Marcy Taylor’s Desert Mohahve Muse

Pulse intro: Marcy’s Musings,

HELLO DESERT DWELLERS AND READERS OF THE PULSE, a community newspaper started last March and now publishing Edition #8. Thanks to Jim Conkle and staff for filling the void and allowing me to participate. I represent and try to publicize some area non-profits including the Mohahve Historical Society, the Friends of the Apple Valley Library, the Apple Valley Legacy Museum, the Victor Valley Legacy Museum, Victor Valley NAACP Branch 1082, the Apple Valley Historic Advisory Committee, and anything else that comes along, including town and community events.

I am a retired teacher who opened the two small museums mentioned above. I sit on several boards and try to contribute what I can to the good of the community, by participating in community events and sharing local history. Catch us at the Apple Valley Village Parade with our float celebrating the history of movie making on the desert. I hope you enjoy the articles I write.

Wrightwood

THE MOHAHVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S August fieldtrip to Wrightwood certainly gave the desert dwellers some heat relief, with an 80 degree plus day feeling cool to us. The trip up Highway 2 provided a clear view of the devastating summer fire damage, most seeming to be on the south side of the highway. That is until, going around a bend, there appeared on the north side a huge grove of endangered joshua trees, charred to a crisp. One glimmer of hope... some green sprouts peeking their little heads up around the black tree trunks.

Our first stop was the famed Wrightwood Museum, located in the old firehouse. New Historical Society President Lauren Kozyra, along with her husband and two young children, greeted me, then busied themselves with preparation as we awaited the group to arrive. The twenty-three MHS members (two who joined that day) and eight guests (six of whom were members of the Sierra Club) learned many interesting facts and stories about the history of Wrightwood- a vacation get-away for the wealthy Los Angeles area socialites, as well as a gold-mining mecca for those who had come to make their fortune.

The main part of the museum is now devoid of the old fire engines, but was full of display cases and a large table of books and scrapbooks, more than anyone could digest in one visit. Visitors could also climb the stairs to the reconstructed firemen’s quarters, go outside to check out the replica weekender’s cabin, view gold mining equipment, and the restored antique hose cart display. Perched on a high stool so she could be seen and heard by all, President Lauren did an awesome job introducing us to the exciting history of Wrightwood.

The next stop was the Big Pines Visitor Center, across the Los Angeles County line, and just before the remaining right side of the old stone archway. After climbing a beautiful set of stone steps, we stood on a large wrap-around front porch, where we were met by Smokey the Bear and Carol Bishop, President of the VANF, Volunteers of the Angeles National Forest. After her introductory talk inside the huge main building with high raftered ceiling and two gigantic stone fireplaces, we were free to look around at the vintage photos on the walls. An adjoining room housed taxidermied mountain animals and other displays, and led to the office area where we could pick up additional information and two complimentary postcards. Three other members of VANF were quite welcoming, eagerly answering all of our questions.

The final activity was the half-mile nature loop trail behind the building. So after climbing up an even larger set of stone steps, which once led to rental cabins on the hillside, the twenty-one hikers were off. Along the way we stopped at a number of plaques, with information about the native plants and animals, and their various uses by the Serranos and other local tribes who inhabited the area.

Our thanks to both groups of docents who gave us a great educational experience. If you missed this trip, you can always plan your own. The Wrightwood Museum is open Saturdays and the Pig Pines Visitor Center Saturdays and Sundays.

Mohahve Historical Society monuments

THE BILLY HOLCOMB CHAPTER 1069 of E Clampus Vitus came through for us again. Dennis Parker of Hesperia and Dave Dutcher of Rialto gave up their day Friday September 2 to work for seven hours in 105 degree heat to attach beautiful black granite plaques to two Mohahve Historical Society monuments. The location is on C Street just east of 11th St. near the entrance of the Victor Valley Memorial Park. The plaques read “Historic Names of the Mojave River” and “Historic Bridges of Mojave Narrows.” Our two other monuments at the same location read “Victor Valley Memorial Park” and “John Brown.” Stop by to see all four.

The two new plaques were created by JL Endicott Inc. of Palm Desert, using funds generously donated to the monument fund by MHS members. The new plaques cover the old engraved (and no longer legible) lettering on two Eagle Scout projects, circa 2000, sponsored by the MHS, Past President John Bascom, the Victorville Historic Advisory Committee, Sooter Signs, and Graham Equipment. You may remember reading in the Mohahve Muse or Sr. News of Lee Graham relocating three of our monuments from a dangerous and inaccessible location on 11th Street to their present location at the cemetery entrance. Yes, that is the same Lee Graham who originally retrieved four large boulders from the Mojave River bed for use by the Eagle Scouts over two decades ago.

Thanks to several recent donations to the monuments fund, we will be able to cover the cost of sealing several monuments and plaques, including “Rivers” and “Bridges,” as well as the actual rock known as “Temple Rock” at the Victor Valley Museum. We will have money left for the printing of our revised and updated MHS monuments booklet, hopefully going to print very soon. The County recently took care of sealing the newly refurbished tortoise sculpture located at the Victor Valley Museum. We are hoping to always stay ahead of the spray-painting graffiti vandals.

MDAQMD funds ‘Car Buy Back and Scrap’ program

THE MOJAVE DESERT AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (MDAQMD) wants to buy your old car.

The District’s Car Buy Back and Scrap program offers $1,000 to residents in exchange for their operable, registered vehicle at least 20 years old or more.

MDAQMD funds the program and contracts Environmental Engineering Studies, Inc. to operate it. Funds are available for the program until they’re exhausted each year.

Aside from the 20-years-or-older requirement, a qualifying vehicle is in working condition; has been registered as operable in MDAQMD’s jurisdiction (which includes the High Desert portion of San Bernardino County and Palo Verde Valley in Riverside County) for the preceding 24 months; and passes a smog check if the vehicle is due for one within 60 days of the surrender date. Other restrictions apply.

Once the local scrapper receives the vehicle and verifies compliance with the requirements, the registered vehicle owner will receive a check for $1,000.

This program is not operated by the State of California. For more information on how to participate and additional requirements to qualify a vehicle, call 800-717-7624.

For more information about MDAQMD and its mission to attain and maintain healthful air quality, visit mdaqmd.ca.gov or find them on social media.

WE WANT YOUR OLD

Voluntary program sponsored by the Mojave

Desert Air Quality

Management District. It is not operated by the State of California.

CAR/TRUCK/VAN

VEHICLE MUST BE 20 YEARS OR OLDER

& WE’LL PAY YOU $1,000

IF QUALIFIED To qualify, vehicle must meet requirements including:

• Model year is at least 20 years old; • Currently registered as operable; • Registered as operable in the

Mojave Desert AQMD jurisdiction for the past 24 months; • In operating condition • Vehicles within 60 days of a required smog check must take and pass smog check.

Partial list of requirements. Some restrictions apply.

For more information

on how to participate, call 800-717-7624

WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS several newsletters, as well as the Daily Press newspaper, have printed stories about Barstow resident Kay Whitecloud. You might remember her as the Native American lady who has her own mural as part of the Barstow Main Street Mural project. Family members performed traditional dances in full costume at its dedication. Steve Smith, our January fieldtrip leader, told us the full story, as well as the meaning of various parts of the mural.

After meeting Kay on a “museum hopping” fieldtrip about five years ago, I learned that her relatives performed at some of the old Apple Valley Pow Wow Days parades and pageants. And I actually uncovered an old black and white official Apple Valley Ranchos photo of a teenage Kay in the audience at the 1955 grand opening of the Buffalo Trading Post, watching relatives perform the Buffalo Dance for town residents.

Kay became a great supporter of many of our events, always arriving with her son Ernie in the “Whitecloud” pick-up. She attended events at the Apple Valley Legacy Museum and the Apple Valley Inn, and just this spring showed up at the “75 Years of the San Bernardino County Fair” display at the Fairgrounds, the June 8 Tortoise re-dedication at the Victor Valley Museum, and the Mojave River Valley Museum’s May 14 BBQ. Ernie always made sure she got where she wanted to go.

During the COVID outbreak, when certain ethnic groups were hesitant to get vaccinated, St. Mary’s Hospital sponsored the “Mask-up” campaign. When I was asked by Regina Bell if I knew of a Native American who might want to participate, of course I recommended Kay, who enthusiastically did her part. Many members of the community received a beautiful red bag with a Native American design, containing a mask of the same pattern. That’s an example of working together for the good of the cause.

I attended two recent Barstow events to honor this amazing lady. First was her May 21 high school graduation from the Barstow Adult School at age 83. She stole the show from the much younger graduates, but they didn’t seem to mind. Several rows were full of members of her large extended family, some in traditional dress. The second event was the July 18 City Council meeting, where she was recognized for her perseverance for fulfilling her promise to her late father that she would get her high school diploma. Again her family and friends filled up a large section of the room.

So needless to say, I was shocked and in disbelief when I got a phone call August 23 from Kay’s son Ernie telling me his mom had suddenly passed away. I never dreamed I’d be writing this final tribute to Katherine (Kay) Whitecloud the matriarch of her family, who has done so much for the Barstow community, all the while keeping her beautiful culture alive. The family decided to take Kay on one final ride, one last tour of her beloved Barstow. So following the visitation and funeral service, the procession drove passed her family home, her favorite store the Walmart(!), and most importantly the Indian campsite east of town where Kay met her husband-to-be, and their son Ernie was born.

Kay, thank you for your many contributions to the Victor Valley and Mojave River Valley, and mostly thanks for just being you, a role model that so many looked up to. We will all miss you, but your mural will preserve your legacy. Rest in peace, dear lady.

Family Fun Event

THE NEW PAVILION AT CIVIC CENTER PARK in Apple Valley was the site of the “Family Fun Event” on Saturday September 3, hosted by NAACP Branch 1082. Sponsored by a number of local organizations, including the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, National Council of Negro Women, On Watch TV, and Young Visionaries, its purpose was the collaboration of High Desert groups in “Building bridges across communities and organizations.”

Attendees were greeted by two popup booths offering voter registration, membership sign-ups, t-shirt sales, flyers, and information. Despite the heat, guests at the well-attended event enjoyed good music, great food, games, and the chance to win a variety of raffle prizes. The park and playground facilities kept the youth busy. There’s no question that community involvement, groups working together to support each other and share responsibility, can lead to solution to many local and national issues and concerns.

Mega Swap Meet Returns Oct. 15

By Rusty LaGrange

LUCERNE VALLEY— It’s not too late to signup for a booth at seven different locations around town. Gather your goods for the biggest autumn, October 15, Mega event planned right before the holidays. The Lucerne Valley Chamber hosts this event twice a year.

But first, reserve your $15.00 booth by calling ahead. Each venue will manage a number of booths based on their space capacity. The earlier you call, the better booth position you’ll get.

More details can be found on Facebook or the Chamber’s website. Here are the venues: Jack O’Landia (Pete 760.220.6040), Café 247 (Alyn 951.751.1039), LV Market and Hardware (Kathryn 760.248.7311), LV Senior Center (Mandy 760.248.2248, 9am-1pm), His Closet (Donna 760.412.0431), Henry’s Bargains (Henry 760.524.8519), and at the LV Chamber office (760.248.7215).

This event runs one day only Saturday, Oct. 15, from 8am to 3pm. Contact Donna Soria for info: 562.522.8775 or Chamber office 760.248.7215.