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 Though small amounts
of gold could be found in Bumble Bee, the vast majority was to be
found in the neighboring camps, including Turkey Creek, Golden Turkey,
Cleator, Gloriana, Gillette, the mineral rich veins at Tip Top,
and dozens of other small settlements. Though the original road
through Bumble Bee was crude, it led to the mines, which the many
prospectors were determined to reach. When a stage was
established with a stop at Snyder’s ranch, Snyder built a small
hostelry and stable to accommodate to the travelers. Then, when gold
was discovered in the adjacent Bradshaw Mountains, prospectors were
crawling in nearby Bumble Bee Creek.
Soon, enough people
had arrived in the area that a post office was established in
February, 1879, taking its
name from nearby Bumble Bee Creek, so named because early travelers
said that the
Indians
were as “thick as bumblebees.”
As the railroad
pushed westward, it pushed the stagecoach out and about the same time;
the rich ores were diminishing in the area. Bumble Bee was destined to
die. Its few remaining residents did everything to keep the town
alive, moving the town site three different times as new roads were
surveyed. Finally, though, it was by-passed so far by the Black Canyon
highway, it became a true
ghost town.
In the mid 1930’s an
attempt was made to bring Bumble Bee back to life by making it into a
tourist attraction. Several new buildings were constructed, but the
attraction never drew the tourists they hoped for.
Over the years, the
property changed hands a number of times, until the entire town was
placed on the market and purchased in 1960 by newspaper king, Charles
A. Penn. Though Penn had plans to restore the town and build a
museum, it never happened.
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