Large Scale Nut Farms Planned for Kingman

Looking North towards Valle Vista, Copyright Chambers Realty Group LLC

Quality Nut land
 The photos are all of land that has been recently cleared to make way for 500 acres of land to be planted of the approximately 6000 acres that Rodney Beard and his grandson Bruce Beard of Quality Nut own between Kingman Arizona and the golf course community of Valle Vista 14 miles to the north. The land is located in the Hualapai Valley and will draw water from the Hualapai Valley aquifer.

Quality Nut has purchase the land under three different names at a price of $3,000 dollars per acre. The names owned by them are Mohave Valley University LLC, Valle Vista Environmental Studies LLC, and RB Ranch Development LLC.

Most likely they will be growing pistachios, almonds and walnuts that are all permanent tree crops and are selling at a decent price on the open market. Wholesale prices have declined from their peaks but are now around 2.20 per pound, down from their peaks as high as 5.00 dollars per pound two years ago.

Trees for these farms are usually provided by Dave Wilson Nursery. They have a waiting list for their trees that sometimes is years behind. Therefore it is very expensive and difficult to get into this farming venture.
The buyers for this are spending about

5-6,000 per acre developing this land after they purchase it to put the trees, water lines and wells in. From then on you have an expense maintaining the trees and the watering system. The almond trees do have decent production by their "third leaf" or the third year they are in the ground. Each tree will produce about 25lbs per tree on average. Pistachio trees take about 7 years before they have a harvestable crop.

The land in Pink is owned by Quality Nut and is approximately 6,000 acres.

Spring Valley Ranches, Kingman AZ

About Spring Valley Ranches

LOCATION AND HISTORY

Spring Valley Ranches is located in one of Arizona’s most scenic areas, just off old Historic Route 66, near the town of Hackberry. Hackberry, in its hey-day, was a bustling cattle and gold mining town. Today, it is a tourist destination for those interested in revisiting and reminiscing about cross-country travel along old Route 66.

Spring Valley Ranches is nestled in the foothills of the pinyon pine-scented Peacock Mountains only 25 miles northeast of Kingman, Arizona. This scenic ranch was once a working cattle ranch that has been named after the abundant natural springs that are found on the ranch. Rich in history, Spring Valley Ranches’ natural springs provided precious water for native Americans, pioneers, and U.S. Calvary. 

Spring Valley Ranches comprises about 7,130 acres of private land. Parcels range in size from 5 to 97 acres. 

WILDLIFE

Wildlife abound on the ranch. Deer, elk, antelope, fox, coyote, javelina, bobcats, skunks, raccoons, and an occasional mountain lion can be seen in this pristine area.

AMENITIES

Spring Valley Ranches is a perfect place for horse riding, hiking, bird watching, exploring, or simply enjoying nature. Many property owners have horses and enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. An 18-hole par 72 golf course is located about 12 miles away in the community of Valle Vista.

SERVICES

Many parcels have electrical service (provided by Mohave Electric Co-op) and telephone service (provided by Frontier Telecommunications). All parcels are suitable for alternative energy power systems, such as solar and wind energy systems. Portions of the ranch are served with cellular telephone service provided by companies such as Mohave Wireless, Verizon, Cingular, Cellular One, Sprint, etc.

Propane gas (LP) delivery is provided by several companies in the Kingman area, such as Northern Energy, Graves Propane, and Ferrellgas.

Water is provided by your own private well, hauling in your own water, or delivery by a private delivery company. Spring Valley Ranches was named for the many natural water springs located throughout the ranch. Additionally many good wells have been drilled throughout the ranch. 

Trash containers located near the entrance to the ranch are provided by a local co-op service for a nominal monthly fee.

Weather 
Spring Valley Ranches experiences weather similar to Kingman, Arizona, except that temperatures are consistently about 5 degrees cooler.  Because Spring Valley Ranches is located in the Peacock Mountain Range, and at a higher elevation (4,000 - 5,400 feet) than Kingman, more precipitation and precipitation in the form of snow and freezing rain is typical. 

ACCESS

All of the parcels were professionally surveyed and staked, making clear identification of parcel corners easy.

All parcels have full physical and legal access by dedicated public or county roads.

GRAZING

Arizona is an open range state. This means that cattle pretty much graze where ever they prefer. It also means you may fence the cattle out of your property. Fencing must be suitable for this purpose.

C.C. & R’s (COVENANTS) 

Land usage within Spring Valley Ranches is governed by sensible C.C.&R’s (Covenants) which help protect your real estate investment. The basic rules are as follows:

1. Houses must be at least 1,000 sq. ft., site built or manufactured. Manufactured houses must be 5 years or newer from date of manufacture to date of placement on your parcel.

2. Parcels may be sub-divided up to 5 ways with no split parcel being smaller than 5 acres.

3. No commercial use of parcels is allowed. Parcels are to be used for single family residential use, limited recreation use, and non-commercial ranch and farming activities.

4. Septic systems must be installed prior to or in conjunction with the construction of a house.

5. No burning or burying of trash or rubbish on a parcel.
                
PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

The Spring Valley Ranches Property Owners Association maintains the roads within the ranch and assesses and collects annual dues from each property owner for this service. Association membership is mandatory and runs with the property ownership. The 2007 Annual Association dues are $125 per parcel.

Spring Valley Ranches is a great hideaway...a special place to build your dream cabin, or just enjoy the good feeling of land ownership and investment in a beautiful area.

Stagecoach Trails, Yucca Arizona Land

www.ucverdevalleyproperty.com

Justin Chambers, Standing at the Entrance of Stagecoach Trails at Santa Fe Ranch

I have had the opportunity recently to sell a lot of land in the Stagecoach Trails area. This is the flat valley between Lake Havasu City and Kingman Arizona about half way between the two cities near the small town of Yucca Arizona. The views are stunning and the amount of land available at any given point is astonishing. Here you can find 40 acres for as low as $250 dollars an acre. There are approximately 2800 parcels in this subdivision that are 40 acres.

Joshua Trees abound on the properties here

Located in northwestern Arizona halfway between Kingman and the California border, Stagecoach Trails at Santa Fe Ranch is a rural ranch community of about 130,000 acres of land over a large and abundant aquifer. With its dry, desert climate, the property is situated at the base of the majestic Hualapai Mountains and features gentle sloping terrain that moves into some foothills and granite boulder outcroppings. Living here is not for everyone at Stagecoach Trails, most of the properties are off grid and one has to be self reliant to live here full time. Most landowners are absentee and have purchased as a secure investment, or use the properties for camping on. However this area still has some wonderful qualities including:

• Its centralized location just under 30 miles from Lake Havasu City and Kingman as well as Needles, California
  
• It is in close proximity to Las Vegas which is just over 120 miles away
  
• Many properties have stunning views views of the mountains and valley
  
• Fun recreation and outdoor activities within a short drive of the ranch including water sports and fishing at the Colorado River along the western border of Arizona and Alamo Lake with it's incredible fishing is a short drive south of the ranch.
  
• A great year round climate with hunting, prospecting and hiking opportunities in the adjacent Hualapai and McCracken Mountains and the many federal lands that surround the community
  
• Many of the properties have power lines extended to them
  
• A plentiful water supply from the natural aquifer making it very possible for property owners to drill a well or install water tanks for their water supply, there is also a water haul company at Alamo Road and I-40 if drilling a well is not within your budget.
  

A yucca plant on a listing we have

Kingman, the largest city closest to Stagecoach Trails, sits in the northwestern corner of Arizona and is the hub of Route 66 as it has the look and feel of a small classic Route 66 destination town from the 1950s-60s. It is an hour and a half drive to Las Vegas and only 200 miles north of Phoenix. Living at Stagecoach Trails at Santa Fe Ranch combines the best of the old west lifestyle with the conveniences of larger cities just a short drive away.

Ocotilla cactus are on many of the properties

Buying and Selling Mountain Vista Ranches, Kingman AZ

Mountain Vista Ranches:

 Mountain Vista Ranches is a subdivision that is located behind the golf course community of Valle Vista. Access to this area is easy. Go North on Route 66 from Kingman, Go left on Concho Road, Right on Painted rock and then straight or left on Brooks to the most populated area based around the many grape growers in the area.

The soil out here is great for growing. Across the valley there is alfalfa, cotton, garlic, almond trees, walnuts and pistachios. This is an area that produces a lot of groundwater that is brought up to the surface by private wells.  This is a subdivision that has seen a lot of activity recently in the wine grape growing arena. The soil here has been tested and is even rumored to be better than the soil in Temecula for growing grapes.

Many of the parcels for sale have power and have their own wells. Quite a few, including those

 associated with the wineries or next to them are on shared wells. Usually there are up to 5 parcels on each shared well system. This works great as costs associated with maintenance or repairs are split evenly between the well shareholders, and the shared well agreement is recorded with the escrow. 



One of my favorite things to do out here is to visit the Cella Winery. The Cella Winery at Mountain Vista Ranches offers handcrafted wine selections with grapes that Carlos Stella and his staff have grown with love and affection. He offers cabernets, syrah blends, a merlot, moscato and others. His wine could be put up against any in California and has! With this he has won many awards. Carlos is a gracious host and a passionate and hard working guy. He has an interesting life story that you will want to hear in person. He is interested in expanding the areas grape vineyards and is always there to share his knowledge and expertise with them. There are at least three other people that I know of that are now growing grapes in this area with his help on their properties.

 Another really nice winery in the area is Stetson Winery.

Fun things to do here are the annual grape stomp that runs August 22-23.

The authoritative figure on this area is Justin Chambers with Chambers Realty. He specializes in land sales and has become well known in the Kingman and Golden Valley for selling real estate. You can contact him through our website at  www.chambersrealtygroup.com or call our office at 928-718-2020.

1031 Exchanges in Kingman Arizona

 

 

 

 1031 Exchanges in Kingman Arizona. I have had more and more inquiries about 1031 exchanges in Kingman and Golden Valley for the first time in 10 years.

Below are FAQ about 1031 Exchanges. Please contact our office at 928-718-2020 for more information about properties you can 1031 exchange into. We typically have a much better cap rate for like/kind property than those in California. This is a prime opportunity for investors looking to maximize their income potential for stable cash flow investments.

• IPCC At A Glance
• Section 1031 Exchange Illustrations
• Passive Income & Passive Loss
• Cash Investments in Private Placements
• Find Your Regional Wholesaler
• Private Capital Contacts
• Available Offerings
• Closed Offerings



What is a Section 1031 exchange? Generally, Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), provides an alternative strategy for deferring the capital gains tax that may arise from the sale of a property. By exchanging a relinquished property for “like-kind” real estate, as defined below, property owners may defer their federal taxes and use all of the proceeds for the purchase of replacement property. Whether any particular transaction will qualify under Section 1031 depends on the specific facts involved, including, without limitation: the nature and use of the relinquished property and the method of its disposition; the use of a “qualified intermediary” and a qualified exchange escrow, as discussed below; and the lapse of time between the sale of the relinquished property and the identification and acquisition of the replacement property.

What is “like-kind” property? Set forth below are some examples of “like-kind” real estate:   Vacant land Commercial property, including commercial rental property Industrial property 30-year or more leasehold interest Farm property Residential rental property Doctor’s own office A tenant-in-common ownership interest in an investment property.  Tenant-in-common, or “TIC,” ownership is ownership of commercial real estate that has been split into fractional shares. Each owner owns an undivided fee interest in the property equal to his proportionate share of the real estate. A beneficial Interest in a Delaware statutory trust, or “DST.”  DST interests are described below.   It is important to note that one’s primary residence, as well as vacation or second homes held primarily for personal use, will not qualify for a Section 1031 exchange.  However, there are certain safe harbors for vacation and second homes to qualify as either a “relinquished property” or a “replacement property.”

What is a “DST”?  In accordance with the Internal Revenue Service’s Revenue Ruling 2004-86, a beneficial interest in a Delaware statutory trust, or “DST,” that holds a replacement property may be considered “like-kind” replacement property in a Section 1031 exchange. A DST may own one or more properties. The rights and obligations of investors in a DST will be governed by the DST’s trust agreement. Typically, investors have limited voting rights over the operation and ownership of any properties owned by the DST.  In addition, the trustees of the DST may be entitled to certain fees and reimbursements, as set forth in the applicable trust agreement.

What is a “Qualified Intermediary”?  A Qualified Intermediary, or “QI,” is a company that is in the full-time business of facilitating Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges. The role of a QI is defined in Treasury Regulations. The QI enters into a written agreement with the taxpayer where QI transfers the relinquished property to the buyer, and transfers the replacement property to the taxpayer pursuant to the exchange agreement. The QI holds the proceeds from the sale of the relinquished property in a trust or escrow account in order to ensure the taxpayer never has actual or constructive receipt of the sale proceeds. A Qualified Intermediary may also be known as an Accommodator, Facilitator or Qualified Escrow Holder. Certain persons, including those who have acted as the exchanger’s employee, accountant, attorney, investment banker or broker or real estate broker within the two year period preceding the sale of the relinquished property, will be specifically disqualified from acting as a Qualified Intermediary.

What are some key guidelines for a Section 1031 exchange?       The seller cannot receive or control the net sale proceeds – the proceeds must be deposited with a Qualified Intermediary. The replacement property must be “like-kind” to the relinquished property.  Both the relinquished and the replacement properties must have been held for investment purposes or for productive use in a trade or business. The replacement property must be identified within 45 days from the sale of the original property. The replacement property must be acquired within 180 days from the sale of the original property. The cash invested in the replacement property must be equal to or greater than the cash received from the sale of the relinquished property. The debt placed or assumed on the replacement property must be equal to or greater than the debt received from the relinquished property.    This is a summary of some of the key guidelines for a transaction under Section 1031, but this is not an exhaustive list. The costs associated with a Section 1031 exchange may impact the returns and may outweigh the tax benefits of the transaction. Each prospective investor must consult his or her own tax advisor regarding the qualification of a particular transaction under Section 1031.

How is a property identified for a Section 1031 exchange? Property identification is done through the Qualified Intermediary.  The replacement property must be identified in a written document, known as an “Identification Notice.”  The requirements for a property Identification Notice are as follows:    must include a specific and unambiguous description of the replacement property; must be signed by the exchanger;  for real property, the Identification Notice must include:    the legal description, a street address, or a distinguishable name; and    for property to be produced, such as raw land to be acquired after improvements have been constructed, the Identification Notice should include a description of the underlying real estate and as much detail regarding the improvements as is practical, for example, 100 S. Main St., Anywhere, IL, improved with an 8 unit apartment building.   An identification of replacement property may be revoked prior to the end of the identification period. The revocation must be in writing, signed by the exchanger and delivered to the same person to whom the original Identification Notice was sent. No changes or revocations may be made to the Identification Notice after the end of the identification period (45 days). The exchanger may identify multiple replacement properties.  There are certain additional rules to keep in mind, including the following:         Three Property Rule: The exchanger may identify any three properties, without regard to their fair market value. The exchanger may acquire one, two or all three of the properties as replacement properties. 200% Rule: The exchanger may identify any number of properties, provided the aggregate fair market of all of the identified properties does not exceed 200% of the aggregate fair market value of all of his or her relinquished properties. 95% Rule: The exchanger may identify any number of properties, without regard to their value, provided the exchanger acquires 95% of the fair market value of the properties identified.

Are there additional reasons to consider a Section 1031 exchange?  In addition to the objective of deferring capital gains tax, there may be other benefits to participating in a Section 1031 exchange:   Relieve the burden of active real estate ownership and management Exchange a non-cash flow producing property for a cash flow producing property Diversify into a portfolio of properties Diversify an existing portfolio by geography and property type Obtain ownership in higher-grade commercial properties Facilitate estate planning

Do vacation and second homes qualify for Section 1031 exchanges? Vacation or second homes held by the exchanger primarily for personal use do not qualify for tax deferred exchange treatment under Section 1031. The safe harbor for a vacation or second home to qualify as relinquished property in a Section 1031 exchange requires the exchanger to have owned the property for twenty-four months immediately beforethe exchange, and within each of those two twelve-month periods the exchanger must have:   rented the property at fair market rental for fourteen or more days, and restricted personal use to the greater of fourteen days or 10% of the number of days that it was rented at fair market rental within that twelve-month period.   For these purposes, “personal use” includes use by the exchanger’s friends and family members that do not pay fair market value rent.

Are there vesting issues to consider in a Section 1031 exchange? Yes.  For an exchange to satisfy Section 1031, the taxpayer that will hold the title to the replacement property must be the same taxpayer that held title to the relinquished property. However, business considerations, liability issues, and lender requirements may make it difficult for the exchanger to keep the same vesting on the replacement property.  Exchangers must anticipate these vesting issues as part of their advanced planning for the exchange. There are some exceptions to this rule when dealing with entities that are disregarded for federal income tax purposes. For example, the following changes in vesting usually do not destroy the integrity of the exchange:   The exchanger’s revocable living trust or other grantor trust may acquire a replacement property in the name of the exchanger individually, as long as the trust entity is disregarded for federal tax purposes. The exchanger’s estate may complete the exchange after the exchanger dies following the close of the sale of relinquished property. The exchanger may sell a relinquished property held individually and acquire a replacement property titled in a single-member LLC or acquire multiple replacement properties in different single-member LLCs as long as the exchanger is the sole member and the single member LLCs are treated as disregarded entities. A husband and wife may exchange a relinquished property held individually as community property for a replacement property titled in a two-member LLC in which the husband’s and wife’s ownership is community property, but only in community property states and only if they treat the LLC as a disregarded entity.   As a general rule, the exchanger should not make any changes in the vesting of the relinquished or replacement properties prior to or during the exchange. Exchangers are cautioned to consult with their tax or legal advisors regarding how their vesting issues will impact the structure of their exchange before they transfer a relinquished property.

Important Notes The information contained herein is neither an offer to sell, nor the solicitation of an offer to buy any security in any program sponsored by Inland Private Capital Corporation, which can be made only by the investment-specific Private Placement Memorandum, and sold only by broker dealers authorized to do so.  Any representation to the contrary is unlawful. The information contained herein is a brief and general description of certain guidelines regarding Section 1031 exchanges.  All prospective investors should consult with their own tax advisors regarding an investment in a program sponsored by Chambers Realty Group LLC.

 

 

 

Peacock Mountain Ranches, Kingman Arizona

Peacock Mountain Ranches is located on the northern downslope of the majestic 8200 foot Hualapai Mountains overlooking Kingman Arizona. Access to the property is off interstate 66 and interstate 40 just 7 ½ miles east of Kingman's city conveniences. 
Access to the area is easy from the Kingman Airport for the properties that are in the southern portion of the valley. You would take the Kingman Airport road going under the Railroad tracks. Go left on Shipping lane which then becomes Topeka. From Topeka take a right on Jan Road and you take this a few miles and you are then on the old ranch. 
Another way to access the property is to drive route 66 north and take a right under the railroad tracks across the street from Valle Vista on Concho road. Once you go under the railroad tracks you are on Olympic road and this is the very beginning of Peacock mountain ranches on the north side. 

 Most of the properties in here are as flat as a pancake.

 The vegetation in the area consists of nice Juniper trees and Palo Christi plants on them. The terrain ranges from flat to rolling grassy parcels, all with scenic 360 degree mountain views. The elevation varies between 3650 to 4100 feet. Roads are bladed to every parcel and these roads are dedicated for public use.

 Electricity and phone lines are presently extended to a few parcels and will be nearby to others. Alternative power such as solar power, wind power and generators are also an option. Electricity is provided by Mohave Electric cooperative inc. and telephone is available from Citizens Utilities Company inc. There is an electric line run all the way down Olympic road.

 Typical roads in the area are always accessible as there is a small HOA fee of 100 dollars a year or less to maintain the roads.

 Many of hillside properties like this one have wonderful views of Kingman and the Hualapai Valley.

 There are even a few old mining claims in the area.

 This is the view from one of the properties that we sold.  Many of them like the property below have nice granite boulders on them as well as roads and building pads cut in already. A few lucky owners in this area have springs on their properties. 

At the current time on 8-18-15 Justin Chambers of Chambers Realty Group LLC has 5 listings for 40 acres parcels that are listed at $25,000. Due to it's close proximity to Kingman and a population of 40-50,000 this is an excellent investment. Many of the properties here are owner carry for this prime Arizona land. Call Justin Chambers at Chambers Realty Group if you are looking to buy Peacock Mountain Ranch properties or sell your property that you have. Call us at 928-718-2020 for more information, or visit us on the web at chambersrealtygroup.com. 

We here at Chambers Realty Group are your premier land salespeople. We specialize in land sales, ranch sales and farming land. We are consistently Mohave County's largest supplier of land year after year.  

 There are great views of the Hualapai mountains.

 Typical desert monsoon storm in the Peacock Mountain valley.

Peacock Mountain Ranches is open range. Therefore you will see a lot of branded cattle. You can fence them out of your property if you elect to do so.

Brief Kingman History

Anyone who meets me will find that I am a huge history buff and nothing excites me more than working and living in the historical Dowtown Kingman area and selling homes in this area. My fiance and I live in a home that was built in 1928 and is completely made of stone. It is a home that I walked by going to school every morning and as a kid never dreamed I would live in such a magnificent historical and architectual stunning masterpiece.

Downtown Kingman is located in a natural basin, surrounded by basaltic hills, and was not established as a mining camp, but was a railroad hub. In 1880 Lewis Kingman surveyed along the Atlantic and Pacific right of way between Needles and Albuquerque. By 1883 the track was completed. The first reference of Kingman itself was from the newspaper the Alta Arizona, a newspaper published in Mineral Park near modern day Chloride. It issue of June 10, 1882 states, "There is a new town on the tapis at or near Beale Springs." In 1882, the Alta Arizona refers to the sampling works at Kingman, also saying that Middleton is to be hereafter named Kingman, where in November of 1882 a rooming house, store and other buildings were going up.

By 1888 most of the original townsite lots had been sold. On the north side of the Santa Fe line, the business district grew and prospered and on the south side homes dominated the landscape. Today when we do title searches on property we can go all the way back to the railroad usually owning the land and before that the US and finally all the way back to Spain owning the land here. 

Red Lake Ventures, Farming in Kingman, a Completely New Idea for Our Area.

Above are some of the photos I took of the new Red Lake Venture site about 20 miles north of Kingman. Recently there have been a lot of dust complaints due to the fact that the site had three square miles of dirt scraped and the natural vegetation (weeds) no longer held it down. This is an area where there is little vegetation, not much of a habitat for any kind of animals, or anything really to speak of.  However it is a push forward to something our town has never had. Farming. This land has been overgrazed for years by the local ranchers with their cows. However Red Lake Ventures is a hedge fund from back east that is actively purchasing land in the area to use for growing cotton. Right now the photos in this blog are of water systems they are putting in that will use drip irrigation to water the cotton fields.

 

There is a lot of controversy surrounding this as there are studies on the amount of water available but it doesn't change the fact that we are in the desert and get 11 inches of rain per year on average. The water usage studies already say that we are using more than what is being replenished.

 

I think with the extended drought in California we will see more and more farming activity come this way. Right now we do sell to final end users of the farms, it is just a matter of time before speculation buying comes into effect with more activity that will then again push land prices up.

The Cerbat Mountain Range, Kingman Arizona

In the Cerbat Mountains north of Kingman, Arizona gold and silver deposits were discovered in the 1860s. In no time at all several small towns sprang up as prospectors and miners headed to the hills in search of their fortunes. At this time, these camps were extremely isolated and the trip getting into the settlements were often fraught with danger. To gain access to the Cerbat Mountains, prospective miners were required to take a riverboat 300 miles upstream from Yuma to Hardyville (now underwater near Bullhead City.) After their riverboat journey, they then had to cross 38 miles of unforgiving desert and were often accosted by hostile Indians. Cerbat Mountain Range, Kathy Weiser, April, 2005     In 1863, one story tells of Hualapai Indians who commandeered three miners’ weapons as they were working in their mining shaft. The Indians then shot one of the miners. The remaining pair were killed when the Indians began raining heavy rocks down the shaft upon the miners’ heads.   Undaunted by the tales of danger, the determined fortune seekers continued to come.   Cerbat The area that would become Cerbat began to attract miners in the 1860s and when rich enough veins were found to support larger mines, a settlement was born in the early 1870s. Named for the mountain range, Cerbat is an Indian word meaning bighorn sheep, which were once common in the area. Soon three mines were developed including the Esmeralda, the Golden Gem, and the Vanderbilt. Before Cerbat even had a post office it was named the county seat of Mohave County in 1871. On December, 23, 1872, the town was finally able to send and receive mail from its own post office. In 1873 it lost its short lived county seat status to nearby Mineral Park. Cerbat never had more than a hundred residents in its isolated location, yet it did have a doctor and a lawyer. Old mine at Cerbat, Arizona courtesy Kurt Wenner
Mining continued into the nineteenth century but the town began to die. By 1912, its post office had closed. Today, the Golden Gem Mill and head frame still stand among scattered debris. Nothing else is left of this once vibrant city.  According to some reports, caution should be utilized in exploring this area as there is a deep, uncovered shaft not far from the base of the mill. Cerbat is nine miles northwest of Kingman on U.S. 93 at a historical marker near Milepost 62. Here, you get off the highway on a dirt road, heading east for 0.7 mile, then left for 0.6 mile, then right again for another two miles. The last stretch of this road requires a high clearance vehicle or a willingness to walk. Mineral Park Named for the rich minerals in the juniper-filled basin at the foot of Ithaca Peak, Mineral Park was founded in 1871. Growing quickly the settlement soon had almost 700 residents, becoming the biggest settlement in the county. A post office was established on December 31, 1872. Just a year later, Mineral Park took the title of county seat from nearby Cerbat.
Mineral Park Arizona, 1880, courtesy Mohave Historical Society
In addition to the mines of the area, the town became a supply point for more distant mines and a growing number of cattle ranches. Ready to last the duration the town soon had an assay office, five smelters, a hotel, a restaurant, several stores and a number of saloons. Two stagecoach stations were present in Mineral Park and in 1882; a weekly newspaper called the Mohave County Miner began. In 1883, Mineral Park prospered further when the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad was completed just 20 miles to the south. This cut the costs of transporting ore and supplies dramatically. However, what Mineral Springs didn’t count on was the small settlement of Kingman, built to service the railroad, would begin to grow so fast. In spite of the Mohave County Miner's best efforts to downplay the possibility of Kingman ever amounting to much, over the next five years, Kingman continued to prosper as a supply center for the area mines, as well as a commercial center for travelers through the area.
Mineral Park today has very little left, April, 2005.	Soon, Mineral Park was to experience more civic embarrassment when a county-wide vote made Kingman the new county seat in 1887. Kingman got 271 votes to Mineral Park's 93. Even Hackberry, located some 30 miles northeast of Kingman got more votes than Mineral Park at 132. Many speculated that Mineral Park merchants, who already had some economic connections with Kingman, were interested in reducing their costs by being closer to the railroad. Despite the conclusiveness of the polls, Mineral Park officials refused to give up the county records. Outraged, Kingman citizens subsequently raided the town hall and made off with the county documents, literally "taking” the county seat. The Mohave County Miner, once the biggest critic of moving the county seat to Kingman, gave in to economic reality and made the move from Mineral Park to the new county seat of Kingman.
Losing the county seat was just the beginning of the end for Mineral Park. After 1887, some of the mines began to close. Though some were reopened briefly in the early 1900s, the town never recovered and its post office closed for good on June 15, 1912. Today Mineral Park has all but vanished and sits upon private mining property where turquoise and copper are still being mined from the area. An open-pit mine, formerly operated by the Cypress-Bagdad, has caused once-prominent Ithaca Peak to disappear completely. The area is scattered with the debris of earlier days, where head frames, mill foundations and tattered cabins can still be seen amongst the mine tailings. Mineral Park's small cemetery is one of the best-preserved in Arizona. Although it is within mine property, it can still be viewed by contacting the current mining operation. To get to Mineral Park, you will travel some 14 miles northwest of Kingman on US 93 to a turn-off between Mileposts 58 and 59. Here, there is a historical marker where you will turn east for 4.3 miles on paved road, then left 0.3 mile on a well-used gravel road (the turn is just before the fenced-in modern mine.)