Uncle Bill was a quirky and eccentric resident of Oasis Palms who had a passion for collecting and selling unusual rocks and artifacts. His trailer, situated just outside the caves, served as the perfect location for his peculiar business venture that opened in the fall of 1958, which he proudly named “Uncle Bill’s Atomic Jackalope Space Station & Curiosity Shoppe.”
Years before, Uncle Bill stumbled upon his first mysterious rock while exploring the desert surrounding Oasis Palms. Convinced that it was a rare meteorite from outer space, he decided to turn his newfound passion into a business, offering curious travelers and locals alike the chance to own a piece of the cosmos. Uncle Bill’s most prized possession was an odd-looking rock resembling a Jackalope, a mythical creature said to roam the deserts of the American Southwest. Dubbed the “Atomic Jackalope,” this peculiar rock was rumored to possess otherworldly powers, attracting visitors from far and wide who were eager to witness its strange aura.
Despite the lighthearted atmosphere of Uncle Bill’s Atomic Jackalope, rumors began circulating about strange occurrences after dark. Visitors claimed to hear mysterious whispers echoing from within the caves and reported sightings of glowing orbs hovering in the desert sky above the trailer.
The strange occurrences led the producers of Edward R. Morrow’s hit television series Person to Person to send a film crew to Oasis Palms so Morrow could interview Uncle Bill on prime-time national television. The show Person to Person developed out of Edward R. Murrow’s belief that human beings are innately curious. For his television program, Murrow, sitting comfortably in the studio in Los Angeles, informally greeted Uncle Bill who was seated outdoors in Oasis Palms with the Mojave desert sky glowing bright with the stars above. The fifteen-minute interview that aired in the spring of 1959 would be the last episode of Person to Person Morrow would tape, but would change Uncle Bill’s life forever.
After the interview aired, Uncle Bill’s business quickly became a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from all over the World who were intrigued by the tales of the Atomic Jackalope and the mysteries of the caves in Oasis Palms. The emporium’s unique blend of quirky charm and otherworldly intrigue made it a must-visit destination for anyone passing nearby on Route 66.
Morrow reported, “As the sun set over the desert horizon, the glow of Uncle Bill’s Atomic Jackalope cast an eerie yet enchanting light over the landscape, beckoning travelers to step inside and uncover the secrets that lay within.” And though Uncle Bill himself may have passed on, his legacy lived on through his one-of-a-kind business, ensuring that the spirit of curiosity and adventure remained alive in Oasis Palms for generations to come.