HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT
Vol. 17 No. 9 A UNITED WAY AGENCY November 2002
NOVEMBER TALK: EARLY EXPERIENCES AT CHINA LAKE BY ROD MCCLUNG
The Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert meets at the Maturango Museum, 100 E. Las Flores on the third Tuesday of the month. Each meeting features a presentation on some aspect of local history.
This month's speaker will be Rod McClung. Mr. McClung was born in Los Angeles and raised in Winslow, Arizona. After earning engineering degrees from Cal Tech and UCLA, McClung served in the US Army for the duration of World War II. Immediately after the war, jobs were hard to find, so he asked the Cal Tech alumni office if they knew of any jobs available. Seeing that his Army ordnance experience would be valuable up at NOTS, China Lake, they invited him to come out to California and hire on. Despite the recruiters' odd insistence that he could sign up right in Pasadena, Rod visited China Lake beforehand. Even so, he took a job at the new station, and moved to the valley in January, 1946, intending to stay just long enough to save enough to buy a car and put a down payment on a house. Still here over fifty years later, he will speak about his early experiences here, and about similarities between the local area and his boyhood home in Winslow, Arizona.
Rod and his late wife Lorraine, are long-time members of the Historical Society. Lorraine designed the Society's logo (see the address area of this newsletter), and her signature can be seen in the road leading to the little house on the desert.
The November meeting will be at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, November
19 at the Museum. Everyone is welcome to attend. For more
information, call Bruce Wertenberger at 760-375-2369 or leave
a message at 760-375-8456. Andrew Sound
CHRISTMAS IN RAND CAMP
Saturday, 14 December 2002 from 10 A.M.
The year 1897 found Santa Claus riding a large gray mule as he
came to visit the school children in Randsburg, a memory author
Teresa Kane cherished all her long life. We suspect that this
year's Christmas in Rand Camp will provide you with some
rather special memories as well.
The day begins at (circa 1912) Plum Cottage, the second house west of the fire station on Randsburg s main street, Butte Avenue. Tour the house, warm drink in hand and Christmas biscuits close by. You will be given a map guiding you to other houses open for visiting. NEW this year are the former Yellow Aster Mine Hospital, now a home. Also open will be the cottage of a local artist and a bungalow being used as a library. Including the Catholic church, that's five buildings in all.
At noon, listen for the Santa Barbara church bell calling you to a concert and sing-a-long of Christmas songs played on the historic pump organ by Dr. Jim Vaskov. If you close your eyes you may well imagine those children of long ago joining with you in song. A newly recovered story of Santa's visit to the old Randsburg school in Fiddler Gulch will be read. Lunch is on your own and and there is lots of unique holiday shopping as well. At 2 you will be welcomed at (circa 1900) Rose Cottage for hot cider. Enjoy the winter garden with its old market doors.
Cost for the day is $5.00 which may be paid at Plum Cottage. Advance RESERVATIONS are a MUST and may be left with HSUMD President Bruce Wertenberger at (760)375-2369 or Susan Hueber at (760) 375-2165. Please leave your name, phone number and number of guests in your party. Alternatively, e-mail the same information to: lorraineblair@hotmail.com
Bring your cameras and wear your walking shoes. It will be
a day for making memories& .
Lorraine Blair
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME
Our membership year is on a calendar year basis, so on January 1, all annual memberships need to be renewed. Memberships are $15 per year per person. Checks should be sent to Mr. Fred Weals, Treasurer, c/o Historical Society, P. O. Box 2001, Ridgecrest, CA 93556. \
Membership fees help pay for the newsletter costs, utilities for our office building, production of our exhibits and various other activities.
VOLUNTEERISM
As with many local organizations, your Historical Society depends on the goodwill and efforts of volunteers to perform its community activities. At the moment, we have several things going on which could use the help of a few volunteers: Kathy Armstrong needs help in taking and transcribing oral histories (375-2643), as well as people to help out occasionally with a telephone committee. Lou Pracchia(375-7385) could use a few hours of help each month handling the accepting and recording of our collection items, as well as some librarian work on our small, but growing, library of reference books. Bruce Wertenberger (375-2369)could use help in producing the newsletter. Please?
SPECIAL MATURANGO MUSEUM-SPONSORED HOUSE TOUR
Two "collectors" probably shouldn't be allowed to marry but they did. Visitors to their house will get a special opportunity to see incredible collections of all sorts of "Americana" and assorted goodies from around the world all under one roof!
Sunday, December 15 One hour tour, plus light refreshments. A "FUNraiser" for your Museum, there is a charge of $8 per person/$15 couple for MM and HSUMD members; $10 for non-members
Reserve your time slot, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the hour at the Museum. You will be given directions to the house at that time.
In addition to a HUGE Christmas tree and a house-full of lovely decorations, your hosts will guide you to the various collections and show you an incredible collection, including masks from the world, lots of old signs- advertisements,Goebel animal figurines, soapstone Japanese animals, crystal animal figurines, mini carousel horses, Wade mini animals, dolphins, ceramic dogs, wooden ducks, "Depression glass" pink, green, purple glass, miniature sandstone cottages, African wood figures (Kenya), Princess Di memorabilia, Betty Boop room, Barbie Dolls (40 of 300 dolls), Furbee critters, Angels, yardsticks, paperweights, chalk animals (fair prizes), chalk wall figurines, wall pockets, heart-shaped boxes, pyramid-shaped paper weights, dolls/animals from Occupied Japan- '46-52, pachinko games, lighthouses, box cameras, "railroad books"- miniature books, bayonets, brass animals, brass nozzles, glass door knobs, medicinal ointments & tins, eye wash cups, perfume bottles, straight razors, piggy banks, dime banks, Van Gogh prints,Monet prints,George Petty cartoons, Petty Girl Art, kitchen tools, trivets, meat grinders, kitchen tins, salt cellars, "church keys," various beers, etc. Janet Westbrook
"In recognition of her pioneering efforts to conduct the first systematic inventory of SHORT CANYON flora; her decades of service to environmental education; and her years of commitment to sustaining the desert's beauty and biodiversity.
"As you walk this trail, enjoy the botanical richness of this small canyon, and remember Mary Ann's hard work and dedication."
In those few words inscribed on the bronze plaque honoring Mary Ann an attempt was made to encompass the multitude of her accomplishments, many of them alongside and with the support of her late husband Ron.
Sunday, November 3rd, was the kind of fall day that reinvigorates us desert dwellers and reinforces our ties to this spare but beautiful land. For so many people of this valley and beyond, appreciation of the desert has been directly influenced by Mary Ann's enthusiasm and sharing of her knowledge gained from years of walking it and careful study.
It was an auspicious day for friends and the Henry family (including new grandbaby, Clarissa) to come together at Short Canyon. All enjoyed the praises heaped upon Mary Ann, the reminiscences, and the humor sometimes affectionately at her expense! Following the ceremony, the seventy-plus people caravanned down the canyon to join still more well-wishers gathered at the Maturango Museum for the reception.
There a sumptuous feast of treats was spread among the autumnal colors of garlands, pumpkins, and linens. Kathy Armstrong and her team comprised of Helen McCall, Jenny Miller, Eunice Caffee, Rose Gonzales, Joy Young, and Gerry Pracchia (Lou, as well, on the ever important clean-up) created an outstanding and warmly welcoming reception. Many willing spirits and hands provided the refreshments which were greatly appreciated by everyone. A wonderful addition to the event was a large display created by Liz Babcock showing Mary Ann leading desert walks, awakening 5th. graders to the wonders of plants' survivability in our arid environment, identifying flowers at the Museum's Spring Wildflower Show, and more, along with news articles and awards received down through the years.
The Historical Society is to be greatly commended for its contributions
to this special event, along with the support Mary Ann received
from the California Native Plant Society, Audubon Society, BLM,
the Sierra Club, SEEP, the Maturango Museum, and Katie and Dave
Wash with BLM in Oregon. Last but not least (and no surprise
to anyone) appreciation is indeed felt for the help at the canyon
rendered by Carroll Evans and Bruce Wertenberger. Charlotte
Goodson
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 whenever possible. We also encourage any of our members who are eligible to become business members, to do so.
MATERIAL NEEDED FOR HISTORICAL STORIES
We are running low on material to use as historical articles about early days in the local area. Please contact Bruce Wertenberger (375-2369)if you have any material which you have, or know of, which could be used in future newsletters. Thank you
HISTORICAL ARTICLE
(The following article is from material written by Julie Stayton in the 1960's as a class assignment. The material is based primarily on interviews and reference material. The article appears as written. Ed.)
BROWN 1909 to 1920
Small yellow and purple spring flowers help hide the scarred land where a trough, old pieces of metal and wood, and old bedspring and broken glass are visible to the casual desert wanderer. From these remains it would not be possible to know that less than fifty years ago two to three thousand people were in the area, busy with their daily routines.
Because of Southern California's sparse water supply, a 250 mile aqueduct project began in the Owens Valley and many small towns grew up along its route. Brown, also known as Siding 18, came into being because of the aqueduct project.
Homesteader George Brown, promoter of this small town, called Brown his town, thus becoming known as "Mr. Brown of My Town." Although Mr. George Brown explained to everyone that the town was named after him, Mrs. Tiny Standard, long-time resident of Brown, seemed to feel that it was named after a railroad official named Mr. Brown. Mr. (Vernon) Carr (Appendix I), one of the first residents in the valley, came to the area in February 1909 to select a homestead, then came again in August to dig his well. His homestead was located 41/2 miles South East of Brown on ground later taken over by the Navy. When he returned with his family in October, Brown was a bustling teamster's community with bunk houses, a saloon owned by Oliver Smith, a general store started by Gus Haelsig, and a hotel built by George Brown. The workers were fed in the Big Diamond Mess Tent. About 1910 the aqueduct company made a rule that there could be no saloon within four miles of the teamsters' quarters so it was moved 4 1/2 miles South of the town.
In 1909 and 1910 the Custer Mining excitement near the head of Wilson Canyon in the Argus Mountains brought many prospectors with their pack burros through Brown. They all stopped, which made the town a noisy, busy place.
The Owenyo Railroad, with sidings every 4 1/2 miles, was built to haul supplies for the aqueduct and joined with the narrow -gauge railroad in Lone Pine. The materials were hauled from the train to the canyon on great flat-decked wagons supported by steel wheels with tires two feet wide. These wagons were pulled by mule teams. The teamsters, as well as the railroad men, worked through the heat of the day with few rest breaks.
Frederick "Fritz" Mills (Appendix II) now a resident of Ridgecrest, California, is the son of Captain Mills who was an Engineer on the aqueduct and had his headquarters in Sand Canyon during 1909 - 1913. Fritz carried the mail in a horse drawn cart from Brown, where it was left by the train, to Sand Canyon, where it was sorted and sent on to other aqueduct offices by express wagon. "Fritz" earned $60.00 a month at this job. For a short while he drove a long line team earning a salary of $80.00 a month. Then he worked in the aqueduct office earning $60.00 a month again. While working on the aqueduct a miner earned $3.75 a day drilling holes, a mucker would earn $2.50 a day shoveling dirt into carts to be hauled out and a laborer would earn $2.00 a day setting track and cleaning up around camp. $1.00 a day was spent for food and clean sheets. A shirt cost 45 cents and trousers cost 65 cents.
The building of the aqueduct took one year longer than expected because of a break in Sand Canyon. It had been built of two underground tunnels down each mountainside and was connected by a steel pipe across the canyon. During a test of the siphons full capacity, some tiny seams in the otherwise solid granite canyon sides permitted fatal leaks that brought destruction of the siphon. The long awaited completion ceremony was held November 5, 1913, and was gaily celebrated by the workers.
(To be continued)
DIRECTORS
Bruce Wertenberger, President, Bulletin Editor 375-2369
George G. Silberberg, Vice President, Dir. Membership 377-5241
Marcia Nevins, Secretary, 375-3356
Fred Weals, Treasurer, Co-Director for Mbrshp.375-5249
Andrew Sound, Dir. for Public Relations 371-1795, Kathy
Armstrong, Dir.for Oral History & Hosp.375-2643
Ron Hise, Director for Exhibits, 375-1967
Fred Kletka, Director for Programs 446-2683 Lou Pracchia,
Dir. for Collections 375-7385,
HSUMD Web site: http://www.Maturango.org/Hist.html
Janet Westbrook, Webmistress
HSUMD PHONE NO. (760) 375-8456
E-MAIL ADDRESS: hsumd@ridgenet.net
Annual dues are $15.00 for the calendar year.