Havasu Palms, A Hostile Takeover

By Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

The true story of one hard working pioneering family in the 20th century, and how their life’s work was stolen – a theft sanctioned by the United States Government and the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe. Includes over 70 photographs.

When Americans greeted 1968, the country was at a crossroads. An unpopular war raged in Vietnam. The hippie exodus from Haight-Ashbury had occurred a few months earlier; Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April of that year, and Bobby Kennedy was killed a few months later. The country was preparing to send a man to the moon and while there were unverified reports of protesting women burning their bras, it was more a metaphor for the growing women’s liberation movement.

For one American family, 1968 was the beginning of a new adventure in a remote desert community in Southern California. They believed in the American dream, where hard work and honesty have just rewards. The family put their trust in government promises, in spite of the fact the common belief among the country’s youth was that the federal government could not be trusted. Perhaps, the family should have paid attention.

Cover design by Elizabeth Mackey

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes
• Release date: Jun 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301489183

Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

Bobbi Holmes is the USA Today bestselling author of the popular paranormal cozy mystery series, Haunting Danielle. Under the nom de plume, Anna J. McIntyre, she writes romance and grittier fiction. Holmes lives in Oregon with her husband of 44+ years, and their two miniature Australian Shepherds. Bobbi's mother, who turns 94 in 2022, also lives with them. When not in front of the computer wrestling with ghosts, Bobbi and her husband enjoy exploring in their motorhome. Their favorite pastime is visiting with their adult children and spoiling their grandchildren.

Book preview

Havasu Palms

A Hostile Takeover

A True Story

By Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

PUBLISHED BY:

Robeth Publishing, LLC

robeth.com

Havasu Palms A Hostile Takeover

By Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

Copyright © 2012 Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

Cover Design by Elizabeth Mackey

Editors: Caroline Glandon Johnson

Suzie O'Connell

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

To my parents, Walter Clint Johnson and Caroline Glandon Johnson

Table of Contents

Beginning

Dedication

Introduction

Our Story

After Walt

Photo Album

Introduction

Lake Havasu shares its borders with two states: Arizona and California. Until 1974, concessions along the California side were on Federal lease land. When the Secretary of Interior added land along the California shoreline to the Chemehuevi Indian Reservation, this placed several businesses and hundreds of California residents under Tribal control, resulting in a loss of their Constitutional rights, and for some, a loss of property and livelihood. One of these businesses belonged to our family.

The Brief History of Havasu Palms was an adaptation of a speech given to the Havasu Historical Society in 2005, initially published as a paperback primarily for the benefit of Scott and Elizabeth Holmes, and Kevin and Ryan Galloway, the four grandchildren of Walt and Caroline Johnson. Havasu Palms was part of their heritage. It helped shape their parents and grandparents, and was part of their early childhood.

Havasu Palms, A Hostile Takeover is an expansion of The Brief History of Havasu Palms, adding more detail and insight into what led up to and occurred during the hostile takeover of Havasu Palms in 1999.

Although we have, in essence, been exiled from the place known as Havasu Palms, it holds a dear place in my heart. I am a firm believer in recording and recognizing family and local history. If we don’t understand where we have been, we will have a more difficult time discovering where we need to go.

Bobbi Ann Johnson Holmes

Our Story

Aerial View of Havasu Palms

When many think about Lake Havasu City, Arizona, history, it’s natural to imagine the city’s birth began the day Robert McCulloch flew over Lake Havasu, searching for a place to test his outboard engines. Yet, even before McCulloch purchased the land in 1963, people were coming to Lake Havasu to fish and water ski. Other developers came, perhaps not with the same grandiose expectations as the founder of Lake Havasu City but with their own unique dreams and special plans for Lake Havasu.

Six miles south of Lake Havasu City, on the California side of Lake Havasu just past Copper Canyon and Pilot Rock, is a portion of lease land. It includes about 4¼ miles of California shoreline, and was my family’s home for over thirty years.

Technically speaking, its name is not Havasu Palms, yet people have become accustomed to calling it that. Havasu Palms is actually the name of the corporation that operated a business on

Reviews for Havasu Palms, A Hostile Takeover

[troyjensen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lake Havasu would be my hometown - to anyone who knows I read a ton but doesn't know I grew up in Lake Havasu City, they'd be scratching their heads at my 5-Star rating. The author has written a short but wonderfully constructed personal account of what is absolutely a injustice that most not from that area (surrounded by Indian Reservations, BLM Land, State, County and City government overlapping claims of senior legal jurisdiction...we are about to decide on taking over a massive redevelopment project in Lake Havasu City, I have the advantage of my father's success there (he was the President of a hotel asset management firm that owned The Nautical Inn Resort; he started out as GM) and the BS that comes with those 99-year leases. The first thing I did was literally sent nine lawyers from our excellent Wall Street legal firm on the company jet to find out if new developments on "The Island" we're true. Well great for me; I run a large investment management firm. It's absolutely impossible to read this (especially again knowing that area) and not come away with a real sense of outrage. It's a short but excellent read and an eye-opener for folks who haven't done business in the real Wild West. The Indians won this battle sadly; I am gonna contact the author if we decide to take it on (very likely) and see if I can't get her involved somehow, at minimum to let her know The Cowboys are going to go get a win in her father's memory. Recommended read!