Zzyzx, California

History

Curtis Howe Springer made up the name Zzyzx and gave it to the area in 1944, claiming it to be the last word in the English language. He established the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa in 1944 at the spot, which was federal land, after filing mining claims for 12000 acre surrounding the springs. He used the springs to bottle his water and provide drinks for travelers through the hot desert. Springer also imported animals from around the country to attract more families to visit his ranch. He used Zzyzx until 1974, when the land was reclaimed by the government.

In 1976, the Bureau of Land Management and the California State University agreed to cooperatively manage the land in and around Zzyzx and establish the CSU Desert Studies Center. In 1994, the United States Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act, establishing the Mojave National Preserve on the former BLM land, and further formalized the partnership between the National Park Service and the California State University Desert Studies Center.

Lexicography

The name appeared as "Zzyzx Springs" in Dmitri Borgmann's 1967 book Beyond Language. In 1977, Borgmann noted his source as being "an old, undated map of San Bernardino County published by the Automobile Club of Southern California" and repeated his description of the settlement as being "a hydrologic feature and privately owned spa in San Bernardino County, California, about 8.5 mi south of Baker, on the western edge of Soda Dry Lake, off the abandoned right-of-way of the old Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad." After Borgmann's book, the 1973 Hammond Ambassador World Atlas began to show the place, labeling it as "Zzyzx" without the "Springs"; the 1976 Rand McNally Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide followed suit.

Zzyzx as a settlement, and Zzyzx Spring as a water feature, were approved as a place name by the United States Board on Geographic Names on June 14, 1984. As is the case with the road, Zzyzx, California, is the USBGN's lexicographically greatest (alphabetically last, at least in Latin alphabetical order) place name.

Zzyzx has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. Zzyzx was declared the "most difficult to pronounce" place name in California by Reader's Digest.

In popular culture

The plot of Michael Connelly's 2004 Harry Bosch novel The Narrows revolves around a crime committed in Zzyzx. The novel was recreated in Season 2, Episode 2 of Bosch: Legacy.

The community was featured by Huell Howser in California's Golden Parks Episode 160.

The Internet TV show Smartypants S1 E7 (2024) produced by Dropout (formerly CollegeHumor) has a presentation by Carolyn Page about the history of the town.

References

References

1. {{GNIS. 1662336
2. (2006). "Weird California". Sterling Publishing Company.
3. PhanArt: The Art of the Fans of Phish 1618426583 Pete Mason - 2009 PA: What's up with ZZYZX Rd. on the way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas? ZZYZX: In 1944 Curtis Howe Springer decided to just claim some land in the desert to create a health spa. He called it Zzyzx so he could have the last word in the ..."
4. Rhymes or Porcupines 1476257698 Zzyzx Rd Sign, 1997. Two syllables make up this most unusual word. One of the strangest ... you've ever heard. The first part is Zi, the second is Zicks Together they form the name ... Zzyzx! Zzyzx Road leads to Tork's ... "
5. "Week of April 8, 1974".
6. Borgmann, Dmitri A.. (February 1977). "At the Outer Limits". [[A. Ross Eckler, Jr..
7. Eckler, A. Ross. (February 1996). "Zzyzx". A. Ross Eckler.
8. Search for "Zzz" and "Zzy" at https://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/ . Retrieved December 12, 2015.
9. (October 27, 2017). "Welcome to Zzyzx, California -- Population: 1". KQED.
10. Cahn, Lauren. "The Most Difficult-to-Pronounce Town in Every Single State". Reader's Digest.
11. "The Narrows' rich, complex".
12. (September 4, 2008). "Zzyzx-California's Golden Parks (160) – Huell Howser Archives at Chapman University".
13. (July 18, 2024). "Presidents, Zzyzx, Rollercoasters, Night Owls".