MARK SMITH / PVT Joe Willett, drummer for the Whitehorse Band, takes a moment to chat with Roxann Houser during Old West Days. MARK SMITH / PVT Susan Sorrells discusses historic Shoshone Saturday morning. At far right, is Tammy Tripp-Massie, executive director of the Amargosa Conservancy. Advertisement

SHOSHONE, Calif. -- In 1949 four veterans gathered in Tecopa, Calif., with a grand plan to resurrect a tradition that had been established in the 1930s by American Legion Post No. 542 in Death Valley Junction but was discontinued because of the turmoil caused by World War I.

These four were Jim Francis and Harry Rosenberg, World War I veterans, and George Ross and Danny Fields, World War II veterans.

They all had fought long, hard battles during their time in combat and, having returned home safely, unlike many of their fellow soldiers, recognized the value of country, family and community.

They decided to call this event "Amargosa Days" and envisioned it as a time when neighbors could gather together to celebrate their friendship and their community.

Knowing how the cool early morning breeze of fall invigorates the community after the long hot summer, these men agreed that October would be a great time to hold the event.

In 1949 the economy was based on mining, and the communities of Tecopa, Shoshone, Death Valley Junction and those in Death Valley itself were a hotbed of activity.

The Woman's Improvement Association, the PTA, the American Legion and the Death Valley 49ers were just a few of the organizations that ensured a hectic social life for the residents.

Since there was no television in those days, and very few roads leading to the big cities, baseball games and dances were common social events, so it was natural that these activities would become a part of "Amargosa Days."

Since most of the men were underground miners, and were artists with a "jackleg" -- a piece of machinery used to drill dynamite holes deep within the earth -- a drilling contest was also included in the merrymaking.

Since the nation was recovering from the financial sacrifices created by World War II, money was scarce, so the women who made an array of creative and delicious sandwiches provided the refreshments for the first Amargosa Days. As the event became more and more popular a parade and a deep-pit barbecue were added.

Many years later the tradition has continued although, over time, there have been some changes.

The celebration is now held here in Shoshone and is called Old West Days. The mining jobs have dwindled and tourism has replaced mining as the economic engine of the area.

But still much remains the same. George Ross, one of the four veterans, who 59 years ago had a grand plan, is still a major mover of the festivities. He moderates the History Talks and Walks that inform and entertain the crowds that travel many miles to attend this historic event.

Many of the participants at Old West Days are people who lived in the area over the years and return each year to reconnect with their longtime friends, creating a great opportunity for gathering many more stories about a bygone era.

The dedication of these former residents to the yearly trek to Shoshone indicates the spirit of celebrating friends and community is still the driving force of the merrymaking.

This year Old West Days again found the village of Shoshone and the surrounding Amargosa basin bustling with visitors.

On Friday afternoon the festivities began with the arrival of the wagon train that travels from Pahrump to Shoshone on the Old Spanish Trail. The wagons stay in Shoshone for Old West Days, then continue on to Death Valley to participate in the week long Death Valley 49ers Encampment, which also was established in 1949.

Friday evening the crowds gathered at the Shoshone Museum to attend the opening of the new exhibit, "When the Desert Went Dry," a history of bootlegging.

The exhibit tells the story of Jack Madison, an entrepreneur and bootlegger who operated Moonshine Ranch outside Shoshone.

His story was revealed through the contents of a mud-spattered suitcase rescued from an abandoned building in Shoshone. As the participants left the museum, the night air was filled with the enticing fragrance of mesquite coals wafting from the underground smoker.

Saturday morning the craft show opened soon followed by the music drifting from the outdoor stage of the Crowbar Café and Saloon. By Saturday afternoon the crowds again returned to the Shoshone Museum for the History Talks.

This year was especially interesting because it featured two of the pioneers or Pahrump, Harry "Buttons" Ford and Tim Hafen (see related story).

The communities of Pahrump, Shoshone and Tecopa have always been linked socially and economically, and the interweaving of the lives of the residents was revealed through the stories told by these fascinating men who participated in these events and whose lives shaped the future of the region.

As the History Talks ended in the late afternoon, the crowds returned to the craft show and to the outdoor stage where dancing, music, great conversation and revelry continued long into the evening. By Sunday afternoon old and new friends were saying their goodbyes until next year as another successful Old West Days took its place in a long tradition.