HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT



Vol. 17 No. 4 A United Way Agency April 2002

KERN HISTORY BUFF TO SPEAK ON LOCAL HISTORY

Want to learn more about the post-WWII history of our area? Jack M. White, our speaker this month, will share some fascinating experiences, plus information he has learned during his involvement on the board of the Kern River Valley Historical Society.

White was born in Long Beach, but when his mother was widowed during his infancy, she had to move to support her three small children. In 1929 she found a job as a cook on a small ranch near Bodfish.

By the age of 16, White was working as a Forest Service firefighter at Isabella. During World War II, he served as a gunner on a torpedo bomber in the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Returning to the Kern River Valley, he worked on the Isabella dam, as well as in mining and logging. He also spent some time as a China Lake employee. During the Korean conflict, White saw B-29 service.

In 1953, he began his career with the Kern County Fire Department. One of the stations where he worked was in some old Quonset huts on Station Street in Ridgecrest. Later he served as the battalion chief for the Upper Mojave Desert and the Kern River Valley. He retired in 1981.

"I was always involved in community affairs," said White. "Still am." His main interest at present is with the Kern River Valley Historical Society. "This little group of 912 (last count) is so busy it is hard to believe," he said.

With that background, our speaker is bound to have something of interest to tell us. We hope to see you at the meeting on April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Maturango Museum!

 PLAN AHEAD FOR A VERY SPECIAL ANNUAL DINNER

Good food, good friends and a highly entertaining speaker how can you pass that up? This year's HSUMD Annual Dinner, Friday, May 17, at Farris' at the Heritage, will feature Al Christman, author of three well-regarded histories, notably the history of China Lake. (Both the Maturango Museum and the China Lake Museum stock these books.)

Al will bring us a slide-illustrated talk, "Interviewing Admirals, Scientists, and Grandma." We're in for a real treat as Al tells us some entertaining and enlightening stories about his experiences talking to scientists, military men and his own mother to get information for his historical projects.

Once again this year, Dana Lyons has worked with Bill Farris to bring us a superb menu for the occasion. Here's what's planned: Roast leg of pork, vineyard chicken, potatoes au gratin, rice pilaf. fresh green beans with almonds, chef's choice vegetables, tossed green salad, basil pasta salad, fresh fruit salad, hot breads, fudge cake and lemon cake. (If you aren't drooling now, you must have just eaten.)

A signup sheet for the dinner is available at the Maturango Museum. The cost will be $20 per person.


VISIT THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT APRIL 20

Ah, spring! What a great time to enjoy the beautiful house and grounds of the House That Jack Built!
Once again, devoted HSUMD member Bill Reed has agreed to host guided tours through his beautiful, historic residence.

You say you've already been on a tour? How about going again? How about encouraging your friends and neighbors to see the beautiful		 antiques, stained glass and other features of Ridgecrest's historic "caboose house"?

Bill donates every cent raised on these tours to HSUMD and that's added up to a pretty significant amount over the last few years.

The tours will occur every hour on the hour 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, April 20. The price is only $5, adults only. (We ask that children not participate because of the rarity and fragility of some of Bill's antiques.) As always, Bill himself will be our guide, and he will serve coffee and cookies at the conclusion of each tour.

The tours are by reservation only, so sign up now at the Maturango Museum. As of press time, the morning tours were mostly filled, but there were still a number of openings for the afternoon tours.

Want to see a couple of pictures from the last tour? Take a look at the beautiful slide Danita Gerber of Mediacom has put up on Channel 3 to help us publicize the upcoming tour.


BUSINESS MEMBERS

We appreciate the support of our business members: The Indian Wells Valley Insurance Co., the Swap Sheet, Granite Construction Sand and Gravel and Farris' at the Heritage, Please patronize these business members. We also encourage any of our members who are
eligible to become business members, to do so.		 SEEP VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED

The HSUMD continues to need volunteers to help with conducting the historical portion of the SEEP experience for our local fifth graders. Please call Charlotte Goodson, 375-6449 or Lou Pracchia, 375-7385, if you are interested.

MEMBERSHIP DUES

There are still a few members who have not sent in their $15.00 annual renewal dues. Those not renewing shortly will be removed from the mailing list for the newsletter. Send your check to Fred Weals, HSUMD Treasurer, P. O. Box 2001, Ridgecrest, CA, 93556, today.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The nominating committee has developed a list of 7 nominees for the 5 positions open this year: Kathy Armstrong, Ron Hise, Jenny Miller, Bill Nevins, Marcia Nevins, Lou Pracchia, and Andrew Sound. Nominations may still be made up to the annual dinner meeting on May 19. If you are interested in being nominated, please contact one of the following: Charlotte Goodson, 375-6449; Barbara Hall, 375-1966; or Joan Woodman, 446- 7356. Following is a brief statement from each of the nominees:

KATHY ARMSTRONG. I moved to Ridgecrest in 1954. My involvement with the activities of five sons and management duties of moving businesses contributed to my knowledge of the community and acquaintance with its special citizens. Even though I've been "retired" for a number of years, other previous commitments left me little time to serve with a director's responsibilities. The duties of several HSUMD board positions are of great interest.

RONALD HISE. My wife, Elizabeth, and I came to the Ridgecrest/China Lake area in late 1945 from the National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC. As a family we became involved with community activities, the Maturango Museum and, later, the Historical Society. I appreciate the work being done by the HSUMD and would like to contribute to its efforts. I have an interest in audio and video recording techniques.
JENNY MILLER. I am a long-time resident, 56 years, to be exact. All this time I have enjoyed volunteering and being involved in the community. I have gone full circle from Girl Scouts in 1950 to SEEP in 2002. My interests are reading, the arts, gardening and the history and culture of the Native Americans.

BILL NEVINS. Born and raised in California, I came to Ridgecrest/China Lake in 1966. Worked at China Lake as a Mechanical Engineer. Presently working as an engineering consultant. Volunteer service includes being a site steward for the BLM and helping with the Sand Canyon Environmental Education Program.

LOU PRACCHIA. (Did not want to submit a statement, preferring his record on the HSUMD board to speak for itself. Ed.)

MARCIA NEVINS. I was born in Trona and have lived in the local area my entire life, except when attending college. Much of my childhood was spent exploring the desert as my family enjoyed Panamint Valley, Death Valley and, also, Goldfield, Nevada. I taught 4th grade at Saint Ann School for over ten years, and tracing California history each year was great fun! I am currently one of the coordinators of the Sand Canyon Environmental Education Program.

ANDREW SOUND. (Mr. Sound's statement was not available at press time. It will be included in the May newsletter. Ed.)


LOS ANGELES-OWENS VALLEY RIVER AQUEDUCT

(The following overview article is excerpted from the book, "Historical Atlas of California" by Warren Beck and Ynez D. Haase, published in 1974 by the University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma. Ed.)

Since its founding Los Angeles has been frequently plagued by a water shortage. Periods of adequate rainfall were matched by comparable periods of drought; a report for 1840-41 even claimed that no rain fell for
eighteen months, However, water from the Los Angeles River was usually adequate for the needs of the small community. A rapid increase in population from 10,000 to 200,000 in the last
two decades of the nineteenth century greatly expanded water needs and several years of below average precipitation prompted a search for a more reliable source than the river.

Construction of the Owens River aqueduct was started in 1907 and completed in 1913. The initial aqueduct, 233 miles in length passes over foothills, through mountains and across the Mojave Desert. It included 142 tunnels totaling 52 miles in length. Its successful completion was one of man's most remarkable engineering feats and brought 320,000 acre- feet of water per year to Los Angeles. Later, the aqueduct was extended to tap the waters of Mono Basin. By the time the Mono Basin project was completed, in 1940, the Los Angeles aqueduct system totaled 338 miles A second aqueduct to supplement the original was begun in 1964 and completed in 1970 and brings an additional 152,000 acre-feet of water per year. Portions of the route parallel the earlier aqueduct, but in several locations a shorter, more direct route is followed. Both Fremont and Bouquet Reservoirs hold water for periods of peak demand.

The Owens River Valley was a prosperous irrigated farming and ranching community when Los Angeles began acquiring water rights in the area Ultimately, the Department of Water and Power purchased 302,000 acres in Inyo and Mono Counties. Of this total, some 222,000
aces are leased, but only 19,000 are irrigated; the remainder being used for dry land grazing. The manner in which Los Angeles authorities acquired land from Owens Valley residents triggered open hostility by enraged citizens who were unwilling to sell their homes at any price. During the 1920's the aqueduct was dynamited several times and armed guards exchanged frequent shots with local opponents of the Department of Water and Power. Whether there was "A Rape of Owens Valley," as many writers contend, remains a matter of bitter controversy. All that is certain is that the City of Los Angeles harvested ill will which still exists.