Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Worth Bagley Stone

Worth Bagley Bit the Dust

— A Marker for a Missing Marker —

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, January 25, 2019

1. Worth Bagley Bit the Dust Marker

Inscription.
What is it? William F. Keys carved and erected the stone to mark the site of a deadly shoot-out. After the May 11, 1943 gunfight, described by Keys as an ambush, Worth Bagley lay dead and the dispute between the two over access to water was ended.

Keys was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to nine years at San Quentin State Prison. After being released in 1948, he returned to his house at nearby Desert Queen Ranch (Keys Ranch) and erected the marker.

Where is it? Visitors notified the park in January of 2014 to report the stone as broken off at the base. The stone had been previously vandalized (painted) and recently repaired. Park staff removed the stone for safe-keeping until a permanent solution to ensure the stone's safety is developed.

Erected by National Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Law Enforcement. A significant historical date for this entry is May 11, 1943.

Location. 34° 1.597′ N, 116° 8.411′ W. Marker is in Twentynine Palms, California, in San Bernardino County. Marker can be reached from Queen Valley Road near Barker Dam Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Twentynine Palms CA 92277, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Oasis of Mara (approx. 9 miles away); The Desert Trail

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(approx. 9.1 miles away); Keys' Desert Queen Ranch (approx. 9.2 miles away); Minerva Hamilton Hoyt (approx. 9.2 miles away); Jack Cones (approx. 9.2 miles away); Cattle Days in Hidden Valley (approx. 9.2 miles away); Champion of the Desert (approx. 9.2 miles away); Good Times at Smith's Ranch (approx. 9.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Twentynine Palms.

More about this marker. This marker is located in Joshua Tree National Park, on the Wall Street Mill Trail about 0.3 miles from the trailhead on Queen Valley Road.

Also see . . . Keys Desert Queen Ranch. During a dispute over the Wall Street Mill, Keys shot and killed Worth Bagley. Keys was convicted of murder and went to San Quentin Prison, where Keys educated himself in the library. Keys was paroled in 1950 and was pardoned in 1956 through the efforts of Erle Stanley Gardner, author of the Perry Mason novels. (Submitted on February 2, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, January 25, 2019

2. Worth Bagley Bit the Dust Marker

Worth Bagley Bit the Dust Marker (detail) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, January 25, 2019

3. Worth Bagley Bit the Dust Marker (detail)

Here is where
Worth Bagley
bit the dust
at the hand
of W.F. Keys
May 11 1943

William F. Keys image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Unknown

4. William F. Keys

Steel Replica installed in 2019 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cali49.com, 2019

5. Steel Replica installed in 2019

Credits. This page was last revised on October 15, 2020. It was originally submitted on February 2, 2019. This page has been viewed 1,248 times since then and 225 times this year. Last updated on June 3, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 2, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 5. submitted on May 22, 2020, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.