First was the Yuma Territorial Prison (#26) which ironically sports the nicknames "Hell-Hole" and "Country Club." Built out of adobe bricks by the inmates who would live there, the prison opened in the summer of 1876. In the prison's 33 years of operation, it housed 3,069 prisoners including 29 women, before overcrowding forced them to be relocated to the new prison in Florence in 1909.
The Yuma Territorial Prison was established and construction began in 1875; it opened in 1876.
I thought it was interesting that the citizens of Yuma resented both the prison and the prisoners and began calling the Yuma Territorial Prison the "Country Club!" They were miffed that there were so many "luxuries" in the prison, things they did not have... like electricity... and forced ventilation... and high-tech sanitation like flush toilets, running water, bathtubs AND showers... and a library with over 2000 books (the largest in the whole territory!)... and excellent medical care (with a complete hospital on the premises)... and even a Prison Band! Yep, the citizenry was hoppin' mad about the "enlightened and progressive administration" coddling these criminals.
And on the flip side, criminals and prisoners detested "the Hell Hole" as they called it claiming it was "Impossible to endure, more impossible to escape!" Their complaints? "Insufferable heat that made the place an inferno"... and it was surrounded by rivers, quicksand and desert... and an inhumane "Snake Pit" and the ball and chain as standard punishment... and that the #1 killer was TB. I guess it's a case of the grass is greener on the other side!
After walking in one of the dank, dark-ish, dirt-floored cells, I wouldn't want to be there either- but then again, I wouldn't want to be in a modern prison, either. Deterrent? For some!
Our second stop was a very small chapel nicknamed "The Taj Mahal of the Desert" (63). What does the 330-foot tall, double domed, very ornate Taj Mahal in India built by an emperor have in common with the 15-foot tall, single-spired, humble chapel built by a farmer in his lettuce field near Yuma? Both were built in memory of a much-loved wife. Friends and relatives helped Loren Pratt construct the chapel in 1996 in memory of his wife, Lois. It has been the setting for weddings, funeral services and even annual Easter Sunrise services as well as a sanctuary for those who want to sit and pray.
*photo from the internet*
The directions state the chapel is "located on US Highway 95 about 15 miles north of Yuma." We drove back and forth on US 95 several times but couldn't find it. Finally, we stopped at a VFW lodge to see if anyone there could help us. We showed the picture of what we were looking for to a couple sitting at the bar and they immediately knew what and where it was. They gave us directions with landmarks after saying that it had been destroyed.
All that is left is the cement entryway and a couple of bushes.
In late 2011, a microburst from a severe storm in the Yuma area completely destroyed the little wood chapel after lifting it off its foundation and slamming it into the ground 60 feet away. According to a local newspaper story, Loren Pratt plans to rebuild the tiny chapel that ministered to so many people. The guest book recorded visits from people in practically every state in the U.S. as well as many parts of the world. We will stop by again to watch the progress- turn west on a dirt road just north of milepost 39 on US 95 (or about 15 miles north of Yuma on US 95!).
On the drive home from Yuma we were treated to a beautiful, huge, nearly full moon!
Thumb Up or Down: Up and up! We didn't see the chapel but I like the story; we'll check back later!
Miles Round-Trip: 394.2 miles
Miles To Date: 3929.8
Percentage of List Completed: 37%
Date of This Trip: March 7, 2012
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