Radium Queen of the Desert: Josephine Stephens Bishop
Another find along Highway 14, which is the route from the Los Angeles basin up to the Mojave Desert, U.S. 395 and the Eastern Sierra. Northbound, there's a sign before you get to the Jawbone Canyon off-highway vehicle staging point, "Point of Historical Interest." As usual, it wasn't immediately apparent -- but this time because a vehicle was parked next to it as we passed. Anyway, it's about a desert character of some import.
It's not clear reading newspaper articles from the era whether the subject of the marker, Josie Bishop, really found radium, uranium, helium or anything else of true value on her claim. However, she was often described as "colorful" and could spin a yarn. Her father was sheriff in Grant County, New Mexico, and was responsible for the first known arrest (and not the last) of Billy the Kid.
The text:
JOSEPHIE STEPHENS BISHOP
"Josie" was born on June 18, 1875 in Silver City,
New Mexico to Harvey and Harriet Whitehill. At 19
years old, she taught school in Pinos Altos, New
Mexico. She married Herbert Hall Bishop on March
4, 1896, bearing him seven children. The Bishops
moved around the county for several years, finally
separating in 1920. While living in Long Beach,
Josie began her short acting career and mined this
area for gold and silver. After acquiring numerous
claims, Josie finally hit pay dirt in 1937 by
discovering the richest Radium deposit known at the
time. The media gave her the name, "Radium
Queen of the Desert" and Josie's fame spread
worldwide. As a representative of Kern County and
the mining industry, she toured the nation,
appearing on various radio shows and in many
publications. The only wealth she ever got from her
big strike was fifty dollars. Josie Bishop died in an
auto accident on July 12, 1951. She is buried at
her claim, approximately five miles North of this spot.
California Point of Historical Interest KER-010
Dedicated October 11, 1998 by the Ancient and
Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus, Peter Lebeck
Chapter 1866, Billy Holcomb Chapter 1069, Slim
Princess Chapter 395.
Submitted by: Dan Brekke
@danbrekke