The STCHS Logo
by Karen Davis
The STCHS logo is comprised of a rendition of the Longfellow Stamp Mill in Big Oak Flat by artist Irene Clark and a sketch of Hetch Hetchy Track Bus No. 24 1. Both are a significant part of the area’s rich history.
As you may know, the Longfellow Mill burned to the ground May 13, 2008. The rare 10-stamp mill was first used in the mid-1800s. The Longfellow Mine, which borders the mill, is considered to have been the most productive gold mine in southern Tuolumne County. By 1899 the mine and mill had produced 24,200 ounces of gold.
The 68 mile-long Hetch Hetchy Railroad was built to carry timber, supplies, workers and visitors to and from the O’Shaughnessy dam site. Based in Groveland, the railroad operated from 1917 to 1949.
Track Bus No. 24 carried passengers and/or mail and sometimes was adapted to be the foul weather troubleshooter car and snowplow. These track buses (as opposed to railcars) were self-propelled vehicles that ran on the railroad track. Each one had a wood stove on board to keep crew and passengers warm in foul weather. During his mail run in the early 1920s Engineer Ray Carne would often carry sacks of trout back from Mather to families living in Groveland. There were also times that the children of the isolated community of Moccasin were taken to the school’s annual picnic at Mather on board Track Bus 24.
After the Hetch Hetchy Railroad went out of service, the track bus was used as a residence and later as a chicken coop. It was later acquired for the Groveland Community Services District and later moved to Hetch Hetchy’s Old Moccasin Powerhouse where it was dismantled in preparation for restoration. Restoration work was never begun.
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1 Believed to have been drawn by STCHS Life Member Barbara Hansen.
(The sources for most of this material are: Historical Survey of Groveland and Big Oak Flat by Mark Thornton and Yosemite Hetch Hetchy Railroad by Ted Wurm.)
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Friends of the Library
Did You Miss Our Library?
by Nadine Pedron
We did. The holidays and budget-related “furloughs” of library staff left us with closed doors—locked up and locked out—in late December and early January. No checking out books, videos, CDs, DVDs, magazines—and no checking in either. Days of no access to library computers, copy machine, fax, and a cozy spot to catch up on news with friends and librarians. County-wide, on “re-opening” day visitors checked out more than twice as many books as on a typical day and returned five times the usual number. More than 2000 books were checked out on January 5 and nearly 4000 returned. We do use our libraries! Unfortunately, with gloomy predictions of long-time economic woes, we will very likely experience further budget problems resulting in reduction of services.
The Friends of the Library work hard at fundraising so that there will be support for continuing our library hours and providing materials, books and equipment even in tight times. Our sole source of fundraising is the Book Nook, a used bookstore located downstairs at the library open every Saturday from 10:00 – 2:00. So, if you missed your library please support our efforts to raise money through the Book Nook. How? Shop, shop, shop! We have a huge, well-organized collection at truly big-bargain prices, a comfortable place to browse and chat as well as free coffee, tea and cookies. How else can you help? Volunteer! We need stockers, shelvers, organizers, and cookie makers. You don’t need to be a member of the Friends (although that would be nice) to help out and any amount of donated time would be greatly appreciated. Please call Elsie Stock (962-4564) or Nadine Pedron (962-6953) if you would like to be a part of our Book Nook crew.
FOGL NEWS:
At the December luncheon retiring County Librarian, Connie Corcoran, was honored for her years of dedicated and dynamic leadership and her support of our Groveland library.
Welcome new FOGL member Susan Fisher! We now have 65 members.
We meet every fourth Tuesday at 2:00, downstairs at the library. Visitors are warmly welcomed.
REMEMBER:
STORYTIME for preschoolers is held every Friday morning at the library at 10:30. Books, stories, songs, and crafts are offered and a free book is awarded to take home after 10 Fridays of attendance.
BOOK NOOK SALES every Saturday, 10:00-2:00, downstairs at the library.
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Upcoming STCHS Programs
March 21 Program
To Be Rescheduled
Check the Museum website
(grovelandmuseum.org) or your local
newspaper for details.
James Savage
A Talk by Jim Phillips
and
California’s Admission To
The Union – An Audio Program
7:30 PM
Saturday, April 18
Groveland Community Hall
Amy Racina Presentation and
Book Signing
Angels in the Wilderness
7:30 PM
Saturday, May 16
Groveland Community Hall
Sarah Anne Washburn
August 11, 1916 – November 9, 2008
Community and STCHS Leader
Former Tuolumne County resident Sarah Anne Washburn, a retired teacher, died November 9, 2008 in her daughter’s home in Palo Alto. She was surrounded by her loving family at the time of her peaceful passing.
Sarah Anne Fowler was born in Heron, South Dakota as one of three sisters. She graduated from the University of South Dakota with a major in journalism. After graduation she worked as a reporter for the South Side Economist in Chicago. She married Ernest Washburn and became a full-time mother of six children.
Mrs. Washburn began her long career in education first as an elementary school teacher in the Diamond Lake School District in Mundelein, Illinois, and then moving up to junior high, teaching Social Studies and English. She was employed by the Diamond Lake School District for 30 years. She mentored her students, loved teaching and took eighth graders on a week-long tour of Washington, D. C. each year for many years. Many of these students visited her in California. She loved showing them Groveland and Yosemite.
After her retirement at 70 she moved to Pine Mountain Lake to be near her daughters and purchased property on the Graham Ranch. Together with Ernie Conneau she designed and built a spectacular home overlooking the Tuolumne Canyon. She always had a pioneering spirit and her home was completely off the grid, making use of solar energy and other environmentally-friendly fuels. She loved the sweeping views and varied local wildlife of her rustic habitat.
Sarah Anne became very active in our local community. She was a director of STCHS, developed the exhibits at the mini-museum and was the first docent coordinator at our present museum. She was the store manager at Helping Hands and a dedicated member of our Lady of Mt. Carmel. She was the editor of the STCHS newsletter for many years in keeping with her education and previous professional employment. As recognition for her great services to our community she was honored as the Grand Marshall of the 49er parade.
She lived in her remote wilderness until health reasons forced her to move to Sonora before settling in a Mountain View retirement home. Throughout her life she was involved in social justice, charitable causes and volunteer work.
She is survived by six children and their spouses, fourteen grandchildren and a recently born great-granddaughter.
Donations may be made to one of her favorite charities including Heifer International, Foothill Pregnancy Center, 230 South Shephard Street, Sonora, CA 95370, or to STCHS.
We will all miss her, but her memory lives on in her numerous contributions to our community
-- Wally Anker
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STCHS Program
April 2009
by Jim Phillips
There will be a two-part program in April. One part will be a talk about James Savage and his time and influence on Big Oak Flat and Groveland and later on in Yosemite. The second part will be an audio program recorded from a program by Jim Holiday, a famous historian and author. It is an interesting account about how California was admitted to the Union rather than becoming a republic plus a unique story about how a culture of risk takers developed and was traced by the author from gold mining to Silicon Valley and how it affected California.
Jim Phillips will talk about James Savage, the very colorful character who came to California with Fremont. Savage fought in the Mexican War and was with Marshall when gold was discovered. He moved on to the Jamestown area, set up an outpost and was “allowed” into the Big Oak Flat area where large quantities of gold were discovered. The area, including Groveland, was first named Savage’s Diggins. Savage moved on to Mariposa where he was appointed major of the local militia to move the Indians to a Fresno reservation. In the process he was with the first non-Indian party to enter Yosemite Valley in March 1951
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Amy Racina Presentation
and
Book Signing
by Bonnie Belisle
The Southern Tuolumne County Historical Society is very excited to invite you to a presentation and book signing of Angels in the Wilderness with author Amy Racina. Besides her incredible story, her descriptive writing paints a glorious picture of our incredible wilderness that we all are so lucky to have access to. Her book is being offered for sale in our Groveland-Yosemite Gateway Museum and copies will be available for sale at the book signing.
This first-person account tells how author Amy Racina survived for four days and nights, both legs badly broken, in a remote valley in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains after a sixty-foot fall during a solo hiking trip. Battling pain fear and exhaustion, she pulled herself along with her hands and refused to give up even when her chances of salvation were remote. The book chronicles her miraculous rescue, and describes her dramatic airlift out of the canyon, swinging helplessly from two straps, dangling fearfully beneath a helicopter high above the ravine where she had lain.
The book recounts her struggles with multiple surgeries and extensive physical rehabilitation as she fought to walk again despite her severe injuries. It also encompasses the deeper reflections that shaped the author’s life after the fall and concludes with her triumphant return to the wilderness.
It is an amazing tale of despair and courage and hope. It speaks of incredible strength and heartbreaking weakness as it details what one woman believed might be the last days of her life. It is a memory of the darkest of times and an affirmation of miracles. It is a celebration of a life almost snatched away, of survival against the odds.
Come hear Amy’s incredible story and see the minimal items she backpacks with on Saturday, May 16, at 7:30 PM at the Groveland Community Hall.
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