Spring 2016 - Morongo Basin Historical Society

Spring 2016
632 Landers Lane, Landers 92285 • PO Box 2046, Yucca Valley 92286
760-364-2000 • www.MBHS.net • [email protected]
“The Ghost Mountain Experiment”
MBHS Movie Night, Saturday, May 21st
quintessential California story. But the episode was
never broadcast when California’s Gold became the
victim of restructuring within PBS and its
famous host decided to retire. Not long
before his un-timely death, Howser gave
his unedited video master of the episode
to McDonald in a kind gesture of appreciation since it had never been broadcast.
The Ghost Mountain Experiment
tells the true story of the "original hippie
family." Obsessed with the dream of living
a simple back-to-nature lifestyle, the eccentric artist, environmentalist and author
Marshal South flees civilization in 1930
with wife Tanya. For nearly two decades,
they raise a family on a remote, waterless
mountaintop, but isolation and betrayal
take their toll and ultimately destroy a desert paradise and a marriage.
From L to R: Marshal, Rudyard, Victoria, Tanya & Rider Scott
McDonald, an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, first became fascinated with
Marshal South in 1981 while visiting the crumbling
Back in 2010, the late, great television personalGhost Mountain homestead on a camping trip with his
ity Huell Howser telephoned filmmaker John wife Lydia, who would go on to write the
McDonald and made an unprecedented request. He
had seen McDonald's documentary The Ghost (Con’t Page 2)
Mountain Experiment, a story about a family who
lived off the grid for 17 years in San Diego County's
Anza-Borrego Desert, and wanted to include in his
California's Gold series.
"He just called me out of
Movie Night
the blue" McDonald said.
Saturday, May 21st
"He told me that he loved
7:00 - Dinner/Movie $12 my doc, would like to interview me for his show
8:00 - Movie only $7
and include the film in an
Hamburger, chips, drink & episode of his T.V. series."
Huell found the story of
dessert
John McDonald & Huell Howser
the South family to be a
(From page 1)
film’s script. In 2004, after meeting San Diego author
Diana Lindsay (The Ghost Mountain Chronicles),
McDonald was inspired to document South’s story.
McDonald says, “We could not have made this the film
without Diana’s writing and research as well as her
participation in the production.
historians and South’s own writings. Shot over a 15month period, cinematographer Stuart Asbjornsen’s
footage brings Ghost Mountain’s history to life with
breathtaking imagery of the desert throughout the
seasons.
This special episode of California’s Gold is now in lim”The film features archived family photos, reenact- ited release. A trailer can be seen on the film’s webments, interviews with two of the South children, local site: GhostMountainMovie.com.
2nd Wednesday Programs with Claudia Spotts
April 13 “E Clampus Vitus” by Hector Alvarez- APRN, and Clamp Chef talks about the fun and serious sides of a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of mining in the American West. Held 5:30 p.m. at
the Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley Donation $5.
May 11 “Historic Preservation Methods in Joshua Tree National Park” Jason Theuer, Ph.D Anthropology, Chief of
Cultural Resources JTNP
June 8 “Pioneering Women of the Morongo Basin” Pat Rimmington-historian and author. All programs held at Hi
Desert Museum
Find out more in the next Postmarked Landers email blast
or contact Claudia 760-366-7896 or [email protected] for more information
GOALS: To Accomplish in 2016
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Identify museum plants and exhibits
 Research and fix the Marketeer golf cart Newlin Landers
used in his water business, so we can use it in parades.
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Finish “Cat house”
 Establish Assay Office and Gold Mine
 Construct Miners Cabin
Greetings from 1st VP Bob Connors
Our weather is starting to warm up a bit, which makes us want to get out and about and be active in
spite of the prediction that El Nino was going to bring us more rain. Now they are talking about cloud seeding
again like they have done in the past to help it along. Some times one wonders as Abbot & Costello would
say…”Who’s on first?”
With the nicer weather coming on, the MBHS volunteer work-a-bees are busy as ever making improvements around the inherited Landers property for members and visitors to enjoy.
The Old Landers Post Office has been cleaned, polished, painted and displays updated to pay tribute to
Ms. Landers and her dedication to providing mail service.
Walk ways have been installed to make it easier to tour the property. Two existing buildings on the property are being renovated. One will be the Miners Shack and the other will be the Cat House that Ms. Landers
used to cross breed domestic cats with wild cats. We really don’t have clear reason why she did this but it is part
of Lander’s history.
Plans are also in the making to construct a simulated vertical mine shaft including an ore bucket & cart.
You can see that MBHS continues to move forward and as you have heard many times before. Help is always
needed, so come on down and give the MBHS a helping hand or just come to visit.
Best Wishes…Bob Connors – Past President 2002-2008
Spring 2016
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Morongo Basin Historical Society
COLLECTIONSUPDATE
UPDATE by Carla
Davis
COLLECTIONS
by Carla
Davis
MBHS' motto and purpose is to preserve the past for our future. A part of this purpose is accomplished by receiving and collecting the community's memorabilia, its records, documents, books, objects, and other kinds of historic evidence of human activity. Decisions can be made as to what memorabilia can be economically kept and well
maintained through the process of accessions.
We just recently celebrated the life of Ruth Long, recently passed. In years gone by, our dear Ruth methodically
and heroically performed the duties of MBHS' collection caretaker, accessions point person, and archivist. No one
person was able to assume these duties when Ruth left the community and no longer had direct access to the materials donated to MBHS.
This past year, the Board decided to honor Ruth's legacy by updating the Society's collections' policy and by
forming a collections' committee to continue the work she had started. The new policy was drafted to assist the
Board in making decisions about the what and the how of building collections of memorabilia for and about the
Morongo Basin and the people who created and create the history of the Morongo Basin. The collections committee, a group of interested volunteers, now have the responsibility of studying donated items and making recommendations to the Board as to accessioning and, once accessioned, the preparation of these historic materials for
use by the community.
Over the course of the last six months the committee has carefully considered and made recommendations to
the Board of over fifty different accessions. These items, collections, documents, and books have been added to
the Society's collections and have been or are being prepared for researchers and/or generally interested persons.
These materials cover a wide range of subject matters including the following:
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Children's organizations i.e. Scouting and Little League
Social organizations and church groups
Municipality development and planning
Public land use and planning
School districts and individual schools
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The arts and arts development
Homesteaders
Oral histories
Businesses and business buildings
Additionally, a large number of publications, most out-of-print and some one-of-a-kind, are now available to
the community. A sample listing is as follows:
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Yucca Valley Progress 1957 to 1976
Morongo Valley News
Desert Journal 1953 to 1976
Southwest Land Journal
Hi Desert Sun
The Joshua Tree Journal
Roadrunner
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Yucca Valley News
Joshua Journal 1949-1951
Johnson Valley Journal 1976 to 1998
Landers Homestead Association Newsletter 1952 to 1963
Desert Magazine 1938 to 1985
Grubstake and Turtle Days promotional
If you would like to do research or review prepared materials, please visit MBHS during regular hours on
Tuesdays, Fridays, or Saturday OR call to make a special appointment on other days.
We do need volunteers to help with any of the following:
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Complete an organization-wide inventory
 Prepare and index the Les and Ruth Long collection
File additions to the Joan Wilson collection
 Prepare and index the Newlin and Vernette
Prepare newspapers for archival boxes
Landers collections
Please call us if you are interested in helping with any of these tasks at 760 364 2000.
“IS THAT YOU, ANNA?”
(Legends of the High Desert)
In August of 1936 Twenty-nine Palms had a total of four telephones. Dave and Anna Poste were the first operators and reported that month their collections totaled up to $20.50. They were working on a percentage basis and had to take turns at the
switchboard to maintain 24-hour service. By October the number of subscribers had risen to twelve.
Spring 2016
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Morongo Basin Historical Society
GRUBSTAKE DAYS RODEO @ HOMESTEAD VALLEY PARK
Tickets to Rodeo Presale $13 @ gate $15
Kids 6 & under are free
Wrist band required to
enter Rodeo & Rock
Climb, Bull Riding &
Bounce House
VIP
Tickets will be available
end of March @ the
following locations:
Friday $55
Saturday $65
includes dinner, shirt &
2 beers.
A STYLISH AFFAIR
C & J FEED
GARRY’S TIRES in JT
Yucca Valley C of C
HOMESTEAD VALLEY PARK & REC / 1501 Belfield Blvd, Landers
No back packs or ice chests will be permitted on rodeo grounds
FRIDAY
GATES OPEN AT 4:00 PM
VIP DINNER AT 6:00 PM
(Limited seats available)
SHOW STARTS AT 7:00 PM
Spring 2016
This is an
Open RODEO!
Info - (760) 218 - 1980
Entries - (760) 995-7210
Website: gonpra.org
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SATURDAY
GATES OPEN AT 4:00 PM
VIP DINNER AT 6:00 PM
(Limited seats available)
SHOW STARTS AT 7:00 PM
Morongo Basin Historical Society
Current Projects by MBHS Volunteers
Plans for Electric Power
Photos by Glenn Issacs
(the Desert Trail, March 1950)
Steps are being taken to form an electric cooperative which it is hoped will
bring the conveniences of electricity to
this desert area and the greater Morongo basin. William Letcher, field representative of the R.E.A., has made a survey and formal application to the government for a loan, if a sufficient number of potential users in remote areas
not now served by a private utility, will
sign up to use power.
New walkway between Museum & garage
Work continues on Assay Office & Miner’s Cabin
Custom made “Marketeer”
Driven by Newlin Landers for his water company.
Being renovated for use in local parades
to represent us.
DYNAMITE, CAPS, BREAD AND TWO SPOOLS OF THREAD
(Legends of the High Desert)
On June 21, 1935 Mrs. Leon Campbell, whose husband operated the Gold Point mine near Twenty-nine Palms,
reported the day’s activities:
She purchased the week’s supply of groceries, chatted with friends, called for the mail for the crew at the mine
as well as purchasing her needs, and after having 100 pounds of dynamite and fuse caps, enough to blow a small
mountain up, loaded in her car, nonchalantly drove herself back to the mine over 15 miles of the kind of road
you’d find to any gold mine in the mountains where she prepared dinner for the mine crew of five men.”
Chairpersons
Board Members
Officers
President Laurie Geeson
1st VP
Bob Connors
2nd VP
Karen Ford
Treasurer Jim Spotts
Secretary Kim Abramson
Spring 2016
Accessions
Bakeless Bake
Sale
Displays
Landscaping
MBHS "Slaves"
Membership
Carla Davis/Claudia Spotts/
Floy Creveling/Melanie Buck
Barbara Harris/Kim Abramson
Laurie Geeson
Karen Ford/Laurie Geeson
Jim Krob & Eve Vykydal
Paul Geeson/Gene Woodley
Kim Abramson
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Newsletter
Bob Troyer/Kim Abramson/
Laurie Geeson
Oral Histories Cheryl Nankervis
Photographer Glenn Isaacs
Programs
Claudia Spotts
Proofreader Jeannie Lindberg
Sites
Steve Hanson
Webmaster
Rob Harris
Morongo Basin Historical Society
Proposed By-laws Revision by Eve Vykydal & Jeannie Lindberg
PROPOSED BY-LAWS REVISIONS
Text removed shown as strikethrough
Everything in green will be deleted and replaced by the text printed in red
When Sections of each Article and whole Articles are omitted, the Sections and Articles are unchanged.
The special membership meeting to vote on the proposed bylaws change will be held at 1 pm on Sunday April 24, 2016 at the
MBHS Museum & Research Center in Landers.
ARTICLE IV—Officers
Section 1. The elected officers of the Society shall be President, a First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Secretary,
and a Treasurer. These Officers shall perform the duties prescribed by the Articles of Incorporation, by these Bylaws, by the
Standing Rules and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Society. MBHS will be guided by a Board of Directors comprised of Seven Members. A president, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Three Board Members. The term of office will
be TWO YEARS.
Section 3. Or by statute to some other officer or agents of the Society.
Section 4. The elected officers shall be elected to serve for one year or until their successors are elected. The term of office
shall begin October 1st. (Refer to Standing Rules) Elections of Directors of the Board, shall be held every two years in even calendar years at the Annual Membership Meeting in September. The New Board will choose Officers from the elected Directors,
before October 1 and will notify the membership by mail, e-Mail or Newsletter. Their term of office shall begin October 1st.
ARTICLE V—The Board of Directors
Section 1. The elected officers of the Society shall constitute the Board of Directors. The Board shall consist of Seven Directors
who will chose four officers from the Directors.
Section 10. If the office of President should become vacant because of death, resignation, removal, or otherwise, the First VicePresident shall assume that office. The Board of Directors shall then appoint a new First Vice-President for the remainder of that
term.
ARTICLE VI—Meetings
Section 1. The annual meeting of the membership shall be held in September and shall be for the purpose of electing officers
Directors, receiving reports of officers and committees and for any other business that may arise.
Section 4. A quorum for special or annual meetings of the membership shall be ten voting members. Providing three four of
those present are officers Directors.
Activities in Landers
Photos by Glenn Issacs
Eve, Cheryl, Mona & Karen
at Museum Marketplace
Michael Quarles engraving petroglyphs
Spring 2016
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Morongo Basin Historical Society
MEMBER NEWS by Kim Abramson
Members Interest Form & Volunteer Opportunities
Name: ____________________ Telephone:__________________ Email: __________________
We understand that volunteers lead busy lives & often have many commitments, so we have no minimum hour requirements - whatever
time you can give is greatly appreciated!
I would be interested in chairing, assisting, or volunteering for one of the following Projects or Committees:
[ ] 2nd Wednesday Events / Field Trips
[ ] Fundraising
[ ] Help maintain the grounds or house at MBHS Museum & Research Center
[ ] Help with events & programs/marketing/sales/advertising/newsletter
[ ] Help with the research library / file, transcribe, or do archive work
[ ] Give Docent tours of MBHS Museum & Research Center
[ ] Oral history interviews of people in Morongo Basin
[ ] Publicity
[ ] The Museum Market Place
Ongoing & Future Planned Projects:
[ ] Cathouse Committee
[ ] Homestead Cabin Committee
[ ] Miners Cabin & Assay Office Committee
Please send completed sheet to Kim @ MBHS, P.O. Box 2046, YV, CA 92284 or
email me @ [email protected]
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Joshua Tree
Charlie Rossow
Madena Asbell
Landers
Buck & Carol Vaughn
James Ryan
Los Angeles
Shelly Strong
Morongo Valley
Bruce Emerton
Nicole Holland – Cactus Mart
Rancho Mirage
Carl Schoeneman
Yucca Valley
Germaine Cook
Elie Weatherup
James Sammons
John Stevens
Las Vegas, NV
Kenneth Umland
Marshall, VA
Morgan Sessions
MBHS CALENDARS
MBHS calendars are
discounted down to $5
and are available at
MBHS headquarters.
MBHS MISSION STATEMENT
The specific purpose of this nonprofit corporation is to collect, conserve and exhibit artifacts; to collect, display, interpret and publish memorabilia relating to the history of the Morongo Basin; to locate, identify and
preserve historic sites; to promote the research and study of local history; and to share the rich heritage of
the Morongo Basin with all the communities within and surrounding it.
PLEASE SUPPORT OUR BUSINESS SPONSORS
29 Palms Band of Mission Indians
29 Palms Historical Society
BIG O TIRE - Thomas Huls
Cactus Mart - Nicole Holland
Community Destressing Acupuncture Clinics - John Holmstrom
Desert Chiropractic Care - David McCollum
Desert Christ Park - a Museum of Sculptures
Desert Pacific Exterminators, LLC - Steve Hawkins
Dr. Robert Lombardo, DDS.
Gateway Pawns - Stanley Zarakov
HI-DESERT AIR - Lance and Kari Cody
Homestead Valley Community Council
Integratron - Joanne, Nancy & Patty Karl
Johnson Valley Improvement Association
Spring 2016
Joshua Tree Retreat Center - Victoria Jennings
Mojave Desert Land Trust - Danielle Segura
Oasis Printing - Melissa Sobol
Phillip Brown Home REALTOR - Phillip Brown
ProVideo - Bob Stephenson
Rainbow Stew - Stacey Clayton, Valerie Meyer & Michelle Nemechek
State Farm Insurance - Robert R. Dunn
Swella Chiropractic, Inc. - Gene Swella
Tamma's Magic Mercantile - Tamma Rae McCombs
Tarbell Realtors - Angelina Schoenberger
Tortoise Rock Casino
Ultimate Motors, Inc.- Adam Spitz
Yucca Valley Chrysler Center - Carol Bell
Yucca Valley Insurance - The Millers
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Morongo Basin Historical Society
Photo by Glenn Isaacs
Morongo Basin Historical Society
Museum & Research Center
PO Box 2046, Yucca Valley 92286
760-364-2000 www.MBHS.net