Inside the rise and fall of Zzyzx: The Abandoned Ghost Town Used For Health Scam.

When Curtis Howe Springer names his new found resort Zzyzx, he intended it to be the last word in the English language. The word is pronounced "ZYE-zix" and is located in the Mojave Desert in California. While the name may seem mysterious and exotic, the origins of Zzyzx are rooted in a dark history of fraud and deception.

Located just off of Interstate 15, in the midst of the Mojave Desert, lies a road with an unusual name - Zzyzx, which leads to an abandoned settlement. Here, visitors can witness the unsettling and dilapidated remains of the Zzyzx , previously known as "Soda Springs."

Over the course of history, the natural spring water at this location has been a popular resting spot for Native Americans, Spanish explorers, miners, and railroad workers. However, it was not until a man named Curtis Howe Springer arrived that the springs' supposed healing properties were publicized, and the site became a target for his latest get-rich-quick scheme.

Curtis Howe Springer

Curtis Howe Springer was born on December 2, 1896, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Springer was an American radio evangelist, self-proclaimed medical doctor, and Methodist minister.

He is most renowned for establishing the Zzyzx Mineral Springs resort. In reality, Springer was neither a doctor nor a minister, despite his claims.

Springer filed a mining claim for 12,800 acres in the Mojave, which meant that he did not actually own any of the land. However, he was authorized to mine for any resources he desired and keep the profits. His true objective, however, was not mining but rather the acquisition of Soda Springs.

Initially, Zzyzx's encampment consisted of only 20 tents, and Springer enlisted homeless men from Los Angeles' Skid Row to erect basic concrete structures. He tried to pass off a fake hot springs as genuine hot spring by heating several pools with a boiler. Eventually, Springer constructed a sixty-room hotel, a church, a cross-shaped health spa with mineral baths, a radio broadcast studio, a private airstrip called "Zyport," and numerous other buildings, including a castle.

He constructed an inexpensive hotel to attract visitors and promote his 27 different miracle cures. He even went as far as to claim that he was a doctor, although he had no medical training or credentials.

Springer was a master of marketing and self-promotion, and he used his charm and charisma to convince people to buy his products.

Despite being a fraudulent enterprise, Zzyzx surprisingly became a popular tourist spot, a testament to Springer's ability to deceive people. He promoted Zzyzx on his radio show, in newspapers, and in his newsletter, attracting visitors from far and wide.

The End Of The Scam

In 1969, the American Medical Association branded Springer as the "King of Quacks."

The Zzyzx resort operated for several decades, but eventually, Springer's fraudulent activities caught up with him. In the early 1970s, the federal government uncovered that Springer had no legal claim to the land on which Zzyzx was situated. As a result, he was forced to vacate the premises and was briefly incarcerated.

The Mojave Desert: A Geographical and Ecological Overview of Zzyzx and its Surrounding Area

Zzyzx is located in the Mojave Desert, a vast and arid region that covers parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. The Mojave Desert is known for its extreme temperatures, sparse vegetation, and unique geological features.

Despite its harsh conditions, the Mojave Desert is home to a variety of plant and animal species that have adapted to the desert's challenging environment. Some of the most iconic species of the Mojave Desert include the Joshua tree, the desert tortoise, and the Mojave rattlesnake.