Memories of Yosemite
by Maureen Kendrick Hall—Part 3
We would return home from the river and put on clean clothes. That was the routine. We put on clean clothes after swimming and those clothes were worn in the morning. No automatic washing machines in those days. In fact, no machines anywhere. Mother would heat the water and use a washboard to scrub the clothes. They were hung up to dry. There was no polyester in those days and the clothes were wrinkled. My Mother actually ironed our clothes with an iron that was heated on the propane stovetop. What a Wonder Woman. Our flannel sheets were washed weekly also along with our towels. Gad and good grief!
We would have dinner and then either go to the program that was held nightly in Camp 14 or in Camp Curry. It was always a good program that ended at 9:00 PM when we would all anticipate the Firefall. It was truly the highlight of the day. You could hear the call from Camp Curry up to Glacier Point. The call would go like this—“Hello Glacier.” The answer back from 1400 feet up off the valley floor would be –“Hello Camp Curry.” The call would come through clear as a bell. Curry would then call back—“Let the fire fall.” And the answer from Glacier was “Alright.” And then the stream of coals would be shoved slowly off of Glacier Point and the song, Indian Love Call, would always be sung. I was always moved to tears and the song meant so much to me that I had it sung at Wes and my wedding. The Firefall would usually last 5 minutes. On the 4th of July we would be treated to 10 to 15 minutes of this glorious site. This wonderful tradition was abruptly stopped in 1968 without discussion. The environmentalists were at changing Yosemite that many years ago.
Dances were held nightly at the small auditorium at Camp Curry. All the young college workers in the Valley went to the dance. We had a wonderful time at the dance. After the dance was over we would take our flashlights and make our way back across the
meadow to our camp with not a worry about being attacked. Mother was always waiting for us.
We camped in Yosemite during the war years and it is a little known fact that the Ahwahnee Hotel was turned over to the Navy for R&R for the wounded Navy men. I often wondered if those Navy men missed the ocean water in Yosemite.
One of our very favorite treats in Yosemite was to go on the Burro Rides. The first thing we did on arriving in Yosemite was to go over to the stables and make our reservations for the rides. When we were little girls we rode the burros and when we were 12 and 13 we rode the donkeys. We would go to the stables and we got to pick out our burro to ride. Mother had packed a picnic lunch for us. There were probably 14 to 15 kids on this burro ride.
We started out from the stables and went up the trail to Happy Isles where we crossed over and came down the other side of the Valley. We passed by Camp Curry and continued on up the Valley until we came to the area called Yellow Pines. We crossed the road and went over to the river where we climbed off our burros. We had worn our bathing suits under or clothes and we were able to swim and paddle in the river. It was WONDERFUL! There was always 1 man and 1 woman in charge of the burro ride. We ate our lunch and rested a short while and then got on our burros for the return trip to the stables. We had to cross the river and that was just terrific. We went back down the trail by Government Center and the Ahwahnee Hotel. It was all too marvelous.
One of the true stories of Yosemite is as follows:
For years when you went to Yosemite when dusk was upon the Valley you would hear everyone calling “Elmer.” The call was made over and over with people answering from different parts of the camp. There were so many versions about how this tradition started but Earky and I know exactly how it started. We had gone to Camp 14 one evening for the program. After the Firefall everyone was starting back to his or her camp. A little boy named Elmer was lost and a frantic mother kept yelling his name over and over again. All the campers got in the act of trying to find this little lost boy and everyone was yelling the name “Elmer.” Elmer was found but his name lived on. From that night forward Elmer was the game we all played. How that little boy must have hated it. We haven’t camped for several years now so I don’t know if the tradition is still going on. It was up to 10 years ago and this happened 60 years ago.
There was so much wildlife in Yosemite during the years we camped—deer, bear, raccoons, squirrels, bluejays. We tried to be so observant of all the rules with the wildlife. The bears were plentiful and, truly, great entertainment. In those days the garbage was handled very differently than it is today. There was a garbage dump close to Camp Curry. The bears did what comes very naturally and they would raid the garbage dump. My Dad would drive the car over to the garbage dump parking lot and turn the lights on. We could watch all the bears foraging for food. I remember, at one point, a bear climbed inside the incinerator and couldn’t get out. The next morning they found bar-b-cued bear. (Not funny.) There were so many bears that they tried to move them to the other end of the valley. So, once again, we would drive down the Valley to Sugar Pine. The park rangers had established a bear feed area and put up huge lights across the river. The garbage was brought in and dumped. The bears and their cubs were fascinating to watch, particularly the darling cubs. They would chase each other and go scampering up the trees. We never tired of watching their antics.
I don’t know when they made a concerted effort to get the bears out of the valley floor. I never heard of a bear hurting any human being. We would have them in the camp at night and would beat a pan. They would scamper away with no harm done. Raccoons were little thieves we had to guard against.
(To be continued)
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STCHS Speaker Programs
March, April and May 2011
7:30 PM
Groveland Community Hall
Check the Museum website
(grovelandmuseum.org) or your local
newspaper for details. |
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Friends of the Library
Join Us
by Nadine Pedron
Support our local library, its programs and exciting literacy outreach programs. FOGL launched its membership campaign in January inviting you to become a member of an energetic group.
Highlights/Accomplishments of 2010
· Library Beautification – Did you see the gorgeous quilts?
· New Library/Museum/Youth Center Signage – Looks great, huh.
· Donation to County – Retain our library hours and buy more books.
· Book Nook – Great fundraiser and community event
· Bookleggers – 6th year of literacy enrichment at Tenaya School
· Summer of Mark Twain – Sponsor of celebrations and events
· Trivia Bee Team – Groveland Bookies shine again.
· Summer Reading Program – 6 weeks of reading and fun for Groveland kids
· Brainy Groveland – Participation and support at Tenaya
· Books At Home – New literacy project launched.
· Tenaya School Library – We kept the doors open!
Ready to sign on? We’d love to have you. For membership information contact:
Nadine Pedron 962-6953, email: epedronet@att,net
or Virginia Gustafson 962-6336 email: v_Richmond@yahoo.com).
We meet every 4th Tuesday, 2:00 PM, downstairs at the library.
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We Need Your Help
by Dodie Harte
STCHS needs a person or persons to be the program coordinator for the monthly programs. Many program ideas are available. This job entails securing the speakers, submitting publicity, setting up the hall before each program, etc. Last year’s coordinators will share ideas for speakers and give you an outline of what needs to be done before the meetings. Nine programs are presented each year. These important programs are one of the ways STCHS shares with the community: events, people and places of historical interest.
Please call Rolene Kiesling if you are interested at 962-4239.
Living History Day
and
Museum’s 10th Anniversary
by Dodie Harte
A quote from Linda Clark (aka Hardluck Lin), “Living History Day was truly one of the best ‘interactive living history’ events Ron and I’ve attended! All age groups were included from the elementary kids to the grandparents. . . as both demonstrators and visitors/participants. There was something for everyone and nearly every age group.”
If you are interested in living history activities around the time of the Gold Rush, plan to attend Living History Day presented by the Southern Tuolumne County Historical Society on October 1, 2011 at the Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum parking lot. There are activities all day from 10 AM to 3 PM. Adults and children may try their hand at spinning, weaving, candle making, gold panning, cider pressing, doll making, pioneer games, and rope making--just to name a few. Enjoy fresh-baked bread from the Dutch oven, smothered in fresh-churned butter, home-baked goodies, horses, storytelling and 1850s music.
This year’s event will include special recognition of the founders of the museum in celebration of its 10th year of operation in the new museum/library building. Activities will take place to honor our founders and the wonderful museum of which we are all so proud. More details will follow in future publications as we get closer to the event.
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Greetings from Your New President
by Rolene Kiesling
A new year of the STCHS Board of Directors has begun. First, we have welcomed three new members to the Board: Tony Kash, Harriet Codeglia, and Tim Shanahan. We are hopeful that they will offer some new ideas and approaches to the way we conduct STCHS business. We also have new officers: Rolene Kiesling, President; Bob Oakley, Vice-President; Claudia Day, Secretary; and Carole Smith, Treasurer.
Now that Marc Fossum is no longer President he hopes to be able to devote more time to the Wells Fargo Building Project. We are awaiting the results of the Historical Assessment which must be completed before any permits can be issued. Also, once the assessment is completed Peggy Andrews and committee can make some applications for grants.
We anticipate another Pine Mountain Lake Wine Cruise on May 21, 2011. Also on the agenda for 2011 is the Labor Day Picnic. These events are always a lot of fun and are also great fundraisers for the Society.
We just never have enough volunteers. So, please think about what you can do to help. The Wine Cruise and the Labor Day Picnic require a lot of man hours to make them successful. If you think that you have a talent and/or have a few hours to help, please let me know. There are always ongoing projects that can use another hand, opinion, etc.
The Board of Directors normally meets on the 4th Monday of the month in the Library Conference Room downstairs in the Museum/Library building at 7:00 PM. Guests are always welcome. If you have any questions or ideas to share, please feel free to contact me at rolene@grovelandmuseum.org.
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Tenaya Elementary Photo Contest
Student Photographers Honored
February Awards Ceremony
by Bonnie Belisle
Photo Contest Coordinator
Thanks to all who were there to support our young photographers at the Awards Ceremony held on February 9 at Tenaya Elementary
The 2010 Tenaya Elementary School Photo Contest ended in late January 2011 when ballots were counted. The 15 student participants anxiously awaited the results with an audience of their fellow classmates from the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes, their teachers and members from our community.
This contest would not have been possible if it were not for our sponsors, STCHS (Southern Tuolumne County Historical Society) and the Groveland Rotary Club who donated funds for expenses and prize money. And a special thanks to our local merchants: Denise Anker of the Priest Station Café and Earl Wright of the Pizza Factory for restaurant gift certificates going to 1st, 2nd & 3rd Place. Thanks also went to our photo team: Steve & Kathy Ryan, Bonnie & Warren Belisle, Miguel Maldonado and Rich Hathaway, Museum Exhibit Coordinator, who created the Photo Display in the museum.
Contest Results:
All 15 students received a Certificate of Participation as well as a photo key chain with a mini version of their photograph and certificate inserted within a plastic case.
1st Place: Heidi McAdams, 8th Grade -- $35 - “Crawling Flower”
2nd Place: Natasha Garcia, 5th Grade -- $25 - “Raindrops Skating on a Leaf”
3rd Place: Debra (DJ) Thompson, 5th Grade – $15 - “Just Going with the Flow”
Remaining Participants:
Kyrsten Bledsoe -- 6th Grade “Sleepy Kitty”
Mackenzie Demmers--5th Grade “Rainbow Pools”
Madison Fong--5th Grade “The Reservoir by My House”
Sheara Haven -- 6th Grade “Scruffy”
Gabriela Infelise--5th Grade “A Colorful Rainbow”
Bailey Kirk--7th Grade “My Garden”
Krysti Mitchell--8th Grade “Umbrella Frogs”
Brando Nelson-Haven --8th Grade “Poisonous Mushroom Forest”
Issac Smith--7th Grade “Posing Bear”
Whitney Stowe--7th Grade “Kiss the Kitty”
EJ Wilson--5th Grade “A Pile of Scrap Metal”
Curtis Zwinge--6th Grade “Nature Embodied”
We want to thank all 15 students for a job well done and for sharing their photos in the Museum Exhibit. Our Museum visitors have thoroughly enjoyed your photos. If any of you have not yet seen the exhibit, the display of photos will remain up for another month or two; so don’t delay!
Students: We are already looking forward to this fall’s Photo Contest; so keep a sharp eye open for what makes an interesting photo – remember the rule of thirds (1/3 or 2/3 focal point) and lighting.
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