HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT

VOL. 14 NO. 5

May 21, 1999

COME TO OUR ANNUAL DINNER ON MAY 21

6p.m. at Farris' at the Heritage

Our annual dinners are always warm, fun events with our close-knit membership enjoying good company, delicious food, a fascinating speaker, and an opportunity to honor some special people and elect new members to the board.

We have another wonderful evening in store for us this year, with a mouth-watering menu and a distinguished, entertaining speaker.

An intriguing topic, "A College and a Castle: Unlikely Prospects on the California Desert," will be presented by Dr. Jackson Newell, president of the world-renowned Deep Springs College.

He will give us the story of the intertwined lives and dreams of Death Valley Scotty, his benefactor Albert M. Johnson, and hydroelectric pioneer and Deep Springs College founder L. L. Nunn.

Our speaker for the evening has a background both erudite and diverse. He was a resident of Deep Springs three times - first as a student, next as a teacher, and finally as the president. He was also the first full-time (but seasonal) Forest Service ranger at the Schulman Grove bristlecone pines.

In his youth, he spent two summers as the Deep Springs cowboy, herding cattle in the White Mountains. "I guess this high desert is in my bones," he said.

In addition to his presidency of Deep Springs, Newell is also professor emeritus of higher education at the University of Utah, where he worked in 1974-98, both as a professor of higher education and as dean of undergraduate studies.

Newell has a Ph.D. in the history of universities from Ohio State University. The author of more than 80 articles, he has written or edited eight books and monographs, and he has edited several journals of higher education.

He is also an avid photographer, hiker, and climber. His wife Linda, who will accompany him to the dinner, is a biographer and editor. They have four grown children.

By the way, we all should show our appreciation to two local businesses for making our speaker's accommodations possible. Heritage Inn is donating the Newells' room for the night, and Farris' at the Heritage is donating their breakfast.

Speaking of food, Dana Lyons and Bill Farris have arranged the following menu for us: baked ham with mustard sauce, roast turkey with cranberries, vegetable rice, potatoes au gratin, Waldorf salad, spring vegetables and marinated tomato, cucumber, and onion salad. Topping all that off will be a dessert of lemon yogurt nut cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. If your mouth isn't watering yet, it surely will on the evening of the 21st.

The evening will also include brief presentations by President Lou Pracchia and an election conducted by Nominating Committee Chairperson Charlotte Paulsen.

Do you have your tickets yet? Don't delay - get them today. The deadline for ticket purchase is Wednesday, May 16. Tickets at $16 each are available from any HSUMD board member, as well as from the Maturango Museum Gift Shop. Liz Babcock

MEETING SCHEDULE

Contrary to the calendar appearing in the May issue of the Maturango Museum newsletter, there will be NO general meeting of the Society on May 18, the annual dinner meeting on the 21st of May takes care of the May meeting.

There will be no general meeting of the Society in June, July or August.

The next general meeting of the membership will be on Tuesday, September 21.

To conform to the bylaws, there will be a board meeting on Wednesday May 26 to elect officers and conduct a short business meeting.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

It is pleasing to announce that once again our society is to be the recipient of monetary gift from the Women's Auxiliary of the Commissioned Officers Mess (WACOM) on Tuesday May 11, 1999. WACOM has provided this most welcome boost to our finances for many years. This forthcoming donation will be added to the special fund initiated last year to obtain computer equipment.

On a regretful note, Dot Gould, our Director of History and Collections, has submitted her resignation which will be effective on May 21. Dot is considering moving from the area later this year, and being the considerate person she is, feels that with the upcoming election her resignation at this time will provide better continuity in the society's operation. Dot has faithfully performed her duties for many years and her presence will be missed.

As noted above, with Dot's resignation there will now be six (6) Director vacancies to be filled for our nine (9) member board. Ballots will be available when members check in at the reception table for the Annual Dinner. See biographical sketches of candidates elsewhere in this newsletter. Lou Pracchia

BULLION ROAD UPDATE

About two weeks ago the BLM told me about a program that they just became aware of called Millennium Trails. This program is a part of the White House Millennium Council's mission "to honor the past and imagine the future." The program consists of three parts: 1. National Millennium Trails, 2. Millennium Legacy Trails and 3. Community Trails 2000. Each part has different characteristics and rewards if your trail nomination is accepted. Participation in the program requires submitting an application that describes the trail in detail.

It is the opinion of the BLM and myself that the Bullion Road project fully meets the criteria for each of the categories. If our application is accepted it should assist the process in getting the project accepted by the State Historic Preservation Office.

The application also asks for letters of support. To date we have received letters from Kern County Supervisor, Jon McQuiston; State Senator, Wm. J. "Pete" Knight; Author, Remi Nadeau; Inyo County Director of Planning, Peter Chamberlin; Inyokern Chamber of Commerce President, Lidia Feldman; and Ridgecrest Area Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Ray Arthur. For those of you who have internet access and would like to know more about the Millennium Trail program go to: www.milleniumtrails.org

Lou Pracchia

RECENT DONATIONS

Thanks go out for recent donations to the Historical Society. Gladys Merrick for the Gas Light Trouper papers, Chris Mattingly for 3 display fold up boards with photos, signs and notebooks of Sand Canyon and the SEEP program. Nancy George for over 50 articles from the late 1800's to early 1900's of toys, baby items, linens elaborately embroidered, wedding nightgowns, gloves, butter dish, syrup pitcher, teapot and many more. Felice Plain-Mueller for donation of 2 Station parking markers and a copy of "Life in North Dakota and Other Anecdotes" by Dr. Gilbert Plain. A thank you to all.

Dot Gould

PROGRESS ON SUMMER EXHIBIT

I'm happy to announce that several members have responded to the plea for manikins or dress forms for our summer exhibit in the Sylvia Winslow Gallery. But we could still use more!

As you may recall, the exhibit will feature authentic clothing from the first half of this century. The idea for the exhibit began with Judy Ditzler of CLOTA, who has set aside a collection of beautiful dresses from the 1930s-40s -- the sorts of dresses you might have seen Katherine Hepburn or Rosalyn Russell wear to late afternoon parties. The Maturango Museum has offered several exquisite gowns from the turn of the century that would also be seen to their best advantage on three-dimensional forms. And now members are coming forward with more beautiful dresses. Judy and I realize that we have a superabundance of clothing to display, but that the more dress forms we have, the better display we can put on.

If you have a dress form you can loan us, please call me, Liz Babcock, at 375-7900 and leave a message on my answering machine if I'm not Liz Babcock

PHOTOS NEEDED

Liz Babcock is looking for interesting historical photos for two projects she's working on: (1) Vol. 3 of the China Lake history, covering the period of 1948-58, and (2) a Sidewinder brochure she's putting together for the China Lake Historical Foundation. For both projects, she especially needs photos that show the early Sidewinder team in action -- at work or at play. Both the book and the brochure (which is basically excerpts from the book) describe Sidewinder's genesis, technical and administrative obstacles the Sidewinder team had to overcome, early test successes, introduction to the Fleet, and first combat use.

Liz has already collected a large number of photos for Vol. 3, which covers Mighty Mouse and other rocket work, NOTSNIK, work of the Pasadena Annex, early Polaris work, and much, much more. However, she's always on the lookout for good photos that illustrate the 1948-58 military-civilian team. One photo she'd especially like to have that probably doesn't even exist would be a shot of the assembly line putting together fuzes for the Ram antitank rocket during the Korean conflict. She has quite a large number of good test photos of various projects, but again she lacks photos that show teams working on the range or in the lab.

If you have any such photos (for example in your retirement photo album), I would love to get a look at them. You can reach me at home, 375-7900, or at the News Review, 371-4301. Liz Babcock

HISTORY LECTURE of interest MAY 19 at Cerro Coso College

Cerro Coso Community College is presenting a free history-oriented lecture at noon, Wednesday, May 19, at their lecture Center. Dr. Mary Beth Norton will talk on "George Washington and the Women in His Life." The lecture she is presenting will also be presented at the Huntington Library. More information on the lecture is on the Huntington Library website under events for May 20.

Dr. Norton is the Mary Donlon Alger Professor of History at Cornell University. Her doctorate is from Harvard. Dr. Norton's field is eighteenth century history. She also has three honorary doctorates. Nortonhas authored several books which are available through amazon.com.

HISTORY DAYS IN KERN RIVER VALLEY

The Kern River Valley Historical Society is celebrating History Days from May 20-23 at the Kern Valley Museum and around the valley. The displays, activities and tours will showcase the rich history of the Kern River Valley. There will be tours of historical sites, gold panning, an art show, craft demonstrations, children's activities, showings of old movies and music. The Museum will be open its normal hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a full calendar of events each day. More information may be obtained by calling the Kern Valley Museum during its business hours at (760) 376-6683.

VIDEO TAPES AVAILABLE FOR LOAN

The HSUMD has a number of tapes available for loan to its members. Briefly, we have VHS video tapes of many of our meetings since 1989, plus tapes of many of our annual meeting talks. In addition a tape of the California Historical Conference in Bishop, California in September 1986, the Ridgecrest Star Follies of 1993 through 1996, China Lake Diary (1993), People, Pride and Progress, the Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce tape from 1990 and a three tape series: Los Angeles History Project (1988), which is school oriented. A detailed listing will appear in a forthcoming newsletter.

BOARD NOMINEE'S BIOGRAPHIES

You will be able to vote for the Board at the Annual Meeting; 6 positions are available.

BILL BURNS

I came to China Lake in the first 16 families to move from Corona in 1969. I'm a electronics engineer, graduated from Cal Poly, Pomona, in 1965. Wife Judy. Son Alan living in Davis, Calif. Daughter Carolyn living in San Bernardino area. Like history kinds of stuff. Am active with the Boy Scouts for some 25 yrs now. (so lots of meetings). Am an Amateur Radio operator. Work with the local emergency services groups and R/C PD. Write the newsletter for the San Bernardino Microwave Society. Such a busy life being retired since 1997.

CHET CREIDER, JR.

Chet is currently serving on the board as a Director and the newsletter Editor. He is also Coordinating Editor for the Maturango Museum's publications. Chet is a long time member of the Optimist Club, the China Lake Astronomy Club, and Desert Art League. His hobbies include writing and oil painting.

SUSAN HEUBER

Has been active in a number of organizations since arriving in Indian Wells Valley some years ago. Among these is volunteering at the Maturango Museum. Past activities at the Museum include managing its gift store for several years. Currently active on the Museum's lecture committee. She also owned and operated a store in Ridgecrest for several years.

CHARLOTTE PAULSEN

I came to Ridgecrest, the daughter of a Navy man, in 1955 and spent my last year at Burroughs, graduating in 1956. When Dad retired from the military we moved to Paso Robles. Meanwhile, I had already met Alan Paulsen and he was going to Cal Poly-SLO, so we could continue the romance. When we got married in June 1958 we moved to China Lake and have been here ever since.

I like the desert and all the history it holds. It's fascinating that people have been here from the beginning of time. One would think of the desert as the last place people would go to live. I feel I can offer my organizational skills to the society.

GEORGE SILBERBERG

Some of my history: Resident of Indian Wells Valley since May 8,1945. Member-Founder of Maturango Museum Trustee of Maturango Museum -1964-1966 & 1969-1977. President of Maturango Museum 1972-1974. Wrote the original charter for the Museum which stated to preserve the history of the upper Mojave desert. I am also retired.

FRED WEALS

Fred has been a resident of the IWV since 1953 and has served as Treasurer of the HSUMD for several years. He is a retired engineer with experience at China Lake and in the private sector. He is also a credit union volunteer. Fred's interests include family history, local church history and golf.

BRUCE WERTENBERGER

Arrived in IWV in 1953. Retired from China Lake. Has served on the Historical Society board from almost the beginning. Has been Secretary of the HS board for a number of years and helped with the newsletter and the recording of artifact donations to the Society. Has been on the board of the Museum three times in the last 20 years and served as a volunteer at the NWC Community Federal Credit Union for over 30 years, chairing the board twice. Recently retired from its board.