HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT

Vol. 17, No. 3 March 2002

PROGRAM TO FEATURE INFORMATION ON FILMING AT RED ROCK CANYON

Have you seen Red Rock Canyon in the movies? More than 140 films have featured this nearby canyon, and chances are that you've enjoyed this splendid outdoor setting as a dramatic backdrop for everything from the earliest black-and-white classic Westerns to "Jurassic Park" and other films, TV productions and commercials of today.

Come to our March meeting and learn more from Mark R. Faull, supervising state park ranger for Red Rock Canyon State Park.

"Red Rock Canyon State Park has provided me with uncountable opportunities over my 17 and a half years at this outstanding park," Faull told Fred Kletka, our program manager.

"It is always my pleasure to share what makes this park such an important and special place for both current and future Californians." Faull, who began his career with the state's parks in 1976, worked at Humboldt Redwoods and Pfeifer Big Sur state parks, as well as Half Moon Bay State Beach, before he came to Red Rock Canyon in 1984.

The meeting is at the Maturango Museum, Tuesday, March 19, starting at 7:30 p.m. As always, the public is welcome. Liz Babcock

WORK BEGINS ON EXHIBIT ABOUT KOREAN CONFLICT

We're starting to plan the next exhibit to be installed in our HSUMD display cases in the Maturango Museum vestibule. That exhibit will build on the fact that the 50th anniversary of the Korean conflict is now being commemorated.
We'll be collaborating with Linda Dickey of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who has posters, a flag and other memorabilia from the national Korean War Committee. Linda was able to get our community identified as one of those participating in the three-year commemoration.

Basically, the case on one side will include information about the war in general, while the other side will feature China Lake's role in developing weapons for that conflict. Leroy Doig III, China Lake's historian, has agreed to loan us materials for that local case.

Here's where you come in. Are you or your spouse a Korean War vet? Do you have pictures or other items we could include? The more participation we have in this project, the better exhibit we'll have.

Please call Liz Babcock, 375-7900, or e-mail her at lizbab@iwvisp.com if you have something to share. Liz Babcock

TRANSCRIBER PURCHASED IN BILLIE'S MEMORY

During our March meeting, the HSUMD board considered how to spend the funds donated in memory of Billie Hise. When we talked about the great contributions Billie had made to our oral history program, we realized that a very appropriate way to spend part of the funds would be to purchase a transcriber -- a machine that will allow volunteers to slow down or rewind audio tape in order to get some of those interviews down on paper. Bill Burns took the action, and we are now in proud possession of the transcriber. Now all we need is some volunteers to do the transcribing!
Liz Babcock

TOUR TO BE OFFERED OF THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT

HSUMD member and benefactor Bill Reed has once again agreed to open his charming historic residence for a daylong series of tours of the "House That Jack Built." The tour day is tentatively set for Saturday,April 20.

Bill will take groups of 14 people on 40 minute tours of the house and grounds. Because of the fragility and high value of many of the antiques in the house, these tours are limited to adults only. The first tour will begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue hourly until 4:00 p.m.

The tours are BY RESERVATION ONLY and cost $5.00 per person, due at the time you make your reservation. Reservations may be made at the Maturango Museum gift shop any time between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily until noon of Friday, April 19. But make your reservations early ­ the most popular tour times fill up fast.

More details and confirmation of the date will follow in the next newsletter

YOU'LL LIKE THIS NEWS: ANNUAL DINNER MEETING!

Mark your calendar -- you won't want to miss this year's HSUMD Annual Dinner when one of our favorite historians returns to Ridgecrest to share some of his experiences in interviewing famous local and Navy personalities.

Appearing at the dinner, Friday, May 17, at Farris' at the Heritage, will be Al Christman, author of Vol. 1 of China Lake's published history and co-author of Vol. 2. Al is also the author of Target Hiroshima, a highly readable history of Rear Adm. William "Deak" Parsons, a key figure in China Lake's early history. (Both the Maturango Museum and the China Lake Museum stock these books.)

For our annual dinner, Al will blend humor and education in his own inimitable way to bring us a talk intriguingly entitled "Interviewing Admirals, Scientists, and Grandma."
Liz Babcock

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

In preparation for the election of board members at our annual dinner meeting in May, President Pracchia has activated the Nominating Committee, which consists of Charlotte Goodson, Joan Woodman and Barbara Hall. Because several board members have already indicated they do not wish to run again, there will be a a number of vacancies open. If you are at all interested, please give one of these committee members a phone call to discuss your possible nomination. Thank you.

DUES, DUES, DUES!

A quiet little reminder for those of you whose dues have not yet been received. If your address label has your name highlighted in orange, this means that our records show we have not received your check for $15.00. Enclosed with this newsletter is an envelope addressed to our treasurer to expedite your sending in your membership renewal. Your dues are important to us in carrying out our programs. For those of you who have already renewed. Thank you!

BUSINESS MEMBERS

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

THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE

(The following is an excerpt from the book, "The Boys in the Sky-Blue Pants," by Dorothy Clora Cragen, published in 1975. The book details the men and events at Camp Independence and forts of Eastern California­1862-1877. The 130th anniversary of the earthquake is March 26, 2002. Ed.)

"All was calm on that evening of March 25, 1872. In fact, it had been a rather balmy evening for March, with a hint of spring in the air. The men had lingered over campfires longer than usual at Camp Independence, although taps has sounded promptly at the usual time and "lights out" had followed, but the men had appeared reluctant to go into the barracks. The quiet balmy evening had called for reverie, and each man appeared busy with his own thoughts even before taps sounded.
"The night was clear, Orion riding down the sky almost simultaneously with the moon, whose crescent hung above Kearsage Peak like a Turkish jewel. The hours passed and the night remained quiet and beautiful, with no sign of the approaching tragedy. At 2:30 a.m., on March 26, 1872, came one of the worst earthquakes to occur in any part of the United States.
"The sentries at Camp Independence stood still, or attempted to do so, but were thrown to the ground as if picked up by some gigantic force and dashed back to the ground. Men poured from their barracks, officers and wives came from their quarters, and frightened children began to cry. The most severe shock, the first one, lasted three minutes, and appeared to be endless. This one was followed by many more, perhaps not as severe, but the earth continued to tremble for many hours. There was no sleep for the rest of the night, though beds were pulled outside, campfires relighted, and an attempt made to quiet the fears of everyone and to ascertain that all people at the camp were safe. It was found that only Private Lutz and his wife were injured. Loosened adobe brick fell on them as they slept and caused a few lacerations and bruises.
"Riders were sent to the north and to the south to see what damage had been done in other locations and to offer aid where necessary. By daylight some of the riders had returned, reporting damage as far as they had gone.
"While some of the soldiers were detailed to put up tents and provide shelters for all members
at camp as soon as daylight came, other were sent into the town to determine the full extent of the damage and to assist the townspeople in whatever tasks were necessary.
"The soldiers found Independence in ruins, as many of the houses were adobe and all of these were gone, but happily no one was killed or even injured to any extent. Several houses near the camp were built of adobe, and these to were shaken down. Jakob Vagt and his wife and baby were in one such house and had awakened to find themselves completely covered with bricks and dirt. The baby suffocated before they could extricate it from the debris, and they were each bruised and cut.
"There was a great loss of life at Lone Pine. The soldiers were sent there to work at the job of digging for bodies. It was a town of abode houses. Even the business buildings were adobe. Almost without exception, these buildings became piles of rubble. Twenty seven people were either killed outright or died from their injuries. Dozens of people were injured.
"Rockwell Loomis was buried under the demolished store belonging to the Loomis brothers. A fire started immediately near some powder kegs. William Covington, in the midst of the quaking and horror of falling bricks and timbers, moved the powder kegs and kept on digging until he found Loomis in the debris. Among other injuries, Loomis had lost one ear and most of his scalp. He was perhaps the hero of the hour, but there were many other heroes, too. Those who were safe thought only of finding loved one and friends. People lifted heavy articles that they would ordinarily never have been able to move, and they dug with bleeding hands into the debris. Those who lived through the early morning hours in Lone Pine were never able to shake off the horror of those moments. The day of March 26, 1872, would forever be an unforgettable memory in their consciousness."