Zzyzx and The Last Shaman of the Desert

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About This Book

Disillusion, Danger and Evangelism - Zzyzx and the Last Shaman of the Desert documents the rise and fall of Curtis Howe Springer and the controversial Mojave Desert settlement of Zzyzx, tracing the history of the site, Springer’s activities there, and the investigation that led to his removal and the return of the property to public control. Drawing on documentary research and firsthand accounts, the volume preserves an important chapter in the modern history of the Mojave Desert.

Zzyzx Road, Interstate 15 / California Mojave Desert

Zzyzx and the Last Shaman of the Desert is about the history of Famous Zzyzx Road and "Doc" Curtis Howe Springer. Zzyzx Road, the highway sign that millions of curious and unknowing travelers pass each year between Los Angeles and Las Vegas without so much as an inkling of the danger, disillusionment, and false hope generated by the evangelism that emanating from the “miraculous springs” in the middle of the desert.

This story is of the charismatic old-time medicine man, snake-oil salesman, con man extraordinaire, and “King of the Quacks”; who arrived in this barren California desert with a checked past, and created an oasis and money-making enterprise and a nation-wide radio ministry on public lands for nearly thirty years. His brand of health schemes and hucksterism; phony religious, medical and academic degrees were enough to keep municipal, state, and federal regulatory agencies at bay for three decades. Yet little is known of those who lost hope, lost their resources, and lost valuable time in managing their personal health issues while being distracted by his misrepresentations. After years of court battles, eventually involving the U.S. Supreme Court, he was evicted and the land returned to the people. The facility has gained a new lease on life as a desert research center.

This is also the story of an undercover operation that eventually aided in his arrest and prosecution. Despite it all, his supporters remain legion and to this day he remains nearly a saint in the eyes of some who want the name “Doc” Curtis Howe Springer painted with honor, as the “last word on Zzyzx hasn’t yet been spoken.”

199 pages