{"id":8814,"date":"2025-10-11T13:24:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T13:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital-desert.com\/blog\/?p=8814"},"modified":"2025-10-13T00:52:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T00:52:35","slug":"desert-magazine-november-1937","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digital-desert.com\/blog\/desert-magazine-november-1937\/","title":{"rendered":"Desert Magazine, November 1937"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Title:<\/strong> Desert Magazine
Date:<\/strong> November 1937
Publisher:<\/strong> Randall Henderson and J. Wilson McKenney, El Centro, California
Price:<\/strong> 25 cents per copy | $2.50 per year subscription
Significance:<\/strong> First issue \u2014 the magazine\u2019s debut and statement of purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Desert, God\u2019s Garden of Peace<\/strong> \u2013 Poem by Nellie N. Coffman<\/em>
A reverent poem from Palm Springs hotelier Nellie Coffman portraying the desert as a sacred retreat. She depicts the desert as \u201cGod\u2019s Garden of Peace,\u201d a place of quiet renewal and divine beauty for those seeking rest from worldly struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. There Are Two Deserts (Editorial)<\/strong> \u2013 Randall Henderson and J. Wilson McKenney<\/em>
The opening editorial contrasts two conceptions of the desert: one as a hostile wasteland, the other as a living, inspirational landscape. It introduces Desert Magazine<\/em> as a \u201cfriendly, personal\u201d publication meant to unite desert residents, celebrate desert culture, and counter public misconceptions about arid lands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. No. 1 Adventurer of the Desert<\/strong> \u2013 Don Admiral<\/em>
A natural-history essay about the creosote bush (Larrea divaricata), praised as the desert\u2019s most enduring plant. Admiral explains its adaptive spacing, medicinal uses, and role in Native and pioneer life. The article begins a planned series on characteristic desert plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. The Desert Under a Microscope<\/strong> \u2013 J. Wilson McKenney<\/em>
Profile of Dr. Forrest Shreve, director of the Carnegie Institution\u2019s Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill near Tucson. McKenney visits the lab and describes its studies of desert botany, seed germination, and adaptation. The article humanizes science through Shreve\u2019s humor and dedication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. He Helps Keep the Chuckawalla Desert Dry<\/strong> \u2013 Randall Henderson<\/em>
A lively sketch of \u201cDesert Steve\u201d Ragsdale, founder of Desert Center, California. Ragsdale\u2019s blend of humor, perseverance, and entrepreneurial grit illustrates the spirit of early highway pioneers who built services across remote desert routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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6. \u201cBold Emory\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 J. Wilson McKenney<\/em>
Historical narrative on Lt. William Hemsley Emory, U.S. Army engineer and diarist of the 1846\u201347 expedition from Fort Leavenworth to San Diego. McKenney recounts Emory\u2019s mapping, scientific precision, and role in documenting the Southwest during the Mexican-American War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7. Looking Down from Nevada\u2019s 12,000-Foot Oasis<\/strong> \u2013 Randall Henderson<\/em>
Travel account of a Fourth-of-July climb to Charleston Peak near Las Vegas. Henderson describes alpine meadows, sweeping desert views, and the need to preserve the mountain from automobile intrusion. The essay balances adventure with conservationist sentiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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8. Navajo Shepherdess (Photograph)<\/strong> \u2013 William M. Pennington<\/em>
A noted photograph accompanied by commentary on \u201cdependence\u201d among sheep, shepherdess, and the desert environment. The piece reflects ecological interconnection and was later hailed as one of Pennington\u2019s finest desert images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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9. The Feel of the Desert<\/strong> \u2013 John Stewart MacClary<\/em>
Profile of photographer William M. Pennington. MacClary recounts Pennington\u2019s early career in Durango, Colorado, his work among Hopi and Navajo peoples, and his patient, respectful method of photographing Native subjects. The essay introduces Pennington as Desert Magazine<\/em>\u2019s signature visual artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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10. Lost Tree in a Lonely Land<\/strong> \u2013 Lillian Bos Ross<\/em>
Story of the rediscovery of the Elephant Tree (Bursera microphylla) in the Borrego Desert by Dr. E. M. Harvey and Don Admiral. Ross recounts her own trek to find the tree, blending field exploration with the drama of desert endurance and discovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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11. Luck \u2014 Plus Brains<\/strong> \u2013 Jonathan Bart<\/em>
Feature on Kenneth Holmes, a young mining engineer who, with Ed Nicholson, developed a successful gold operation in Imperial County. The story emphasizes education, method, and perseverance as modern counterparts to old-time prospector \u201cluck.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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12. For This Army \u2014 8000 Grubbing Hoes<\/strong> \u2013 Larry D. Wolman<\/em>
Report on construction of the All-American Canal near the Colorado River. It profiles equipment operators and explains how the project will irrigate over a million acres, linking human labor to desert transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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13. Who Knows the Story of This Arizona Landmark?<\/strong> \u2013 Prize Contest<\/em>
Reader contest inviting submissions to solve a historical mystery surrounding an unnamed Arizona landmark. This establishes an interactive feature for readers and desert historians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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14. Sez Hardrock Shorty<\/strong> \u2013 Lon Garrison<\/em>
Humorous fictional sketch introducing \u201cHardrock Shorty,\u201d a recurring character who would appear for years as the desert\u2019s wisecracking prospector-philosopher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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15. Sandstone Home<\/strong> \u2013 Architecture feature<\/em>
A short illustrated piece on desert homebuilding, promoting use of local sandstone materials suited to arid conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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16. The Prospector<\/strong> \u2013 Jeff Worth<\/em>
Poetic meditation on the solitary life and spirit of the desert prospector, closing the issue with a note of rugged individualism and introspection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Departments and Columns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n