The owner of historic Cool Springs Camp between Kingman and Oatman, Arizona, recently gave an eviction notice to his tenant, Crazy Ray’s Twisted Tees, because of what he described as vulgar behavior to women and the removal of a memorial to a World War II airman.
Word of the eviction spread on social media this week:
Crazy Ray’s last day at Cool Springs is Nov. 30. Crazy Ray’s owner Ray Stelljes and Cool Springs Camp owner Ned Leutchner confirmed it.
When Crazy Ray’s was messaged on Facebook, asking why the business was being evicted, this was the reply: “Something we said offended him and his date not sure exactly by. Personal reasons not professional.”
Crazy Ray’s also commented on the public Facebook thread: “I somehow offended his date and he didn’t get layed (sic) he didn’t know me at all”.
In recent days, Stelljes was by turns defiant or contrite on his Facebook account. Late Monday, he wrote: “To all my friends and fans I wish Ned Leuchtner all the best and will respect his decision thank you all for your support”
Most people who commented were dismayed by Crazy Ray’s imminent departure.
Leuchtner said during a telephone interview Monday he’d considered removing Stelljes’ shop for about six months, growing uncomfortable with its “Wet T-shirts” sign and reports of Stelljes’ “avalanche of disrespect” toward women and descendants of Cool Springs Camp’s original owners.
Leuchtner said a descendant of the Cool Springs owners was told by Stelljes “to go ‘F’ herself” — Leutchner self-censored his recollection — when she expressed her view about the incompatible look of the Crazy Ray’s sign with the historic property. Leuchtner said he also asked Stelljes to take down the sign months ago, and he refused.
Less than two weeks ago, Leuchtner was at Cool Springs with a female friend who is an executive with a major corporation in the Chicago area. He said Stelljes talked in her presence about having sex in the woods with several women.
“I’m not a saint, but there’s some things you don’t say in front of women in general,” Leuchtner said. “The guy doesn’t have a filter. I can’t take it anymore. I want Cool Springs to be a historic stop-off. I don’t want a ‘wet T-shirt’ spot on Route 66.”
Leuchtner said the “last straw” was when Stelljes without permission removed a display dedicated to Tom Walker, a U.S. airman whose plane was shot down during World War II and his body never found. The airman also was a relative of Cool Springs Camp’s original owners.
“As long as I’m an owner of Cool Springs, it’s going to be there,” he said of the memorial.
Leuchtner said he likely has a person lined up to be the historic site’s next caretaker once Crazy Ray’s leaves. He said he wants to revert Cool Springs Camp back to a historic-minded site.
As for Crazy Ray’s, the owner said he’s looking for a new location on Route 66.
Cool Springs opened on U.S. 66 in the 1920s, declined when another alignment of Route 66 was built to the east in the 1950s, and burned to the ground in the mid-1960s, leaving nothing but the foundations. The remains were used in an explosion scene in a 1992 Jean-Claude Van Damme film, “Universal Soldier.”
Leuchtner fell in love with the site during a Route 66 trip in 1997 and spent several years trying to buy the property and another three years rebuilding Cool Springs Camp to its original appearance. It reopened in December 2004.
(Image of Cool Springs Camp in 2014 by Victor Solanvoy via Flickr)
From the above, it would seem the eviction was fully justified. But what about the line ““I’m not a saint, but there’s some things you don’t say in front of women in general”? I thought Arizona had equality legislation, requiring all people to be treated the same. Does the owner of Cool Springs Camp think women should receive different treatment from men when it comes to discussing legal sexual acts? As for the woman spoken to being ” an executive with a major corporation in the Chicago area”, how is that relevant to the eviction?
It seems that the true historic character of the site was being destroyed by the tenant. I trust that will be corrected.
Crazy Ray and Cheryl are the heart and soul of Cool Springs!!! Luis is a sad day for cool spring and Route 66
We will see this place go back into the ruins it was before Crazy Ray took it over!!!
I can’t speak to the owner vs tenant aspect of the story and I certainly don’t mean offense or wish anyone ill will, but as a photographer and frequent visitor I would be pleased to see the Cool Springs site returned to its original charm. It would be great to shoot here again without having to find creative ways to eliminate the additional unsightly structure from the otherwise picturesque surroundings. I hope that’s the plan! Best to all involved.
Sounds like Ray got a little TOO crazy!
We were just by there a few weeks ago. Crazy Ray was quite the character but not at all offensive.
That’s to bad we just visited about a month ago and bought things from him very nice to us..
I remember stopping here for a Route 66 Root Beer soda on our way to Oatman on a bike trip from Waxahachie to Los Angeles with my brother back in 2011. Was one of the coolest most nostalgic places I had ever seen. Took tons of pictures with bikes at gas pumps and different locations on property. Was really a classy place. It has turned into an eye sore lately with Crazy Ray looking more like a flea market than an historic site. Glad to hear it’s going to be cleaned up and returned to a classy historic site you can bring the whole family to.
This should between the owner and tenant, not the whole www. Just my opinion.
‘Go back to ruins’? It was rebuilt 15 years ago. ‘Crazy Ray’ has only been there a couple of byears.
A historic “World Heritage Site” castle has burned down in Japan. It was last REBUILT in 1933!
I respect and appreciate what Ned Leuchtner has done in rebuilding Cool Springs. I revere it being a respected historical site where folks can stop for a rest and a snack, enjoy surrounding scenery, and learn something about the place!
I am pleased that Ned had / has a section of the museum dedicated to my brother, Tom, who lived and worked there during his last few years of high school, graduated from Kingman High School, and later died while he was participating in the Second World War as a B-17, Flying Fortress, crew member, flying from a U.S. Army Air Force (at the time – U.S.Army Air Corps) base in England, bombing targets in Nazi held territory in Europe. Crazy Ray removed the info about Tom! I am grateful that Ned re-established this!
Members of our family, the Walker family – Mother: Mary; Dad: Jim Sr.; Sister: Mary; Brothers: Tom, Jim Jr., and Chuck (me) – lived as a family at Cool Springs for 4 years, circa 1936 – 1940. Mary and Tom: graduated from Kingman High School, Jim: grades 1 – 4, Chuck: grades K – 3. We rode the Oatman school bus to school in Kingman. Jim and Chuck attended grade 4 / 3 in Oatman – 4 school rooms: 1 teacher and 2 grades to a school room, grades 1 – 8. That Oatman school building still stands, I believe.
Thank you, Ned, for your role in restoring Cool Springs!
Respectfully submitted,
Chuck Walker
Western Military Academy ‘49
United States Naval Academy ‘53.