Hauser Geodes Beds Discovery Page 2

Joel F. Hauser

On one of his collecting trips, Joel and his brother Howard met a pair of rockhounds from Imperial County, Dr. Warren Fox and Sam Payson. They camped together, and the next day Joel showed his new friends where he had found the geode beds. The men later shared this knowledge with others, telling them that Joel Hauser had shown them where to go. Thus the name of “Hauser” became permanently associated with the area.

For three or four years the supply of surface agates was plentiful, but as the number of collectors grew, all the material in sight was eventually carried off. After that it was discovered that many more agates and geodes were buried under the surface, and a little digging would produce a new harvest. As cars were driven over the fragile surface of the desert, they left easy-to-follow tracks for the next explorer. Diggings in the white ash that covered the geode beds were even more eye-catching. The white piles contrasting so sharply with the reddish-brown of the sun baked desert surface stood out on the bare, scrubby hillsides and could be seen for miles. They were like beacons, signaling others to come and dig some more. The rush was on, and in a few more years, the area seemed to have very little of the original surface remaining. The supply of agates buried here however, is seemingly endless.

Sometime during the early years of Joel’s rock-hunting in this area, a rumor was circulating, and came back to Joel’s ears. It seems a couple of fellows were overheard in a café in Blythe. The name Hauser came up relating to the diggings in the area. One fellow bragged to the other, “I’ve met that guy Hauser. He’s an old codger with a long gray beard.” Since Joel was actually in his 20s at the time, he was highly amused.

In 1937 Joel married his former schoolmate, Barbara Kimball, a native of Redlands whom he first met at a high school dance for “Scholarship Society” students. Joel worked at several jobs and furthered his education. In 1945, he was appointed by San Bernardino County to oversee work with their new IBM computer. This was the beginning of his professional career working with the developing field of computer usage in every facet of county government.

Joel and Barbara had four sons born during the 1940s. Life was filled with following and supporting numerous family activities, including serving many years as a Boy Scoutmaster. During this time Joel never faltered in his desire to build his rock collection into the very best he could, with the limited funds he could afford to put into it, and the competing demands on his time. He used his ingenuity and determination to make the most of every opportunity. The family visited dozens of rock-collecting areas in all the western states, and the boys acquired a wealth of knowledge of the wilds of the west. At home, countless evenings found Joel at work in his shop with his saws and polishers.

Joel’s collection included a wide variety of beautiful stones that lent themselves to polishing and finishing. Although he appreciated crystals and stones that were attractive in themselves, he preferred to work on those which could be enhanced by his own efforts. He developed unique ways of finishing them, which, although they took extra time and effort, produced greater satisfaction in the end product. He worked with various mechanics to build saws and polishing equipment that could handle some of his outsized materials. Joel’s collection grew so large that it became difficult to find room to display it. Eventually he built a hillside home that provided a very large display room.

As word spread about the Hauser collection, many visitors came to view it. A number of organized groups in rock clubs and other hobbies, as well as many individuals from across the country and beyond came to visit.

In 1978, after working for 33 years for the county of San Bernardino, Joel decided to retire. He wanted to devote more time to travel, especially to those parts of the world where pretty rocks could be found. He also hoped to have time to work on the huge quantities of uncut rough material he had acquired over the years.

Unfortunately, soon after his retirement, Joel suffered a severe stroke. His dreams of how he had planned to spend his leisure time were shattered. He worked hard with all of his native determination to overcome the handicaps he now had to face. He did recover some ability to cope with his problems, but was never able to produce the superb handiwork in which he had formerly taken such pride. The beautiful display room was still filled with his treasures though, and for many more years, until his death in 1993,  Joel enjoyed sharing them with all the friends and admirers who kept coming to visit.

by Barbara Kimball Hauser

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