Another Tap Duncan Image

[Bob Boze Bell]

January 30, 2013

Thanks to Andy Sansom on the You Know You're From Kingman If. . .Facebook page, here is another great photograph of Mohave County cowboys including an image of Tap Duncan I've never seen before:

 

Photo courtesy Mohave Museum of History And Arts

Caption: Local cowboys gathered around a shipment of gold produced at the Tom Reed Mine in Oatman. Photo taken at Kingman railroad platform in 1915 with Harvey House in right background. Identified in photo left to right: Joe Carrow, Red Lynch, Byron Duncan, Charley Duncan, Tap Duncan, Nolan Tyree, Smith and Ramon Contreras. The Gold is a $176,000.00 run from the mine which was taken to the San Francisco World's Fair for exhibition. Taken to San Francisco by Murrie Carrow.

In addition to being a cowboy and rancher, Tap Duncan was also a promoter and, in fact, convinced Buster Keaton to film several movie shorts on the Diamond Bar Ranch. He appears to be wearing his "promoter" outfit here. Check out the white boots and bow tie. Very cosmo, especially for Mohave County in 1915!

"The future has a way of arriving unannounced."

—George Will

[Mundo Osterberg]

Tom Reed Mine, off Route 66 on your way into Oatman.

[Bob Boze Bell]

Great photo Mundo. How'd you come by that?

[Mundo Osterberg]

While looking for photos for my website I found this gem. I had no idea the mine was this extensive considering what is left now.

[Bob Boze Bell]

Yes, it was a mighty big operation. I believe it was destined to be the bridge between the old school mining and the modern kind like the huge open pits at Ray and Bagdad (AZ). But the world wars got in the way and killed the market. It's more complicated than that but that's the BBB Cliff Notes version. Ha.