HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT

Vol. 15, No. 4
April 18, 2000

JIM SIMMONS TO SPEAK ON MOJAVE GHOSTS

This month's meeting will feature a speaker who's making his name in the world of nonprofit management, but who has maintained a strong interest in the history of the Indian Wells Valley, where his roots are.

James E. Simmons, a native of China Lake, will speak at our April 18 meeting on the topic of "Mojave Ghosts," a topic he researched and published in a corporate magazine in 1981. His article subsequently won a first prize from the Los Angeles Press Club, with the judges saluting Jim's comprehensive research and engaging style.

According to our Program Manager George Silberberg, Jim's story will follow the Mojave Desert's interesting clockwise pattern of boom-and-bust town development. Examples include the gold camps of the Kern River Valley in 1880 and the silver and tungsten diggings of Red Mountain and Atolia during World War I.

Jim will preface his presentation by some thoughts on current history in the making, then discuss some of the Mojave Ghosts, concluding with an update on the desert's newest ghost town.

Although for some of us, Jim's main claim to fame is that he is the son of HSUMD members Ed and Colleen Simmons (and he is the generous person who donated our video camera), he is best-known as the president and chief executive officer of the Kern County Community Foundation, a public, charitable organization that encourages philanthropy, provides services to donors, and assists nonprofit organizations (like the HSUMD) in meeting the needs of the community.

Jim is responsible for managing the organization, building the endowment, and setting up and participating in programs involving professional advisors, future donors, and the nonprofit community.

His background includes 22 years in corporate public affairs where he managed a philanthropic program that won a National Points of Light Award for Excellence in Community Service. He has served on the boards of seven nonprofit and civic organizations, and two boards of economic development corporations.

A graduate of San Diego State University, Jim is a former newspaper columnist, magazine publisher and radio personality. He holds life memberships in the Nature Conservancy, the Navy League of the United States, the China Lake Museum Foundation, the Historical Society of the Upper Mojave Desert, the Death Valley 49ers, the Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association, the Kern Press Club and the Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee.

He is the host of a radio talk show program and is writing a book on public relations. Jim, his wife Betty, and their two children reside in Bakersfield.

The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18. As always, the meeting place will be the Sylvia Winslow Gallery of the Maturango Museum, and refreshments will be served. Bring a friend. See you there!
George Silberberg, Liz Babcock

ANNUAL DINNER MEETING

Our annual dinner meeting is scheduled for 6:00 Friday evening, May 5, at Farris' at the Heritage. A short social hour begins at 6:00, dining will begin about 6:30.

Our featured speaker will be Mr. Dave Hook, Marketing and Promotion Associate, Kern County Board of Trade. His topic is "The History of Film Making in Kern County." His talk will include a video presentation.

A native and life-long resident of Kern County, Mr. Hook's current responsibilities include recruitment, location and permitting of feature and student films, television programs, commercials, music videos and commercial still photo projects. He also promotes tourism in Kern County and creates promotions and events on behalf of the Kern County Board of Supervisors.

Hook's talk will follow the dinner and a brief business meeting, as well as election of board directors.

The dinner menu includes sirloin of beef, lemon chicken, stuffed cheese potatoes, rice pilaf, fruit salad, tossed green salad, and chef's choice of fresh vegetables. This will be complemented by a dessert of angel food cake with berry melange.

Reservations may be placed at the Maturango Museum, or by contacting one of the HSUMD board members. (Names and phone numbers are on the back page.)
The cost will be $16.00 per person, payable in advance. Reservations will close at noon on Wednesday, May 3.

BOARD NOMINEES

The Nominating Committee, consisting of John DiPol, chair, Kathy Armstrong and Harold Platzek has selected as nominees the following: Don Lane and incumbents Lou Pracchia, Liz Babcock and Bill Burns. There are four vacancies to be filled.

Don Lane is a long-time resident of Indian Wells Valley, an active member of the Society and is currently retired after 46 years in the electrical construction field, both as an employee of the Navy at China Lake and in the private commercial sector.

We will not repeat the biographical information of the incumbents.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The other day Joan and Alan Woodman provided your Society with copies of four photos of the former USO or Old County Building. These photos came from Martha Smith Ledwidge of Mojave and were apparently taken at the time of its dedication on Oct. 13, 1945. Martha is related to Ellie Snodgrass Cooper who authored that wonderful article in How It Was about her family and life in Kennedy Meadows. This thoughtful donation brings to mind that your Society always is on the lookout for photos depicting people, places and events in our area.

Most everyone nowadays has a camera and could help enlarge our collection. One kind of collection which should be historically significant would be to have photos and information about every business in the valley area. Of course without some planning there could be duplication of effort. So, if members are interested in such a project I would be glad to assign each an area after a list of volunteers has been established.

Today, the best kind of photo and size would be a 3.5 X 5 or 4 X 6 inch color print. Call or e-mail me if you are interested. Lou Pracchia

NEW MEMBERS

New members this month are Granite Construction, Leroy and Julie Stayton
and Lorraine Blair.

A special tour in Ridgecrest of the "railroad car house" has been set up for Saturday, April 22, through the courtesy of Bill Reed. The address of the house is 761 W. Church St.

The tour of the house, which incorporates a former Trona Railroad caboose, will be conducted by owner Bill Reed The tour will be in groups of 10 people with a tour time of approximately 45 minutes. The first tour will begin at 9:00 a.m. Each group should meet at the east side of the house about 10 minutes prior to their tour time. Parking on Church St. is suggested. The tours will be by reservation only. Select your own tour time and e-mail or phone Lou Pracchia at (760)375-7385 to be put on the schedule. Regretfully, no children will be permitted on this tour.

A donation to the Historical Society of $2.00 per person is suggested and payable at the time of your tour. Lou
Pracchia

DUES

A quiet little reminder for those of you whose dues have not yet been received. If your address label has a "DUES" highlighted in green, this means that our records show we have not received your check for $15.00. Please remit to Fred Weals at 551 E. Dana, R/C, 93555 or give it to him at the meeting on April 18. Your dues are important to us in helping carry out our programs. Thank you!

THANKS TO LORRAINE BLAIR

Our outing last month to Randsburg was most enjoyable thanks to Lorraine
Blair's hospitality. We saw the Rose Cottage, the Catholic church, where
we enjoyed a nice recital on the reed organ by Jim Vascov, and the
"Wrectory."

CALENDAR

April 14-16, 10-5, Flower Show, Maturango Mus..
April 18, 7:30 p.m., HSUMD General Meeting, Maturango Museum, Jim Simmons
April 22, 9:00 a.m., Tour, House that Jack Built 761 W. Church St.
May 3, 1:00 p.m., HSUMD board meeting, 302 Station St.
May 5, 6:00 p.m., HSUMD annual dinner meeting, Farris' at the Heritage
May 7, 10:00 a.m., Searles Valley HS, dedication at Pinnacles -John and Dennis Searles wagon routes.

Following is the second installment of an historical article about the Chambers' homesteading experience in Indian Wells Valley. On October 26, 1926 Irene Chambers wrote the following memories of their move to the Indian Wells Valley in 1918.

Spelling and punctuation are as in the original. Ed.

John, Mollie and Fred (their son) met us at the station, loaded our baggage in the trailer and started out across the deep sand. John and Mollie kept laughing all the way, for as I learned later, all the folks had been having a lot of fun guessing what I would say when I saw the homestead. I did not disappoint them and said, "So this is the homestead, huh!" Well, I had a good two-room house on my land, but when I got there, John had moved the house up to the line and cut one room off for Mollie and put it over on her land. So on the fourth day of July, 1919, we started our time.

John had to put the floor in Mollie's room and board up the end. But he had to go home before he got it done, so Mollie and I finished laying the floor and boarding the end, as well as to cut two windows and hang them. I said, Mollie and I did it. She did the work and I held the nails and did the grunting while she did the work, which seemed to help her a lot. Of
course there were big cracks and holes in the walls for it was not sealed.

One day as Margaret lay on the bed reading a lizard ran over her bare foot, which caused some excitement.

We carried our water from Mollie's well about a half mile and walked about two and a half miles through deep sand to the postoffice. Mollie would go to the post office on Fridays and I would go on Tuesdays.

One morning as Mollie was ready to go, Fred said, "Now as quick as your are gone, Aunt Irene will say: Kids get your buckets." You see, the one stayed home had to carry the water, bake bread, and most of the time cook beans. Fred got tired hearing "Kids, get your buckets."

We stayed a month. Then one night after we had gone to bed a big machine turned into our houses. Oh joy, it was John! We were all up and out on short notice. But John did not say anything, but got behind the machine for several minutes. You see he had been so worried about us that when he came he had to get behind the machine to blubber a little before he could talk. Well there seemed to be frogs in all our throats, but we soon got our faces straight and were a happy bunch. He stayed two nights and took all home with him.

Were we glad to go? Well Kid, I wish I could make you understand, without experience, just how glad we were to get started. We stayed ten days. Then John took us back for another month, when he came for us again. This time we came back on the train as we had to send Margaret to school at Stockton all alone. I'll never forget how she looked all doubled up in her seat so scared as we left her at Mojave. No one knows, only by experience. But it had to be done if we held our jobs. Two little Camp-Fire girls recognized her as a member by her ring, and she traveled with them. She had a good Camp-Fire guardian, besides her father, brother, and auntie. But I was selfish and lonesome for her. Mollie and I would get our home sick spells. But they never seemed to strike us at the same time, or we would have ditched the job. One day I went in her house, she was blue--sick blue. She said, "Irene, I believe we have bit off more than we can chew." I said,"Yes Mollie, we have a good big wad to chew on, but just look what we will lose if we chuck the job." She said "Oh no, I don't want to lose the land. But I do want to go home. Wonder what John is doing? Wonder how he got his breakfast and if he watered the flowers and washed the dishes? Did I tell you what a mess he made of his washing? Put his old brown soaks in with his good light shirts and poured boiling water over all of them and let them soak a day or two! Don't think he can ever wear them again. But he does keep the house really better than I expected.

Well, the children started to school. The teacher picked them up and they went in a machine. They made good grades and were not behind when they each went back to their schools in February. Of course Fred and Peggy would have their little quarrels and tell each other to stay on his own land, and not to cross the line. But this would soon be forgotten and they
would be reading or playing with kangaroo rats, which they had as pets, to come and eat around their feet. They also made friends with a little gray fox. He would come just at dusk and eat around our feet as we would be sitting on the sand.

Fred and Peggy would build big farms on the land and have trees out of the sprigs of green greasewood. Good, clean healthy work! Oh, if more children could be out with Nature to grow up with a clean body and mind!

(To be continued)