Hi Jolly's Tomb

In 1856, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis (later President of the Confederacy) had a novel idea: transporting freight and people across the desert Southwest on camels. He eventually imported over 70 of the beasts. Along with the first batch came a Syrian caretaker, Hadji Ali. His American masters called him Hi Jolly.
A plaque on Hi Jolly's tomb says of the camel experiment: "A fair trial might have resulted in complete success." But the Civil War intervened, Jefferson Davis changed jobs, and without his support the project was abandoned. The camels were set free to fend for themselves in the desert near Quartzsite.
HI Jolly tomb inscription.
Hi Jolly remained, living into his seventies. The locals were so fond of him that, after he died, they spent several weeks building Hi Jolly a special pyramid tomb, made of multicolored petrified wood and quartz. It was dedicated on Jan. 4, 1903. Thirty-three years later the Arizona Highway Department came along and cemented a bronze plaque to the tomb, telling Hi Jolly's story, and topped the pyramid with a metal camel silhouette.

Hi Jolly was a camel tender for the US Cavalry, brought to the US from Syria in 1856. The United States Camel Corps was originally a success but using camels to transport equipment and personnel didn't last long. Hi Jolly remained in the US in Quartzsite and was buried there. The town built his tomb of quartz and petrified wood to honor him in 1902. Beautiful, well kept desert cemetery and he is still talked about today!

Small site to visit with little information