HSUMD Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert
The Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert is a nonprofit organization loosely affiliated with the Maturango Museum, P.O. Box 2001, Ridgecrest, CA. 93556-2001. Phone: contact the officers - see below. e-mail to hsumd@ridgenet.net The Museum is open every day except major holidays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Historical Society now has possession of the old USO building on Ridgecrest Blvd. and uses it for meetings and functions.
Web page is at www.Maturango.org/Hist.html
Please update your bookmarks so the links work properly!
We are dedicated to promoting a greater understanding and appreciation of cultural history of Ridgecrest and the Upper Mojave Desert surrounding it. This effort entails collecting, preserving, and displaying of artifacts, memorabilia, oral histories, preserving historic sites, and other information pertaining to the Upper Mojave Desert. Our affiliation with the Maturango Museum provides educational showcasing of our efforts. Our account books are separate, and we maintain separate collections from those of the Museum.
The Society's archives are a treasure for those wanting to know about local persons who occupied this sunny desert environment. Often their way of life is remembered as being one of remarkable endurance and perseverance. Many were the steadfast hardworking individuals and families engaged in non-transient pioneer occupations such as farmers, ranchers and tradesmen. We are capable of supplying the needs of the serious researcher and organizations such as the Ridgecrest Area Convention and Visitors Bureau's clients with historical photographs and data about our area.
You are visitor to this page since August 2, 1996.
Index to this long page:
Newsletters on Line
News, USO Projects
Officers
Business Members of HSUMD
Join the Society, Field Trips
Publications, Items for Sale
Exhibits we do
History of the HSUMD
History of the Mt. Owens Cemetery
Other nearby Historical Societies
History of Indian Wells Valley and nearby
parts of Kern, Inyo, Mono counties.
Searles Valley
Timeline
General meetings are held once a month from September through June; none in July or August. Meetings are held at theUSO Building, Joe Fox; Auditorium, Ridgecrest Blvd, in Ridgecrest, CA, usually on 3rd Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Our programs usually feature speakers or panels giving informal recollections on some aspect of local history. The December meeting is usually a Christmas Party, and the Annual Meeting is in either May or June.
The SocietyÕs June meeting will feature John and Barbara Marnell presenting a topic of research that they uncovered at the Goffs Cultural Center. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Historic USO Building, 230 W. Ridgecrest Blvd. This monthÕs topic is about a man and his dog, Lou Wescott Beck and Rufus, and their dedication and commitment to make the deserts of Southern California a safer place in the 1910Ð1917 era. This story tells of their effort to erect signposts to remote water sources in a time before government and others took up the cause. Lou Beck, as a result of a life-threatening experience on the California desert, made and kept a promise to his Maker that he would devote the remainder of his life to doing what he could to rescue others from a similar fate. The desert, Death Valley in particular, has been studied, prodded, researched, and written about time and again. It is rare that an almost unknown and yet important story comes to the light of day.The HSUMD meets on the third Tuesday of the month. All are welcome to attend. For more information on this or future meetings, call Society President Bruce Wertenberger at 375-2369.
USO Building work parties every Monday night, 6-9p.m Still lots of work to be done - doors, floors, painting, electrical outlets, light fixtures, curtains, displays, gift shop stuff, kitchen work, etc. Contact Bruce or Chuck Cordell for details.
Bricks for USO Building Click here for the order form and get a neat brick with your words of choice on it to be put in front of the USO building. Great way to help out.
Annual Dues are DUE for Calendar year 2008. - $20 per family. Send to Treasurer at our PO Box.
Newsletters from June
to December 1997
Newsletters from January to December
1998
Newsletters from January to December
1999
Newsletters from January to December,
2000
Newsletters from January to December,
2001
Newsletters from January to December,
2002
Newsletters from January to December,
2003
Newsletters from January to December,
2004
Newsletters from January to December,
2005
Newsletters from January to December,
2006
Newsletters from January to December, 2007
January 2008 Newsletter
February 2008 Newsletter, PDF file
Newsletters from here down have great color photos! Liz Babcock does a wonderful job!!
March 2008, pdf
April 2008
May 2008, with dinner info
June 2008
August 2008, USO special
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
Is this a good way for you to get your newsletter rather than hard copy? Let your President know if we can save the HSUMD a stamp...
Fun- article and photo about the Randsburg Railroad (which went from Kramer Junction to Johannesburg) - interesting article written by Sylvia Winslow in 1971, photo of the Johannesburg Station, and link to a whole website devoted to this railroad with nice maps.
You need - "Somewhere on the Edge of Nowhere"; Video and DVD now for sale at the Maturango Museum.
A history of borax and the plants in Trona
Officers: (area code 760), those with e-mail are listed but not linked to a "mail to" link in an effort to cut down on spam mail one gets and I've used a "\" instead of @ to further fool the spam bots.....be sure YOU do it right!.
Bruce Wertenberger, President 375-2369, brucew\ridgenet.net
Doug Lueck, Vice President, 375-8202, racvb\filmdesert.com
Joan Chartier, Secretary 499-9119, bevjoan1\verizon.net
Andrew Sound, Treasurer, Publicity 371-1795, asound\ridgenet.net;
Michael Mening, Accessions 371-7270; inspirationalcountry\hotmail.com
Jim Kenney, programs, field trips 371-2458; e-mai; jkenney\verizon.net
Liz Babcock, Newsletter, Exhibits & Displays; 375-7900, lizbab\iwvisp.com
Martha Jauregui, mrthjrg\yahoo.com
Chuck Cordell, Building
Lou Renner, Membership, 375-4379, linkrenn\verizon.net
Jim Lamb - Hospitality 375-2503, preacherman93555\yahoo.com
Wes Staples, AV 371-4214, wcstaples\verizon.net
Chris Cane , Giftshop, 793-0714, christinecane\msn.com
Directors meet on the first Tuesday of each month except during the summer. Meetings are at the "office" at 302 Station Street (but no mail goes there - use the P.O. Box)
Membership Form print and mail in.
Annual Dues (calendar year) are $20.00 per address, and $30 for Busness membership. Send to the Treasurer, Andrew Sound, HSUMD, P.O. Box 2001, Ridgecrest, CA 93556-2001.
The organization is a 501(c)(3) and tax-deductible contributions are always welcome!
Membership applications are available with the Historical Society brochure in the Museum. We are also looking for volunteers to help with interviewing for our oral history program, publicity, archival research, photography, exhibits, newsletter, or fund-raising.
Membership provides you with 10 monthly newsletters, field
trips, and refreshments after the meetings. Your most important
membership benefit is the support you give to our efforts to preserve
local history. Since the Historical Society is a nonprofit educational
organization, your contribution is also tax-deductible to the
full extent allowed by law.
Field Trips:
Occasionally the Society leads a tour to the historic stage stop sites along the west side of the Indian Wells Valley. Tours to other areas are in the planning stages. If you have ideas, contact one of the officers of the Society.
No field trips until fall.
If you have questions or suggestions, please call Jim Kenney, 760-371-2458. Ñ Jim Kenney
Publications and other Items for Sale by HSUMD:
The following Historical Society publications are for sale at the Gift Shop in the lobby of the Maturango Museum. (Free admission that far!) OR by mail order. Click here for form with information and ordering instructions to send to HSUMD.
A history of the Churches in Indian Wells Valley and Vicinity" by Fred Weals. Illustrated. 2003 $10.
"Indian Wells Valley - How it
Grew" by Fred Weals; $12.00
Fred used to be a surveyor in our valley and has gathered the
history of the place names of the streets - fun maps, fascinating
facts! "A briew review of California Land History, followed
by a description of Land Division, early land ownership, tract
development and street naming in IWV. 106 pages. 2001
"How It Was - Some Memories by Early Settlers of the Indian Wells Valley and Vicinity." $5.50
Fun stuff to read!! 5 different accounts of life in IWV and Kennedy Meadows. More stories are being collected for a second volume.
"Indian Wells Valley Stage and Wagon Stops 1874-1906" $4.00
This publication includes photographs of many of the stage stop buildings, as well as a map and directions on how to get to the sites of many of these stops along the west side of the Indian Wells Valley. The Cerro Gordo road is mentioned in here too. This has everything to do with the "Bullion Road Preservation Project" - see above.
"The Zig Zag Post Office and its Neighbors 1885 - 1971" $14.00
by Mrs. Jane Thomann, postmaster of the Little Lake post office into the 1970's. This book contains many photographs dating from the early 1900's to the 1970's. Its contents include vignettes of early settler families, especially those living near Little Lake and in Rose Valley. Great history of the area, changes in Little Lake, the Hotel, Highway 395, the train, Gill's Oasis. Even more interesting now that the Little Lake Post Office has been closed once and for all - sigh...
"Sand Canyon Station" - Video produced by our talented Mark Pahuta $12.00 DVD available too.
Historic scenes from LADWP footage about building the aqueduct, railroad and old town of Brown, homesteads of IWV; old photos, and local "movie stars" Hank, Lois, Bob, and Litha. What it was like to live in Sand Canyon as a child from their views, history of building the big black pipe at the Sand Canyon Siphon, flash floods, earthquakes, etc. 37 min. Fascinating!!
So click for the order info and send check to HSUMD, or - stop by the Museum!!
The Historical Society maintains two exhibit areas in the Maturango Museum.
The oak display cabinets in the foyer,
Our third exhibit area is the History Exhibit on the north wall of the Museum's exhibit room. Current exhibit is on the DVD production about China Lake. Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere.
One of our past exhibits was called "The Carr Family." Clarence Carr is the first known Caucasian to be born in the Indian Wells Valley on August 3, 1910, and died at the age of 91, October 21, 2001. Another exhibit featured "The Gill Family." Raymond Gill founded Gill's Oasis, which is now the site of the CalTrans Coso Junction Rest Area in Rose Valley, 45 miles north of Ridgecrest. We have also featured the Darwin Mining District and Joseph Walker and Cerro Gordo.
Bullion Road Preservation Project:
In 1995, the Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert (HSUMD)
originated the project to conduct further research on the route
described in our publication titled "Indian Wells Valley
Stage and Freight Stops 1874 -1906."
In 1998 the HSUMD outlined our findings and explained the project
to the Ridgecrest Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
at a Steering Committee meeting. Their response was enthusiastic
and a cooperative effort was formed to accurately survey, locate,
mark, sign and preserve the road remnants in the Indian Wells
Valley and vicinity. A goal for the project is to prepare documentation
for registering the old freight and stage road from Mojave to
the Owens Valley with the State Historic Preservation Office .
This historic road, which by necessity, followed Indian trails
from watering hole to watering hole along the eastern edge of
the Sierra. Eventually, in the early 1900's, most of this route
provided the only reasonable automobile access between Los Angeles
and the Owens Valley. As auto traffic increased, parts of the
former Bullion Road became known as the Midland Trail. North of
Owens Lake near Big Pine the Midland Trail headed east to connect
with the interstate Lincoln Highway and cities East of the Rocky
Mountains.
During the 1870's this road through the Upper Mojave Desert attained
great importance when silver ore from the Cerro Gordo mines was
carried in wagons drawn by mule-team to the docks at San Pedro,
CA. From there the ore went by ship to the US Mint at San Francisco.
In 1876 the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived in Mojave and eventually
this terminal shortened the many day wagon trip to San Pedro.
As part of our national Millennium celebration, the HSUMD, BLM,
and the Red Rock Canyon State Park applied for and received White
House certification for the Bullion Road/Midland Trail to become
a Community Millennium Trail. Only some 30 miles of the original
route has been identified as suitable for hiking and equestrian
travel and was allocated to the Bullion Road in the application.
The hiking and equestrian portion of the 30 mile road begins at
Red Rock Canyon State Park and ends at the Kennedy Meadow road.
The Kennedy Meadow road into the Sierra is located three miles
north of the Kern and Inyo County line.
To explore this Community Millennium Trail you may want to obtain
and be guided by the circa 1960 survey series of United States
Geological Survey (USGS) maps covering the area west of highways
14 and 395. Also a descriptions and photographs of key locations
along the route are available in our "Indian Wells Valley
Stage and Freight Stops" publication available on-line or
at the Maturango Museum.
History of our Historical Society:
The Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert (HSUMD) was formed on March 28, 1985 when the Museum was still at the Naval Weapons Center. A potluck picnic and sharing session was held at Inyokern Park on Sept. 22, 1985, and operational policies were formalized and adopted on March 25, 1986. In need of funds we operated our first "Cookies and Conversation" booth at the Museum's Maturango Junction.
Remember "Madam Billie" Hise? The original Board of Directors included Ruth Ellen (Stone) Schwartz, President; Billie Hise, V.P.; Susanne Fountain, Sec/Treas; and Lou Pracchia, Dan Butler, John Coe, and Jack McGinnis.
Our HSUMD page is now listed on two huge lists of Historical Societies in California. Check them out for ideas of other fun places to visit: California Historical Society Web Site under Kern County; and California Historical Societies and Museums under the comprehensive list of Historical Societies and Museums in California. We're under M for Mojave Desert, HS of
History of the MOUNT OWENS CEMETERY
Together with Indian Wells, Sand and Nine Mile Canyons, Grapevine represents the places where year round living over the centuries was possible and many people have done so, even today. Grapevine is of the canyons overlooking the Indian Wells Valley where native American and the recorded transition to white occupancy took place.
It is in Grapevine Canyon where Mount Owens Cemetery is located. Information received from the Kern County Historical Society, canyon residents and on site observations identify the following as having been interred there.
Name; Born; Died
Ella Barton c 1830 1918
Pedro Barton c 1830 1918
Nancy Spratt 1852 (?) 1918
Earl Standard 1888 1957
Louis Hamilton 1898 1966
William G. Lyster 1902 1969
Ethel M. Standard 1887 1980
Peggy Lewis -- --
Paul S. Faskas 1909 1988
Mildred I. Giraud 1936 1990
Patrick R. McCollum 1950 1990
Evelyn Hunter 1904 1993
Hetty Lyster 1902 1994
Michael Lee Barker 1951 1996
According to the Kern Co. Historical Society there are about twelve other Koso Shoshones buried there. Ella and Pedro Barton, and Nancy Spratt were born in the canyon. Earl Standard bought land from Tom Spratt, son of Nancy. The cemetery is on land owned by Standard family heirs. Bill Standard of Inyokern is the current contact.
What is being proposed to Society members is that each of the above persons buried at the cemetery have a biography generated for them. This is an excellent opportunity to do research and contribute to our valley's history. It is suggested that only one surname in the list become the task of one researcher. Please call Lou Pracchia if you can help.
Other Local Historical Society organizations- brochures for these are available in the lobby of the Maturango Museum
China Lake Museum Foundation- U.S. Naval Museum of Armament and Technology in the old Officer's Club building on the station is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on work days. Creations of our "rocket scientists" at China Lake are on display, including aircraft rockets, free fall weapons, "smart bombs", Sidewinder, Shrike, a moon lander; weapons systems, aircraft systems, technology programs, and people, community, and corporate culture are all showcased. View pictures of the past 50 years of base activities. Much information about the station, weapons programs, and video clips and other fun things are on this web page.
Searles Valley Historical Society
P.O. Box 630 Trona, CA 93592
www1.iwvisp.com/svhs Web page with photos, historical time line, lots of info.
Old Guest House Museum
13193 Main Street, Trona; Open M,W,Sat 9 a.m.- noon, T, F
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Building from 1912; 9 rooms showing events in the Searles Valley from early mining days, changes in the chemical plant ownership, up to present activities. They have an excellent "file room" with all sorts of information for research.
History House & Railway Museum
83001 Panamint Street (by appointment only)
One of the oldest residences in Trona, built around 1920; Trona Railway Caboose, built in 1958; Fire Engine - 1924 Stutz fire engine.
Kern River
Valley Historical Society
49 Big Blue Road, P.O. Box 651 Kernville, CA 93238: (619) 376-6683
Thursday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Exhibits feature past and present Indians, Gold Mining, Ranching, Lumbering, filming of Western Movies; Art gallery, Gift shop.
Kern County Historical Society
P.O. Box 141, Bakersfield, CA 93302
Neat outdoor exhibit area adjacent to the Kern County Museum; several annual activities and living history days. Buildings from all around Kern County.
Mono Basin Historical Society
P.O. Box 31, Lee Vining, CA 93541. (619) 647-6461
The Old Mono Lake Schoolhouse Museum is located on Main Street adjacent to Hess Park, one block east of Highway 395 at First Street. The school was built in 1925 and moved to its present location and opened as a Museum in 1989. Exhibits include Kuzedika Paiute baskets, historic photographs of mining, ranching, and early exploits on Mono Lake, and an outside exhibit of mining and farming equipment. Call for hours of operation.
Links to long lists of Historical Societies of California
Preservation Directory resource of historic and cultural resource preservation efforts, educational programs, links, etc. of the U.S. and Canada. We're listed under "Historical Societies, California"; extensive and interesting web site!!
California Historical Society Web Site listings by county. We're under Kern, of course
California Historical Societies has a comprehensive list of Historical Societies and Museums of California. We're under M for Mojave Desert, Hist. Soc of Upper... this one has books for sale, genealogy, all sorts of interesting historical things.
A page with photos and stories from California Historical Society
wait - before you go...try these-
Home Page of the Maturango Museum we have neat activities, lectures, trips, art shows, etc.
Exploring the Upper Mojave Desert - directions on how to get to all the places mentioned above
A page about Death Valley -all sorts of tourist info, special secrets, neat stuff