Historic & Educational Programs

2025 Presentations

We are looking forward this years presentation's from our Death Valley Historians.

All presentations will be held at Stovepipe Wells, Auditorium

Friday, October 31 

  • 10:00 - 11:00 am Brandon Griffiths, Rio Tinto Geologist
  • 1:00 - 2:00 pm Ted Faye - The Ghost of Death Valley Junction
  • 3:00 - 4:00 pm Deb Fox - Death in Death Valley

Saturday, November 1

  • 9:00 - 10:00 am Ted Faye and Mark Hall-Patton - Ted and Mark's History Adventures
  • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Jessica L.K. Smith, Ph.D - The Story of Ryan: Death Valley's Most Enduring Mining Camp
  • 8:00 - 9:00 pm James Jensen - Night sky and Astro-photography *talk followed by telescope viewing                                                                                                                      

 

Ted Faye presents on Halloween - Weird Tale IV

Just outside the boundary of Death Valley National Park stands Death Valley Junction—a cluster of sun-bleached buildings that once served a bustling mining community from 1906 to 1931. Today, the area is best known for the Amargosa Opera House, where dancer Marta Becket lived and performed, and for its reputation as one of the most haunted places in America.

In The Ghosts of Death Valley Junction, filmmaker Ted Faye and a team of paranormal investigators delve into the town’s eerie past. Alongside caretakers Rich and Mary Lee, they explore the decaying hotel and opera house, seeking to uncover whether the ghostly legends tied to the mining days are true.

 

Using historical research, eyewitness accounts, and modern paranormal investigation technology, the film asks: Who are these restless spirits? Are they lingering echoes of the town’s past—or something else entirely? One presence in particular, known only as “George,” becomes a central mystery.

Blending history, folklore, and suspense, this 50-minute documentary invites viewers to experience the haunting atmosphere of Death Valley Junction and decide for themselves whether its reputation as a ghost town is deserved.

Jessica Smith - The Ryan Mine

Author of the 2025 Encampment Keepsake ~ The Story of Ryan: Death Valley's Most Enduring Mining Camp

The story of Ryan is as rich and fascinating as the history of Death Valley itself—a narrative of ingenuity, determination, and community in one of the harshest landscapes on earth. Established in 1914 by the Pacific Coast Borax Company as a self-sufficient company town, and including all of the modern amenities of the day, Ryan was the hub of six underground mines in the mountains of eastern Death Valley. Ore from these mines was transported to Ryan by the narrow 24-inch-gauge Baby Gauge railroad, then shipped to the mill at Death Valley Junction via the larger 36-inch-gauge Death Valley Railroad. When mining shifted away from Ryan in 1928, the camp became the Death Valley View Hotel, providing accommodations to tourists until 1956. Ryan also became a choice location for 1950s-era Hollywood location filming of television’s Death Valley Days and the motion picture Spartacus. Today, in an incredible state of preservation, Ryan stands as a tangible link to the region’s industrial, cultural, and historical past, recognized in 2025 as a National Register Historic District.

Dr. Jessica L.K. Smith is a historic archaeologist and mining heritage consultant who lives year-round at the historic mining camp of Ryan in Death Valley. Dr. Smith is considered one of the foremost experts on the history of borax mining in Death Valley and recently nominated the Ryan Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places.  Throughout her career, she has focused on the research and documentation of hundreds of archaeological sites throughout the American West.

 

Brandon Griffiths

Brandon Griffiths, based in Boron, CA, US, is currently a Senior Geologist at Rio Tinto.  He will share what it is like working at the Borax mine.

Brandon Griffiths brings experience from previous roles at Rio Tinto and BBC Environmental, Inc.. Brandon Griffiths holds a 1996 - 2001 BA - Geological Sciences in Geology @ UCSB Department of Earth Science. With a robust skill set that includes Environmental Awareness, Soil, Groundwater, Mineral Exploration, Soil Sampling and more.

Deb Fox

Death in Death Valley

Deb Fox digs six feet deep or more into a talk about death in Death Valley. How deadly is Death Valley, and how does Death Valley stalk its victims?  Find out in this special Halloween presentation.

Deborah A. Fox is a mixed-media artist, historian, and writer of graphic novels. Her first graphic novel, “Everett Massacre: A Graphic Novel” won a Washington Museum Association Award.
 
 “The Man Who Beat Death Valley, Based on the TRUE STORY of William Lewis Manly” is her second graphic novel, about real-life hero William Lewis Manly. It has won a North Street Book Prize and a National Indie Excellence Award for graphic novels.
 
Deborah A. Fox began her career as a storyboard illustrator and designer for TV and film and has earned two Emmy nominations.  Fox's career expanded to writing and directing commercials and corporate content. Longing to return to her illustration roots, in 2015 she pivoted to graphic novel creation. Fox's love of historical subjects has been the inspiration for her work as a graphic novelist.

 

Mark Hall-Patton and Ted Faye

Join Mark Hall-Patton, the legendary “Beard of Knowledge” from History Channel’s hit show Pawn Stars, and award-winning documentary filmmaker Ted Faye on a journey through the desert southwest like you’ve never seen it before. From ghost towns and abandoned mining camps to forgotten ruins and unsolved mysteries, Mark and Ted’s History Adventures explores Nevada’s hidden history—and beyond. These are the stories time left behind, but you don’t need a time machine to find them—just a map and a little curiosity. Perfect for history buffs, road trippers, and anyone who loves a good adventure outdoors. These are places anyone can visit—but few ever do.