Hi Jolly Monument

This stone pyramid topped by an etched camel commemorates and marks the grave of one of America’s first camel drivers, Hi Jolly. Hi Jolly was born Philip Tedro in Syria. In his adult life, he converted to Islam and took the name Hadji Ali, which was mispronounced in America and led to his Americanized name “Hi Jolly.” In the 1850s, then-Secretary of War Jefferson Davis conceived a plan to bring camels to America and use them to carry goods across the arid desert. Seventy-one camels were brought over in two trips and were left under the care of Jolly. Despite its success, the camel plan was abandoned by the U.S. government after campaigning by the mule lobby and the start of the Civil War. While the majority of the camels were purchased by assorted buyers at auction, several ended up roaming the desert. 

This pyramid marks the place where Hi Jolly was buried in 1902. This monument remains intact and open to visitors. Visitors can also camp for free at the Hi Jolly Camping Area (Milepost 12) in Quartzsite, AZ.

Narrative by Rachel Allison, 2022

Sources: 

• AZ Camp Guide | Hi Jolly Camping Area (Milepost 12)
• Hi Jolly Monument – Quartzsite, Arizona - Atlas Obscura
• Hi Jolly - Wikipedia
• “Whatever Happened to the Wild Camels of the American West,” by Chris Heller, Smithsonian Magazine. 

Rachel Allison, Seymour Rosen

Pyramid of local stones topped with an etched copper camel

W Elsie Lane
Quartzsite, Arizona, 85346 us
Latitude/Longitude: 33.6652661 / -114.2327284

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