Samuelson's Rocks

Mojave Desert, California

John Samuelson was a Swedish immigrant who came to the Mojave Desert in the 1920's to prospect for gold. He established a homestead in a remote corner of the desert, and started chipping a series of philosophical verses into the rocks of a nearby desert butte. But with the advent of the depression, his carvings took on a bitter tone. His luck would turn even worse. Because he wasn't a U.S. citizen, he was forced to give up his homestead; before he could sell the house, it burned down. Samuelson was accused of killing a man and was sent to jail; he was later judged insane and confined to a mental hospital. He escaped to a logging camp in Washington, only to die from the injuries received in a logging accident. His legacy is the words he left in stone; in spite of their crudeness and paranoia, while reading them we glimpse the heart of a poet and a pioneer.

Here are some more photos of Samuelson's Rocks with my transcriptions (I've left the spelling and punctuation uncorrected):

WAKE UP YOU TAX AND BOND SLAVES.
A POLITICIAN IS A BIRD THAT GETS IN ON THE TAX PAYORS POKET BOOK FOR A FAT RAKE OF AND HIS FREE KEEP'S.
HE LEAD'S YOU BY THE NOOSE WITH ONE HAND WITH THE OTHER HE DIGS IN YOUR POCKET.
A FREIND OF THE BANKER AND BIG BUSINESS WHY?

ARE YOU THE FELLOW MR. MELLON
THAT GRABED ALL OUR DOUGH.
AND YOU BETTER UP AND TELL US
WHERE IN HELL DID IT GO

GOD MADE MAN BUT HENRY FORD PUT WHEELS UNDER EM.
THO.A. MASTER OF THE GOLDN RULE HE.MUST.DIE.TO.BE.APPRICIATED.

RELIGION IS A CODE OF MORALLS FOR US TO LIVE BY NO MORE.
HELL IS HERE ON THIS EARTH NO OTHER PLASE.
MOAST OF IT WE MAKE OUR SELF
AS TO HAVEN FIND IT IN A LIFETIME
NOTHING PROVEN AFTER DEATH BY PREAST OR SCIENTIST?

Directions: Undisclosed to prevent vandalism.

Last visited: March 2009.

Standard disclaimer: Sites are described for entertainment purposes only, as they were at the time of my last visit. I can not vouch for the current condition of the site or its accessibility.