Quartzsite, Arizona

{{short description|Town in La Paz County, Arizona, US}} {{Redirect|Quartzsite|the rock|Quartzite}} {{Use American English|date=April 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Quartzsite | official_name = Quartzsite, Arizona | settlement_type = Town | motto = "The Rock Capital of the World" | image_skyline = 2025-01-20 01 Sign on Highway 95 South for the Town of Quartzsite, AZ USA.jpg | image_caption = | imagesize = | image_map = File:La Paz County Arizona Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Quartzsite Highlighted 0458010.svg | mapsize = 250px | map_caption = Location of Quartzsite in La Paz County, Arizona | map_caption1 = | pushpin_map = Arizona#USA | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Arizona##Location in The United States | pushpin_label_position =  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name = {{USA}} | subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Arizona}} | subdivision_name2 = La Paz | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Norm Simpson <ref>{{cite web |title=Town Council |url=https://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/government/town_council/index.php|publisher=Town of Quartzsite |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807131031/https://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/government/town_council/index.php |archive-date=August 7, 2024 |access-date=May 26, 2025}}</ref> | established_title = Incorporated | established_date = 1989 | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_04.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 94.01 | area_total_sq_mi = 36.30 | area_land_km2 = 94.01 | area_land_sq_mi = 36.30 | area_water_km2 = 0.00 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.00 | population_as_of = 2020 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 2413 | population_density_km2 = 25.67 | population_density_sq_mi = 66.48 | timezone = MST (no DST) | utc_offset = -7 | elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> | elevation_ft = 876 | coordinates = {{coord|33|38|45|N|114|13|48|W|region:US-AZ_type:city|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/> | postal_code_type = ZIP codes | postal_code = 85346, 85359 | area_code = 928 | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = 04-58010 | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = 2412516<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412516}}</ref> | website = [http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/ Town of Quartzsite] | footnotes = }}

'''Quartzsite''' is a town in La Paz County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 census, the population was 2,413.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 31, 2014}}</ref>

Interstate 10 runs directly through Quartzsite, making it the first town many people see when driving into Arizona from the Greater Los Angeles region of California. It is also at the intersection of U.S. Route 95 and Arizona State Route 95 with I-10.

==History== Quartzsite's current location was the site of a waterhole from 1863 to the 1880s and was later a stage station, called Tyson's Wells, along the La Paz - Wikenburg Road on Tyson Wash, in what was then Yuma County, in the newly created Arizona Territory. It was about 20 miles from the Colorado River steamboat landing of La Paz and 25 miles from the landing of Erhenburg from 1866. The next stop was 25 miles to the east at Desert Station.<ref name=Handbook>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ewINAAAAIAAJ&pg=PR27 Richard Josiah Hinton, The Handbook to Arizona: Its Resources, History, Towns, Mines, Ruins, and Scenery, Payot, Upham & Company, San Francisco, 1878]</ref>{{rp|xxvii}} <ref name=OffMapAZTerr1865>[http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1751~180038:Official-Map-Of-The-Territory-Of-Ar?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:Official%2BMap%2BOf%2BThe%2BTerritory%2BOf%2BArizona;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=4&trs=6 Official Map Of The Territory Of Arizona, With All The Recent Explorations. Compiled by Richard Gird C.E. Commissioner. Approved By John N. Goodwin, Governor. In Accordance With An Act Of The Legislature, Approved Oct. 23d. 1864. We hereby certify that this is the Official Map of the Territory of Arizona, and approve the same. Prescott October 12th 1865. (with signed seal dated 1863). Published By A. Gensoul, Pacific Map Depot. No. 511 Montgomery St. San Francisco. Lith. Britton & Co. San Francisco. From davidrumsey.com, accessed on 6/21/2016]</ref><ref>[https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~222539~5505585?qvq=q%3AMap%2BOf%2BThe%2BTerritory%2BOf%2BArizona%3Bsort%3APub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No%3Blc%3ARUMSEY~8~1&mi=5&trs=25 Sheet No. 1 & 3, Department of Arizona. Revised, 1875. Compiled under the authority of Maj. Gen. J.M. Schofield Commanding Mil. Div. of the Pacific by 1st Lieut. J.C. Mallery Corps of Engrs. Published by authority of The Hon. The Secretary of War in the Office of the Chief Of Engineers U.S. Army Washington D.C. 1876. Drawn by J.W. Ward. From davidrumsey.com, accessed on 6/15/2018]</ref> <ref name=OffMapAZTerr1880>[http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1807~170060:Official-Map-Of-The-Territory-Of-Ar Official Map Of The Territory Of Arizona Compiled from Surveys, Reconnaissances and other Sources. By E.A. Eckhoff And P. Riecker, Civil Engineers, 1880. Drawn by Eckhoff & Riecker. The Graphic Co. Photo-Lith. 39 & 41 Park Place, N.Y. Entered ... 1879, by Emil Eckhoff and Paul Riecker ... Washington, D.C., 1880] “Official Map of the Territory of Arizona” showing La Paz – Wikenburg Road and Hardyville – Prescott Road with mileage between locations along the roads, from davidrumsey.com, accessed on June 21, 2016</ref>

Tyson's Wells in 1875 was described by Martha Summerhayes, in her book ''Vanished Arizona'': {{Cquote|At all events, whatever Messrs. Hunt and Dudley were doing down there, their ranch (Desert Station) was clean and attractive, which was more than could be said of the place where we stopped the next night, a place called Tysons Wells. We slept in our tent that night, for of all places on the earth a poorly kept ranch in Arizona is the most melancholy and uninviting. It reeks of everything unclean, morally and physically.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/vanishedarizonar00summ/page/n9 Martha Summerhayes, ''Vanished Arizona Recollections of the Army Life by a New England Woman'', The Salem Press Co., Salem. Mass., 1908.]</ref>{{rp|144–145}}}}

In the valley around Tyson's Wells were places known to have been successfully worked by individual prospectors since the beginning of the Colorado River Gold Rush of the 1860s up until the 1950s. Some large scale operations in the early 20th century were failures.<ref>[http://minerdiggins.com/qzh.html Quartzsite Mining History] from minerdiggins.com accessed September 29, 2018.</ref>

On July 31, 1978, serial killer Randy Greenawalt killed four people in a mass shooting, including a one year old, a 15 year old, and two adults in their twenties.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ruelas |first=Richard |title=The story of Gary Tison's fateful final escape — from those who were there |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-best-reads/2017/09/19/arizona-tison-gang-spree-prison-escape-1978/660262001/ |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=The Arizona Republic |language=en-US}}</ref>

In March 2006, 70-year-old Betty Lou Japel and 73-year-old Kenneth Miller were shot and killed by Gregory Cole. Japel remained unidentified for two years after her death.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Betty Lou Japel, age 70 |url=https://gunmemorial.org/2006/03/29/betty-lou-japel |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=gunmemorial.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Betty Lou Japel – The Charley Project |url=https://charleyproject.org/case/betty-lou-japel |access-date=2024-12-07 |language=en}}</ref>

==Geography and climate==

According to the United States Census Bureau Quartzsite is all land and has a total area of {{convert|94.0|km2|abbr=on|disp=flip}}.

Quartzsite lies on the western portion of the La Posa Plain along Tyson Wash. The Dome Rock Mountains overlook the town on the west with Granite Mountain on the southwest edge of the town and Oldman Mountain on the northwest. The Plomosa Mountains lie across the La Posa Plain to the east.<ref>''Arizona Atlas and Gazetteer,'' plate 54, DeLorme, 2001, {{ISBN|0-89933-325-7}}</ref>

The town has a hot desert climate (Köppen ''BWh'') with mild to warm winters from November to March and hot to extreme summers for the remainder of the year. In the middle of summer, Quartzsite is one of the hottest places in the United States and has recorded temperatures as high as {{convert|122|F|C|1|disp=or}} on July 28, 1995.

There is very little precipitation with only {{convert|4.58|in|mm|1}} falling during an average year, while in May and June more than 80 percent of years do not have measurable rainfall. Since records began in 1928 the wettest month has been September 1939 with {{convert|6.16|in|mm|1}} which was part of the wettest year with {{convert|11.05|in|mm|1}} and featuring on September 5 the wettest day with {{convert|3.00|in|mm|1}}. This moisture was due to the remnants of a rare Gulf of California hurricane.<ref>[http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliGCStP.pl?az6865 Quartzsite (026865) General Climate Summary – Precipitation]</ref> The driest calendar year was 1928 with {{convert|0.92|in|mm|1}}. However, between July 2001 and August 2002 as little as {{convert|0.45|in|mm|1}} fell over thirteen months.

{{Weather box |location = Quartzsite, Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1908–present |single line = Yes |collapsed = Y |Jan record high F = 87 |Feb record high F = 90 |Mar record high F = 100 |Apr record high F = 111 |May record high F = 121 |Jun record high F = 123 |Jul record high F = 124 |Aug record high F = 124 |Sep record high F = 120 |Oct record high F = 108 |Nov record high F = 97 |Dec record high F = 84

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA> {{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00026865&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Quartzsite, AZ |access-date = January 25, 2023 }} </ref> |source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData> {{cite web |url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=psr |publisher = National Weather Service |title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Phoenix |access-date = January 25, 2023 }} </ref> }}

</div>

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1980= 1193 |1990= 1876 |2000= 3354 |2010= 3677 |2020= 2413 |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}</ref> | align = right }}

===2020 census===

As of the 2020 census, Quartzsite had a population of 2,413. The median age was 67.4 years. 7.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 56.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 105.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 105.1 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=place%3A58010&in=state%3A04|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=place%3A58010&in=state%3A04|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

94.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 5.5% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=place%3A58010&in=state%3A04|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=April 28, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 1,427 households in Quartzsite, of which 9.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 35.7% were married-couple households, 31.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 48.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 32.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 2,700 housing units, of which 47.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 16.7%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable" |+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL"/> ! Race !! Number !! Percent |- | White || 2,087 || 86.5% |- | Black or African American || 12 || 0.5% |- | American Indian and Alaska Native || 24 || 1.0% |- | Asian || 3 || 0.1% |- | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 2 || 0.1% |- | Some other race || 101 || 4.2% |- | Two or more races || 184 || 7.6% |- | ''Hispanic or Latino (of any race)'' || 228 || 9.4% |}

===2000 census===

As of the census<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 3,354 people, 1,850 households, and 1,176 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|92.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,186 housing units at an average density of {{convert|87.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 94.5% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.6% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 5.0% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,850 households, out of which 5.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% were married couples living together, 2.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.81 and the average family size was 2.18.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 5.7% under the age of 18, 1.8% from 18 to 24, 7.7% from 25 to 44, 29.9% from 45 to 64, and 54.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 66 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,053, and the median income for a family was $26,382. Males had a median income of $20,313 versus $16,080 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,889. About 7.8% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over. ==Tourism== Quartzsite is a popular recreational vehicle camping area for winter visitors with tourism being the major contributor to Quartzsite's economy. The Rubber Tramp Rendezvous, an annual gathering of vandwellers, takes place in January.<ref>Green, Penelope (January 31, 2018) [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/31/style/rubber-tramp-rendezvous-rv-trucks-vanlife.html "The Real Burning Man"], ''The New York Times''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> Nine major gem and mineral shows, and 15 general swap meet shows are very popular tourist attractions, attracting about 1.5 million people annually,<ref>[http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/community_profile.htm Community] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214163208/http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/community_profile.htm |date=December 14, 2007 }}</ref> mostly during January and February.

Quartzsite is the burial place of Hi Jolly (Hadji Ali), an Ottoman citizen of Greek-Syrian parentage, who took part in the experimental US Camel Corps as a camel driver.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.outwestnewspaper.com/camels.html |title=U.S. Camel Corps remembered in Quartzsite, Arizona, Out West Newspaper #18 |access-date=August 15, 2011 |archive-date=February 5, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050205041925/http://outwestnewspaper.com/camels.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Hi Jolly Monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hi Jolly Monument now on National Register of Historic Places |url=https://www.parkerpioneer.net/news/article_b1142279-9fd2-54fb-b647-da0d99611c5b.html |publisher=Parker Pioneer |access-date=February 21, 2022 |date=December 20, 2011}}</ref>

Quartzsite is also the site of Joanne's Gum Museum, which is open to the public and features a large collection of gum wrappers from around the world.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/32154| title = Quartzsite, AZ - Joanne's Gum Gallery Museum}}</ref>

The Arizona Peace Trail goes through Quartzsite.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Avendano|first1=Uriel|title=Park & Rec. considers RC airfield expansion, Peace Trail staging area|url=http://www.pvvt.com/quartzsite_news/park-rec-considers-rc-airfield-expansion-peace-trail-staging-area/article_ce11a0f2-dcef-11e6-9a8c-0bcce29895c2.html|access-date=January 22, 2017|work=Palo Verde Valley Times|date=January 18, 2017}}</ref>

==Transportation== The Town of Quartzsite operates demand response buses under the name Camel Express that provide weekday service to Quartzsite and La Paz Valley, weekly service to Parker, twice monthly service to Yuma and Blythe, and monthly service to Lake Havasu City.<ref>{{Cite web| title = Public Transportation| access-date = October 10, 2016| url = http://ci.quartzsite.az.us/index.php/departments/public-transportation| archive-date = August 9, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160809045004/http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us/index.php/departments/public-transportation| url-status = dead}}</ref> Greyhound Lines serves Quartzsite on its route from Los Angeles to Dallas.<ref>Location List—Greyhound BusTracker. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://bustracker.greyhound.com/stop-finder/ </ref> Freeways and state highways in Quartzsite include: * 20px Interstate 10 * 20px State Route 95

==Gallery== {{Main| List of historic properties in Quartzsite, Arizona}} The following gallery includes the images of: * Ruins of the Hagely store, which was built in 1890s and is located on the corner of Main St. and Moon Mountain Road. * Tyson's Well Stage Station, traditionally called “Fort Tyson” (though was never a military station) was built beginning in 1866 and is located at 161 West Main Street. The stage station served the travelers who went back and forth from the towns of Ehrenberg and Wickenburg. The building now houses the Quartzsite Museum and Historical Society.<ref>[http://www.pvvt.com/quartzsite-museum/collection_6b94379e-1186-11e6-b377-e33d0c6b9c24.html Quartzsite Museum]</ref> * The restored Oasis Hotel, which was originally built in 1900 and is located adjacent to the Stage Station Museum. * The grave of Hi Jolly (1828–1902), a.k.a. Haji Ali, a.k.a. Phillip Tedro. The grave, located in the Hi Jolly Cemetery, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 2011, reference #11000054.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:98%" ! {{NRHP color}}| ! width = 18% {{NRHP color}}| Name ! width = 8% class="unsortable" {{NRHP color}}| Image ! {{NRHP color}}|Year ! {{NRHP color}}| ! width = 18% {{NRHP color}}| Name ! width = 8% class="unsortable" {{NRHP color}}| Image ! {{NRHP color}}|Year |-- ! {{NRHP color}} | {{small|1}} |'''Hagely Store Ruins (Camelot)''' | 150px |1890 ! {{NRHP color}} | {{small|2}} |'''Tyson’s Well Site''' | 150px |1864 |-- ! {{NRHP color}} | {{small|3}} |'''Tyson's Well Stage Station''' |150px |1866 ! {{NRHP color}} | {{small|4}} |'''Oasis Hotel Replica''' |150px |1900 |-- ! {{NRHP color}} | {{small|5}} |'''Hi Jolly Monument''' | 150px |1903 ! {{NRHP color}} | {{small|6}} |'''Abandoned mine near Quartzsite''' | 150px |unknown |--

==In popular culture== One of the primary locations in the 1988 computer role-playing game ''Wasteland'' is the town of Quartz. Wasteland Scenario Designer Ken St. Andre, a lifelong resident of Phoenix, Arizona, confirmed that Quartz is fictionalized version of the real town of "Quartzite"{{sic}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=St. Andre |first1=Ken |title=For reasons beyond my understanding, people are asking me if places mentioned in Wasteland are real Yes they are. Ajo = Ajo. Quartz = Quartzite. Las Vegas = Las Vegas. Sheesh! |url=https://twitter.com/Trollgodfather/status/1341129268848300032 |website=Twitter |access-date=December 21, 2020}}</ref>

William Hogan's 1981 coming-of-age novel ''The Quartzsite Trip'' is set largely in the town of Quartzsite.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/william-hogan/the-quartzsite-trip/ |access-date=April 10, 2022 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Arizona}} * Fort Tyson * List of historic properties in Quartzsite, Arizona {{Clear}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{wikivoyage|Quartzsite}} * [http://www.ci.quartzsite.az.us Town website] * [http://paloverdevalleytimes.com ''Quartzsite Times''] * [http://www.desertmessenger.com/ ''Desert Messenger''] * [http://www.desertusa.com/Cities/az/quartzsite.html Quartzsite information] at Desert USA * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090509041417/http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/recreation/camping.html BLM camping information] {{La Paz County, Arizona}}

Category:Towns in La Paz County, Arizona Category:Populated places in the Sonoran Desert Category:La Paz–Wikenburg Road Category:Populated places established in 1989