Book Review: Images of America: Kingman

 Images of America: Kingman, by Dan W. Messersmith, Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, SC, 2010.

This is a very good pictorial history of Kingman.  It begins with a picture of Henry Kingman, who surveyed the railroad.  Early history of Kingman centered around the railway.  The depot was finished in 1893 at its current location.  From there, Kingman began to expand around fourth and Front Street (Andy Devine).  

In addition to the old commercial and residences, I learned that the original airport in Kingman was where the fairgrounds is now located, but extending on both sides of the freeway which wasn't there.  However with WWII the airport moved to its current location, which was originally a machine gun Army Air training base, Kingman Army Air Field, KAAF.  It eventually became a major location for gunnery training for the B-17.  After the war it became a location for storing and then dismantling airplanes, especially the B-17.  

Book Review: Weird Arizona

 Weird Arizona: Your Travel Guide to Arizona's Local Legends, and Best Ket Secrets by Wesley Treat, Mark Sceurman, and Mark Moran executive editors, Sterling, New York, 2007.

After reading this book which I found at the library, I am convinced I am in need of a copy.  It has turned me onto many local stories, and Arizona stories.  In this book I learned of Slaughter House Canyon in Kingman, a place by Grand Canyon with Flintstone memorabilia.  Along Highway 40 there is a stretch of several different dinosaur displays, and in Quartzite there is a yacht club.  There is a significant history of murders in Arizona, with the Wild West theme.  This includes Tombstone.  As a result there are many ghosts.  Arizona also has significant extraterrestrial history, including the Phoenix lights.  I was disappointed there was nothing about the ET crash close to Kingman; but a different crash farther south.  

Another ghost story is that of the ghost bus of Highway 93.  This is based on a more recent story of a bus traveling from Phoenix to the gambling halls in Laughlin Nevada.  First the heater on the bus broke, and it was a warm July day.  The driver suggested turning around, but the gamblers were anxious to continue on.  Later the truck began to lose power and the driver finally said he could go no further.  The passengers then put the driver off the bus, pushed it to the top of Union pass, and then decided to coast down the other side.  It was last seen going behind a hill, and then disappearing.  No one ever found an accident or the remains of the bus, but three years later, people started to see a ghost bus on Highway 93 between Phoenix and Laughlin.  

There are many more stories, strange buildings, castles, domes etc.  The book includes a section on Route 66; a section on strange animals, which includes the chupacabras, skinwalkers and Oatman burros.  

Book Review: Phillip Johnston and the Navajo Code Talkers

 Phillip Johnston and the Navajo Code Talkers, Indian Culture Series, Montana Indian Publication Plan.

This is a short book which explains the relationship between Phillip Johnston and the Navajo Code Talkers.  Phillip Johnston grew up among the Navajo, and consequently learned Navajo as a child, a very difficult language.  When WWII started Phillip Johnston was too old to serve as a soldier.  He was aware of issues with secret codes, and the Japanese ease with breaking the codes.  Codes were changed almost daily as a result.  He knew Navajo was a difficult language and came up with the idea of using Navajo speakers, and code to keep messages secret.  It took some time to convince the military he was onto something.  At his own expense he took four Navajo to the Marine Base by San Diego to demonstrate and convince the Marines to use his idea.  The Navajo also had the ability to become code experts.

Johnston was brought back to the Marines to train the Navajo.  The program was highly successful as they were able to communicate.   The survivors of the program received medallions in 1969 at a special meeting.