Desert Bar in the Desert Part 1

The "Nellie E Saloon" (DESERT BAR) is situated in the Buckskin Mountains, in Parker, Arizona, on land that was an old mining camp. The camp was located on the portion of land that is now the parking lot. When Ken acquired the land in 1975, there was nothing left of the old mining camp. With the land and a liquor license from an old business on leased river land, Ken decided to give the "bar in the desert" idea a try. In 1983, Ken opened for business in the temporary three-sided structure which is across from the outdoor restroom's. He operated there for the next five years, until the current saloon was constructed. The name "Nellie E" originates from the old mining claim. They used to mine copper and then take it to the smelter and get gold.

When Ken opened the bar, he hauled
water in a 50-gallon tank loaded on the
back of his truck. Then he purchased
an old fire truck, which he used to haul
water. In 1989, he started using a well
in the canyon as his water source. In
the summer of 1997, Ken drilled a new
well on the north side of the saloon
that operates on solar power, with the
pump set at 360 feet.

The fire truck in the parking lot was
acquired from Scott Winter in March of
2001. The fire truck was used by
Scott's father in the development of
"Bluewater Lagoon"