HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT
Vol. 15 No. 9
December 15, 2000
SEE YOU AT THE CHRISTMAS PARTY!
Please join us at the HSUMD holiday party this coming Friday,
Dec. 15. On
the agenda are good friends, good cheer, caroling, sweet things
to eat --
and a special reading and game.
We're happy to announce that the Farris Family Singers have
agreed to join
us again. Remember how much they added to our festivities last
year?
They'll not only lift their glorious voices in song, but also
invite us to
join in on some favorite Christmas carols.
Also back by popular demand is our own Charlotte Goodson, who
will share a
favorite holiday reading. Our program chair, George Silberberg,
also has a
game in mind for us to play. "It'll be a lot of fun,"
George promises.
Dale Lane, who is coordinating the table setups this year,
asks everyone to
bring a favorite dessert to share,
and Lou Pracchia has volunteered to
provide coffee and hot cider. The party will begin at 7 p.m. in the Sylvia
Winslow Gallery of the Maturango Museum.
Liz Babcock
JUNCTION COOKIES, CONVERSATION
The following article was accidentally omitted from last month's
newsletter. Our apologies to Susan Hueber and all the volunteers
mentioned. Ed.
We had a wonderful day at the Maturango Junction this year,
with sun that
persisted and winds that died away by mid-morning.
We had our cookies and lemonade booth which was very busy all
day. It
couldn't have been done without the help of many able bakers.
We would
like to thank the following people for their cookie contributions:
Jane Van
Aken, Brenda Burnett, Ardelle Mollerstuen, Pat Hazen, Dale Lane,
Kathy Moe,
Ruth Heimdahl, Carrol Sewell, Gerry Pracchia and Susan Hueber.
We would like to especially thank Vivian VanDevender who sat
on our porch,
willing to converse, all afternoon. It was wonderful to have
her there.
Susan Hueber
HSUMD OPEN HOUSE
The following article was accidentally omitted from last month's
newsletter. Our apologies to Susan Hueber.
Ed.
Our first Open House at the Station Street building was a nice
occasion.
All the board members were there to greet and visit with the members
as
they came in. We spruced the place up with interesting pictures
and
displays on the walls, and everybody seemed interested.
We opened our doors to members on Saturday Oct. 28, 2000, between 1 and 4 pm.
Liz and Bruce did a great job decorating the walls with photos
of past
occasions, a display of making displays, and other tidbits of
information
and items of interest. Fred put up a map of his showing property
ownership
in the valley north of Ridgecrest Blvd. as of 1943.
We served cookies, snacks, coffee, punch and mulled cider.
We had 22 members who came in over the span of time. They all
spent at
least a half hour there and seemed very interested in our various
assets
and collections. Susan Hueber
Mary Ward and board member, Chet Creider, enjoying
a bit of conversation at our recent open house.
MATURANGO JUNCTION COOKIES
The following article was accidentally omitted from last month's
newsletter. Our apologies to Susan Hueber and all the volunteers
mentioned. Ed.
We had help from many wonderful women. We baked three times
in the kitchen
at Grace Lutheran Church. The bakers were: Jane Van Aken, Brenda
Burnett,
Ardelle Mollerstuen, Pat Hazen, Dale Lane, Kathy Moe, Ruth Heimdahl,
Carrol
Sewell, Gerry Pracchia and myself, Susan Hueber.
The kinds of cookies made, were: Chocolate peppermint, molasses
sugar,
chocolate chip with nuts, chocolate chip without nuts, "Cupboard"
cookies
(everything in them), oatmeal raisin, sugar, snickerdoodle, date
pockets,
chocolate drop, and spice raisin. We sold 280 packages of cookies.
Susan Hueber
HSUMD MEMBERS OFFERED SPECIAL PRICE ON NEW BOOK
Here's an opportunity to make a useful addition to your local-history
bookshelf at a bargain price. The Kern County Historical Society
is
offering us a special price on Kern County's Desert Country,
the latest
book by noted Bakersfield historian Dr. William Harland Boyd,
if we order
copies by mid-January.
The book, which offers a historical overview of East Kern,
will regularly
be priced at $16.95 plus $1.23 tax. By sending in your check for
$16.03
($14.95 plus $1.08 tax), you can save $2.15 and be one of the
first people
in Ridgecrest to own this hardcover volume. HSUMD members have
Lou Pracchia
to thank for this opportunity; Lou helped Dr. Boyd during the
research
phases.
According to the Kern County Historical Society, "Dr.
Boyd has neatly
brought into focus the important past events and their effects
on the years
that followed which made Kern's desert country one of the richest
regions
in the state - rich in mineral wealth, rich in desert beauty,
and a bastion
of national security."
Lou adds that the book contains colorful information about
Pancho Barnes,
Father Crowley, and Josie Bishop. Lou should know - he provided
that
information.
Dr. Boyd, who is nearly 89 years old and still charging ahead
with his
historical projects, has previously published Kern County Wayfarers,
Kern
County Tall Tales, Stagecoach Heyday in the San Joaquin Valley
(1853-1878),
and Lower Kern River country 1850-1950 - all Kern County Historical
Society
publications.
To purchase your own copy of Kern County's Desert Country,
just send a
check for $16.03 made out to the HSUMD. Send to HSUMD at P.O.
Box 2001,
Ridgecrest, CA 93556.
Liz Babcock
RAND CAMP CHRISTMAS
Upper Butte Avenue provided a Christmas season atmosphere of
what it may
have been like in the Randsburg of days long ago. Some sixty
or more folks
gathered on Saturday, December 9, at the recently restored 1912
Plum
Cottage to experience a few hours of what life in this mining
town may
have been. Welcoming the visitors were owner Dr. Lorraine Blair
and her
daughter Bonnie who invited you to tour the house and help yourself
to
coffee and scones. Mike and Jean King, who devoted many hours
to the
restoration, were available to answer questions of all sorts during
the
tour.
With a map provided by hostess Blair, you had about an hour
to see other
parts of town such as the 'Wrectory' behind the Santa Barbara
Church where
Polly O'Donnell greeted you in her lovely decorated home. On
the way there
it was delightful to see outside of the church a well-decorated
Christmas
tree complete with presents underneath.
Shortly before noon the church bell began ringing to announce
it was time
to enter and take a seat in preparation for the Christmas carol
sing-along. Led by Professor of Music, Dr. Jim Vaskov, it demonstrated
his expertise at the pump organ. At noon, Jim began bringing
forth those
melodious and pleasant sounds from this one hundred or so year
musical
instrument. The pews were filled to hip-touching capacity, and
the voices
of both young and old resounded in a joyous singing that must
have been
heard throughout the town. On exiting, a nice added touch was
providing
each person with an ornament to further embellish that 15-foot
tree.
Following this uplifting event, you were now on your own for
lunch. I took
this opportunity to visit the Opera House for lunch and view their
very
interesting display of photographs and memorabilia assembled by
Bart
Parker. On entering I experienced a delightful food aroma which
I learned
from hostess Ilene Huss was due to a secret potato soup recipe.
I ordered
a bowl and was pleased to know that my sense of smell once again
led me to
an enjoyable repast.
I dallied too long at the Opera House and missed the visiting
hours at the
Methodist Church. Maybe next time. So off to visit the Rose
Cottage which
is another well thought-out restoration by Lorraine. Where does
she find
the time when you consider that she also has a commission to write
about
the women of Toynbee Hall (in "Merrie Old England"),
and is also
researching the Episcopal Church history?
Anyway, at Rose Cottage Lorraine was giving the group a personal
tour after
they had first been tempted with a potion of warm mulled cider
and, as you
might now expect, an assortment of edible goodies. I believe
that a
splendid day was had by all. Lou Pracchia
GOOD TIME TO GIVE THE GIFT OF LEARNING
Here's a good suggestion for your December gift giving. How
about picking
up some copies of the Historical Society's publications and video
for your
own pleasure, as well as gifts to friends or relatives?
The video and books are available for purchase through Lou
Pracchia,
375-7385, and at the Maturango Museum daily from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m.
Following are brief descriptions and prices.
SAND CANYON STATION, a
37-minute video created by Mark Pahuta. Learn
about construction of the first Los Angeles aqueduct and the lives
of the
families living in Sand Canyon after the aqueduct opened. Also
covered in
the video is information about the coming of the railroad to this
valley,
development of the town of Brown, local homesteading, two great
floods, and
an earthquake. The video features historic aqueduct footage and
rare
family photos. You can also view some of our favorite HSUMD members
-
Litha Crowell Mattis, Bob Ramsey, Lois Ramsey Carr, and Hank Schuette
-- as
they reminisce about their early memories of Sand Canyon. Price
recently
reduced to only $15.00 plus tax.
ZIG-ZAG POST OFFICE and ITS NEIGHBORS,
1885-1971, by Jane Thomann,
postmaster of the Little Lake Post Office in the 1970s. The book
contains
information about the history of the Little Lake Post Office,
as well as
photographs and vignettes of early settler families in the surrounding
area. $14.95 plus tax.
HOW IT WAS - SOME MEMORIES BY EARLY
SETTLERS OF THE INDIAN WELLS VALLEY AND
VICINITY. Read five different colorful accounts of
life in the desert and
nearby Sierra Nevada. $4.95 plus tax.
INDIAN WELLS VALLEY STAGE AND FREIGHT
STOPS, 1874-1906, with comments by
Lou Pracchia. Included in this publication are photographs and
historic
information about the Native American trails along the eastern
side of the
Sierra Nevada. The book also discusses the trails' development
into routes
for transport of bullion and people in the last quarter of the
19th
century. Learn the history and locations of way stations along
those
trails. $4.95 plus tax.
Liz Babcock
ANOTHER GIFT SUGGESTION
It's Gift Giving Time!!! Consider giving someone the gift
of a membership
in your Society for 2001 !!! ---Doesn't need to be signed--- Contact
Lou
Pracchia or Fred Weals.
NEXT MONTH -- LEARN ABOUT THE "SECOND BARREL"
Get your Year 2001 learning about local history off to a good
start by
attending our January meeting. On Tuesday, Jan. 16, HSUMD
member John Di
Pol will give an illustrated talk about the "second barrel"
of the Los
Angeles Aqueduct.
The second aqueduct, which was completed in 1970, extends 177
miles from
the Haiwee Reservoir on the original aqueduct to the Van Norman
Terminal
Reservoirs in the San Fernando Valley.
Come hear John review the background, purposes, principal features,
and
environmental and economic consequences of the project. The meeting
begins,
as always, at 7:30 p.m. in the Sylvia Winslow Gallery of the Maturango
Museum. Mark your calendar now.
Liz Babcock
DUES DUE
Our membership year is the same as the calendar year, which
means that it
is time to send in your renewal check for $15.00 per family.
Please send
it to Fred Weals, Treasurer, P. O. Box 2001, Ridgecrest, CA 93556,
or
bring it to our Friday Christmas party. Dues are our main source
of
revenue to support our activities, including our newsletter, so
it is
important to renew promptly.
NEW MEMBERS
We wish to welcome our new members Mike Kleine and Bruno and Jean Pannuto.
BUSINESS MEMBERS
Our business members are Farris' at the Heritage, Swap Sheet
and Granite
Construction Company - Sand and Gravel. Please patronize them
whenever
possible
E-MAIL ADDRESS CANCELED
Our e-mail address, announced in last month's newsletter, has
been
canceled. Stand by for the announcement of a new one.
JOHN FARON UPDATE
Lou Pracchia and John Faron, former HSUMD board member, have
been in
contact with each other. John and wife, Martha, moved to the
San Diego
area last spring where John had heart transplant surgery several
months
back.
Here is an excerpt from a recent communication from John:
"All's well
here and I'm still making progress in my recovery. Have graduated
cardiac
rehab and am now on my own working out at Camp Pendleton three
days each
week. Hope to play golf two days each week so I should be able
to stay in
shape! Sure is nice not to be sick anymore. It's great to be
alive!
"Please give my regards to all the board members and, if
possible, also my
regards to all the regular members at the next monthly meeting.
If anyone
wants to get in touch, please feel free to give them my e-mail
address:
jfaron@access1.net
EARLY DAYS AT CHINA LAKE
Following is the first installment of an autobiographical account
written
in 1996 by Chris Hinzo about his early experiences working for
the U. S.
Navy at China Lake. Spelling and punctuation are as in the original,
with
only minor editorial changes. Ed.
I was discharged from the USMC Jan. 5, 1946 and went back to
Bakersfield.
I told the bus driver, "Let me off at the midget racetrack."
I didn't know
they tore it down in 1944. Off at 3rd Street, then home. Frank
and Manuel
and Lawrence (sp?) also were discharged, and we did nothing except
play
pool.
They (the Government) were giving us what we called the 52-20
Club, and so
we were just spending the 20s till the 52 came up. I couldn't
stay out of
a job, so I got a job at San Joaquin Grain filling grain sacks.
I didn't
try to got to work in the fields with my friends. After 3 weeks
I quite
and Frank and I both got jobs at San Joaquin Brick Co. making
bricks.
About this time a friend of mine named Sonny Lopez told me about
China
Lake! Where the hell is China Lake? "In the desert,"
he said.
So we both got on this Harley 45 of his, and off we went to
the desert. I
had 50 cents in my pocket; that's all. Now I have 55 cents.
They used to
hire you there at the main gate and assigned you a sack at B-1-B
or B-2-B.
They were Navy bunks at 1.50 a month and clean linen once a week.
Meals at
the Navy mess were 20, 20 and 30 cents a day. Not bad. We ate
what the
Navy guys ate.
I went to work at Warehouse 109 as a general helper at $1.01
at hour.
$1.01 if you didn't have a high school diploma; if you had a diploma,
you
hired in at $1.30. I did pick up and delivery for the Explosives
Department and got to know all the bosses. (It ain't what you
know, it's
who you know. This quote is true. I know!)
I'd drive down to the Base from the Pilot Plant, pick up packages,
take
them to 109, type the trans-shippers and deliver them all over
the Base. I
really put on the miles.
I used to go to Bakersfield on the weekends, and when I didn't
go, I'd go
into town. All there was then was one large bar and dance hall
(the
Village Supper Club? Ed.) It's the big red building on the corner
of
Ridgecrest Blvd. and China Lake Blvd. You'd go in and there was
a long bar
to your left, tables to the right, and if you walked to the read
and went
around a protruding wall, there was open gambling: crap tables,
poker and
roulette wheels. Open gambling! I always had a lot of silver
dollars in
my pockets.
We'd drive to the "Y" for a good grilled steak.
Out back, there were some
small buildings with just beds. Now, what do you think they were
for?
Then we'd go to Randsburg, and I belonged to the VFW, and we had
our
meetings at the White House Cafe. That was in 1947. Also we'd
go to Trona
to the dances and swimming at the pool there.
Also, at the Base we'd catch a bus and go to Sandquist Spa
to outdoor
dances. The bus also took you to Ridgecrest. It would travel
along
(inside) the fence and stopped at Drummond and at Ridgecrest Blvd.,
where
Denny's is. Go to town, shop, gamble, or whatever, and get back
on the bus
back to Bennington Plaza at 4:30. No charge. I'll tell you:
Ridgecrest
was exciting!
On the weekends sometimes we'd go to Bakersfield, and there
I'd go to
dances and visit my friend Frank. Frank had a brother and two
sisters. In
1948 I married Frank's sister Mary, and we moved onto the Base
into a
one-room dorm room. No kitchen, table or stove, just a central
shower and
restrooms. One for men and one side for women. I did build a
fold-down
small table onto the door and bought a 2-burner hot plate to make
coffee
and whatever on. In the meantime I talked Frank into coming to
China Lake
to work, which he did, and he hired in as an ordnanceman. He
had a '47
Plymouth, and so now we had transportation.
He worked at Salt Wells, and I worked at Warehouse 110. I
did pick-up and
delivery. By driving all over the Base I got to know about everyone
that
was anyone, i.e., bosses.
So in early '49 I was now at my max wage for a chauffeur, $1.48
an hour so
I went into Personnel and told the man: "Look! I need another
job that pays
better." He said, "Well, Chris you never got a high
school diploma; you
only went 1 year." I told him I knew that, but was sure
I could do
anything those guys at Salt Wells were doing, for more money than
I was
getting. He said, "OK, go see what you are qualified to
do."
Now, when I was in 7th & 8th grade, I took E