Quartzsite was originally known as Tyson’s Wells. Charles Tyson found water there in 1856 and built a fort to defend his claim against the Mojave Indians. A stagecoach stop was established in 1865 on the site of the Old Fort Tyson. Tyson’s Wells faded for a time but prospered again in the late 1890’s when prospectors began scouring the nearby hills for gold. The Post Office there had closed, and because postal authorities would not allow a branch to reopen with the same name, a new name, Quartzsite, was suggested.

Today, year-round residents of Quartzsite number around 2,000, but in the winter months, thousands of people converge on the town, most of them in RV’s which they park in the surrounding desert or in one of the many RV Parks in town. The population can swell to almost one million during January and February as rock collectors, jewelers, and vendors attend the 8 major gem and mineral shows in Quartzsite.

In the center of Quartzsite stands a monument to one of the most unusual experiments in the history of the westward movement…and to the man who was part of it. In 1857, a proposed railroad route was charted along the 35th parallel, and camels were to be used as beasts of burden. The government brought in Arabs to handle the animals, the most famous Arab driver being a Syrian named Hadji Ali, soon known simply as “Hi Jolly”. After the expedition was over, Hi Jolly stayed in Arizona with a few of the camels and used them as pack animals, carrying goods between mining camps and the Colorado River. His business failed, however, and he released his last camel into the desert around Gila Bend. Years later, he moved back to Quartzsite and prospected until his death in 1902.