I had been walking the old wagon roads near my house for a while from the Nipinnawasee side, exploring the old homesteads from the 1880s. Many of them tie in with the old Miami Mill area and I was curious how the Sugar Pine side of Miami Mountain Road looked after our January Mono Wind event, especially the Westfall Burial ...

Armed with an old Topographic Map and homestead records, I followed the old wagon and stagecoach roads above Nipinnawasee through 1880’s era homesteads. I climbed over, under and around about a million down trees from January’s Mono Wind Event as I tried to figure out the routes of travel, neighbor relationships and a few stories from back in the day. ...

By Sal Maccarone Born shortly after the Revolutionary war, Cornelius Vanderbilt would become the richest man in America. Known as, “The Commodore”, he was a hard working genius who built a shipping empire that began with a raft. His son “Billy” doubled the fortune! Those two stories are long ones, but it was their heirs that would make a lasting ...

1 trail with 4 incredible waterfalls! That is exactly what the Panorama Trail off of Glacier Point delivered, along with a Sooty Grouse looking for love.Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 13.49 MilesDifficulty: Moderate to StrenuousElevation Range: 5,782′ to 7,276′Date: May 3, 2021CALTOPO: Glacier Point to Illilouette and Nevada FallsDog Hike? No I headed up Highway 41 through the South Entrance to ...

Checking out dogwood blooms and waterfalls in Yosemite Valley is an annual thing for me but I sure didn’t expect to meet a bear while hiking on the Mirror Lake Loop Trail. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 7.25 MilesDifficulty: EasyElevation Range: 3,983′ – 4,285′Date: April 30, 2021CALTOPO: Curry Village to Mirror Lake Loop TrailDog Hike? Maybe I maximized my dogwood viewing ...

E Clampus Vitus Grub Gulch Chapter 41-49 is working with the Raymond Museum to determine the actual locations of the structures and facilities in the SP Raymond Branch rail yard in Raymond. We have some photos and some drawings, but we are in need of more information. Many of the photos we have were taken with fisheye lenses, which distort ...

By Sal Maccarone A good imagination, careful contemplation and personal interpretation are just a few of the ingredients that go to define artistic creativity. The ability to produce something from virtually nothing requires a myriad of skills. Sometimes what appears to be haphazard is really the result of very long consideration. Studies of highly creative individuals have shown that they ...

History Mystery #97, Chinchilla Ranches and Mystery Signs in the Madera County Mountain Communities Prepared by Andy Brooks, Raymond Museum volunteer The Chinchilla ranch industry, though short lived by most history standards, had a favorable economic impact on the Madera County mountain area communities. How many ranches were there? What other businesses were created from the Chinchilla ranch industry? Who ...

By Sal Maccarone The word utilitarian refers to something that is useful, or serves a function. Utilitarian art is something that has function as its main priority, but is at the same time aesthetically pleasing. Like many other artists, I like to think of my own work as utilitarian art. The fact is, many important architectural wonders can be considered ...

Submitted by Connie Popelish, North Fork History Group  The people of North Fork have always been big on community spirit! In this 1969 image of participants in the Loggers Jamboree Parade, the Volunteer Fire Station is in the background. The location of the Fire House was Main Street, North Fork, where the library is today. The North Fork History Group ...