mtn. My dad worked for Kaiser Steele . he would come down to visit us sometimes or my parents would meet him in desert center when he needed money . my Facebook is Elisha Street if you want to know more. I would like for someone to go up there for me just to see what's there. ThsnkxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-527368195074678152021-01-29T22:14:34.540-08:002021-01-29T22:14:34.540-08:00What would cause people to just leave without most...What would cause people to just leave without most or none of their belongings? It's odd they would leave prescriptions or a car behind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-86728896476369042792020-08-08T15:44:45.225-07:002020-08-08T15:44:45.225-07:00Fascinating, I've always wondered about the to...Fascinating, I've always wondered about the town each time I drive from CA to AZLindaw5852https://www.blogger.com/profile/17538871131552878314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-82878382456656944912020-06-07T18:57:09.044-07:002020-06-07T18:57:09.044-07:00I stayed with my grandparents in a mobile home in ...I stayed with my grandparents in a mobile home in the summer of 1968 and 7 years old, my mom left my father in Oklahoma and stayed with her sister in Indio. That summer I witnessed in the late afternoon a small prop plane doing loop to loops in the sky. At the peak of the loop it would shut the engine and nose dive down maybe 500 est. from the ground and then restart the engine and go up again. This went on for about 5 or 10 minutes est. The last loop down the small planes engine this time did not start I lost sight and heard a loud crash no explosion. I told my grandmother and when my grandfather Bill Floyd who drove a CAT at the mine him and me went to the site. My mom and us kids went back to Okla. To this day I still don't know what happened, I'm sure someone could share what happened who lived there back then. I am still a little traumatized when I recall this. I thought Eagle Mountain still a town.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09766534935632596741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-66221270454636911542019-10-07T14:03:24.518-07:002019-10-07T14:03:24.518-07:00Lived in green acre trailer park in 1968. 6th grad...Lived in green acre trailer park in 1968. 6th grade at the school in desert center booming there if can call it then. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14721541244494422259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-25951995377222083912019-03-14T18:04:43.700-07:002019-03-14T18:04:43.700-07:00Very interesting pictures and info.I’m curious on ...Very interesting pictures and info.I’m curious on where you found info on Steve Ragsdale, the Desert Center founder, <br />Thanks<br />Steve Ragsdale<br />P.S. Like steve, my kin are also from Arkansas/ Missouri Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02515903679301510181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-85320326740117950632017-12-25T16:34:58.235-08:002017-12-25T16:34:58.235-08:00Yes what a place to grow up.The two story house wa...Yes what a place to grow up.The two story house was our friends grandmother house which their family own Desert Center.My family live in the area from 1967 at Eagle Mountain (Kaiser steel Mining)12 miles from DC.Then we lived at the trailer Park (S&D trailer park)1975 to 85.last row of the park which a palm tree I planted in 1882 still Marks the spot.The town became a ghost Town but the people who gave it life is not dead we have a place on line which we reunite famliy n Friends who once call this area home.erbenfermon@comcast.nethttp://xfinity.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-72071163489120492832016-12-06T11:43:55.300-08:002016-12-06T11:43:55.300-08:00Ive been with a friend who bought some vintage vol...Ive been with a friend who bought some vintage volkswagens from Sidney the land owner of the junk yard very nice guy better to knock next time his house was off 177 rice rd Shanemuldoon@mail.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-3050229559555624422016-08-30T07:23:28.262-07:002016-08-30T07:23:28.262-07:00Thank you, Peter!Thank you, Peter!PlacesThatWerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08906573012383225740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-7472597892961293042016-08-28T18:47:19.891-07:002016-08-28T18:47:19.891-07:00I'd love to hear about more of those stories a...I'd love to hear about more of those stories about this town. Does your husband have a blog or page?Peter Arceohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04104603991538990388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-18234915644315282142016-08-28T18:46:37.949-07:002016-08-28T18:46:37.949-07:00This is awesome. We just drove by it and I was cu...This is awesome. We just drove by it and I was curious about the rows of dead palm trees, great exploring!Peter Arceohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04104603991538990388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-38481904321363918012016-02-11T16:12:12.605-08:002016-02-11T16:12:12.605-08:00They always have plans for Eagle Mountain, but it&...They always have plans for Eagle Mountain, but it's a legal mess. Everything gets dragged out for years by the courts and the EPA because it was originally leased from national park land or something, like almost a hundred years ago. <br />I don't know about Desert Center, though. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13693313009138719892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-1547983729046452652016-02-07T13:25:18.133-08:002016-02-07T13:25:18.133-08:00It's amazing that one family owns it all. Do y...It's amazing that one family owns it all. Do you know if they have any plans for future development?PlacesThatWerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08906573012383225740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-65239747292810683092016-02-07T12:31:00.385-08:002016-02-07T12:31:00.385-08:00I still live in this town and could tell you the h...I still live in this town and could tell you the history behind most of it well my husband can he has lived here all his life, worked for the family that owns it all.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04219933414152186531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-56946861327670559512016-01-30T11:26:06.194-08:002016-01-30T11:26:06.194-08:00Thanks for sharing your memories! It's great t...Thanks for sharing your memories! It's great to get an idea of what this place was like back in its heyday. PlacesThatWerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08906573012383225740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-30936321059379109062016-01-30T10:35:17.739-08:002016-01-30T10:35:17.739-08:00I lived at the eagle mountain pumping plant (MWD) ...I lived at the eagle mountain pumping plant (MWD) from 86-2000 I was 8 yrs old in 86 and went to school in Eagle Mt the old abandoned High School was made into k-12. The little drive in near the cafe was our hang out. The cafe had the best chicken sandwiches. I can't believe it's all abandoned. So many memories. Thanks for your blogAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14635178622898987884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-82171991200109528202015-10-19T11:21:05.421-07:002015-10-19T11:21:05.421-07:00Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed them. It is su...Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed them. It is such a neat town. I bet you have some interesting stories and insights from your time living there. I was tempted to take more pictures of the trailer park, but there were several homes that were still occupied and I wanted to respect the privacy of the people still living there. PlacesThatWerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08906573012383225740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-43623206596357301352015-10-14T16:00:49.908-07:002015-10-14T16:00:49.908-07:00I really enjoyed those pictures! I was born there ...I really enjoyed those pictures! I was born there in 1980 and lived there until 1992 (except for 83-86). I wish there were more pictures in the trailer park because that was home. Believe me, growing up in a dying ghost town is just as horrible as you'd imagine.<br /><br />-Tina<br />Therealj5girl@yahoo. com Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13693313009138719892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-85254649320786943782015-08-13T08:05:08.698-07:002015-08-13T08:05:08.698-07:00Thanks, Jonas. It was really fun to explore. Sorry...Thanks, Jonas. It was really fun to explore. Sorry about the low resolution. I always shrink the pictures down before posting so they will load quicker. PlacesThatWerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08906573012383225740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-42848728471540404192015-08-13T00:52:52.761-07:002015-08-13T00:52:52.761-07:00Wow, that combination of a non-vandalized, long-ab...Wow, that combination of a non-vandalized, long-abandoned house and a junkyard is an incredible find. Very nice photos and interesting to read. I'd just wish there was a higher resolution available for the pictures, as it's hard to make out the details of some.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10641363730962270888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-64279629938990537312015-06-07T17:16:43.540-07:002015-06-07T17:16:43.540-07:00I'm glad you like the blog. Thanks so much for...I'm glad you like the blog. Thanks so much for checking it out. I'm surprised how rarely I've run into sketchy characters during my explorations. I've explored over 80 abandoned places so far, and only encountered drug addicts once. They kept to themselves and didn't give me any trouble. Even so, I always bring pepper spray just in case.PlacesThatWerehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08906573012383225740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398633296962611892.post-32892265161092773042015-06-03T23:34:40.780-07:002015-06-03T23:34:40.780-07:00I'm fascinated by abandoned places as well.......I'm fascinated by abandoned places as well.....but lack the courage to check them out. I guess I'm always afraid I might encounter drug addicts holed up in there or something. So nice to find this blog.<br />It gives me the chance to "see" these places. Thanks for sharingSuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122524042294993949noreply@blogger.com