Hi Jolly Monument

The Hi Jolly Monument is a grave in Quartzsite, Arizona, built from multicolored petrified wood and quartz. The pyramid shape supports a metal camel silhouette at the top.

The monument was built in 1903 as a grave for Hadji Ali, a Syrian camel driver hired by the army in 1856 to lead the Camel Corps. The Arizona Highway Department added a bronze plaque to the site in 1936.

The metal camel silhouette atop the pyramid marks the resting place of Hadji Ali, a man locals came to know as Hi Jolly. The community built this memorial after he spent decades working throughout the region as a miner and guide.

The monument stands in the pioneer section of Quartzsite Cemetery, about half a mile (800 meters) east of Interstate 10 exit 17. Access runs through the flea market area along Business Route 10.

The army experimented with camels as a desert transport solution, hoping they would handle dry conditions better than horses or mules. After the program ended, Hadji Ali stayed in Arizona and became part of the community that later built his grave with local materials.

Location: Quartzsite

Inception: 1935

GPS coordinates: 33.66456,-114.23633

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:31