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On this Valentine’s Day, we take a look at the love story between Ben Cherbonno and Helen Gookins. This pair of settlers met in the Antelope Valley in the early 1900s, and celebrated their 50th anniversary at the time the highlighted article was written (Figure 1). When the couple met in 1907, the area was still mostly rural. At the time, Ben was a 21-year-old freighter who hauled borax from the mines to the railroad in Lancaster. Helen, who had moved to the Antelope Valley in 1892, was a young woman who loved to ride horses and explore the desert. Figure 1: Original Newspaper Clipping of the 20-Mule-Team Love Story (Object ID #2024.FIC.203) MOAH Collections. In the article, Ben retells the story of him falling in love at first sight, feeling sure he was going to marry Helen at their very first meeting. Four months of courting, school dances, and multiple desert adventures later, the two tied the knot. Their marriage would hold true and bring the couple children, grand-children and great-grandchildren. Throughout the story they recount many happy memories, such as the signal for Helen to ride out when she heard the sound of approaching bells from Ben’s mule team. Or the way Ben would ask to borrow a horse and buggy to go out to see Helen. Ben also remembers the time he convinced Helen to travel part ways with him to the mines, and Helen’s agreement even though she knew she would have to solo-ride for 16 miles through mountainous trails to get home. Such tales indicate their deep desire to be in each other’s company. Ben and Helen's love story is a testament to the power of love and commitment, withstanding the tribulations of time and distance. They were able to build a strong and lasting relationship despite the challenges they faced. The article reads: “GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 20-Mule-Team Days Love Story Recalled The bells on Ben Cherbonno’s 20-mule team echoed on the wet October air as he freighted his load of borax over the rain-slick road toward Lancaster. Sound carries in mountain country. At Neenach, stopover point for stagecoach and covered wagon, the prettiest girl in the Antelope Valley heard a secret message in the distant jingling. Her dark eyes were bright as she saddled her horse and rode out to meet her bridegroom. Last month, 50 years and five great-grandchildren later, Ben Cherbbonno and Helen Gookins celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. But the fabric of their romance is still bright proof that for dash and color the senior members of the Southland family can match their courtships against any of the jet age. Rides Recalled Helen Gookins came to Antelope Valley in 1892 when range grass grew knee-deep and carpets of blue lupin and Indian paintbrush spread to the horizon. She remembers the wild rides across the desert when her horse took the bit in his teeth and plunged off after herds of wild antelope. Ben Cherbbonno can’t remember the first time he rode in a freight wagon – all he knows is that at 10 he could drive a six-horse team. He was 21 and an old hand in 1907 when he and his brother were running two of the big 20-mule teams hauling borax from the mines west of Gorman to the railroad in Lancaster. Helen always knew when it was time to ride out to the forks to meet Ben’s rig. Every one of his mules wore bells collected from the lead teams of less skilled drivers whom he had to haul out of trouble. He never got stuck himself – those mules of his were among the best in the business, trained on command to put all their power into the pull at the same moment. He trusted them so much that all he had to do was yell out their names to get them around sharp mountain curves. Courtship Told Ben made up his mind to marry Helen the first time he saw her. It took him only four months, courting by borrowed horse and buggy, sometimes a dance at the schoolhouse where a fiddle, guitar and 50 people meant square-dancing and waltzing until dawn. Later he talked her into tying her little sorrel horse to the back of the borax wagon and riding with him part way. From Gorman she made the 16-mile return trip alone, racing by horseback along a short cut through the mountains. It was storming the October night they slipped away from the schoolhouse dance to be married. The buggy wheels mired in the mud, and the 3 a.m. train for Los Angeles was five hours late. They sat on a hard bench at the Lancaster depot and stared at the fat, round wood stove, planning their future. At Ben and Helen Cherbbonno’s anniversary party last month, a scale model borax wagon on the mantel carried a miniature man and a girl with a bright orange scarf over her head. Behind them trailed a tiny sorrel horse." If this story interests you, we encourage you to learn more about local history by visiting the Western Hotel Museum at 557 W Lancaster Blvd, Lancaster, CA 93534, operating hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM. References 20-Mule-Team Days Love Story Recalled. (ca.1957). [Clipping from an unidentified United States, newspaper}. Copy in possession of the Museum of Art History Collections Department.

In celebration of the holiday season, we look back on how Christmas traditions developed in the United States during the 19th century. The Western Hotel Museum with newly installed Christmas decorations Prior to 1874, and the Southern Pacific Railroad, Lancaster did not exist beyond a train stop from Bakersfield to the metropolis of Los Angeles (MOAH Collections). Like the first American migrants, settlers from many diverse countries would make their way to the city, hoping to establish their own businesses and lives. In approximately 1888, the Western hotel came into existence, at that time known as the Antelope Valley Hotel. The property was sold to Englishman George Webber in 1908 who had come to the United States in 1885. Myrtie Eveline Gibson Sullivan would also move to the Antelope Valley in 1908. Myrtie would marry George and come to own the Western hotel from the 1930s –1960s (MOAH Collections). During the 19th century, American Christmas time looked a bit different from what we know today. The Western Hotel in 1914 (MOAH Collections, 2023.FIC.351) George and Myrtie Webber on a Snow Day in Lancaster in 1914 (MOAH Collections, 2023.FIC.352) According to Penne Restad from History Today , in the early 1800s, Americans didn’t think of Christmas as a national holiday. Many colonial settlers came from diverse European cultures and religious traditions. The New England Puritans for example, did not practice having decorations or a tree for Christmas. If Christmas was celebrated, it was done very modestly, with no emphasis on décor (Khederlan and Restad). Whereas Southerners, who were influenced by the royalist culture of Victorian England, would celebrate for multiple days, holding feasts (Mackinac State Park). By the middle of the 19th century, communication and transportation increased in America. The economy became more fast-paced, and the population and country’s size itself increased. Tensions between Americans would grow, and the Union became increasingly more unstable. Restad suggests that this fast-paced and overwhelming change caused Americans “to long for an earlier time, one in which they imagined that old and good values held sway in cohesive and peaceful communities”. People wanted a unified national tradition (Mackinac State Park). It was during this time that Americans took to Christmas, and it grew into a more widely celebrated holiday event, with old themes and new ideas ascribed to the holiday. By the 1850s, most Americans adopted the German custom of the Christmas tree. Early Christmas trees had more simple decorations such as strings of popcorn, oranges, lemons, and candies. Small gifts of were hung and given to children. In 1848, the Illustrated London News published a drawing of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert having a Christmas tree on their table. The tree tradition was brought to England by Prince Albert from Germany, which spurred the tradition in England and the image was widely produced in the United States, helping spread the popularity of the Christmas tree (Starmans). Illustrated London News’ 1848 drawing of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s Christmas tree (Khederlan, Courtesy of Creative Commons) Published in the English Stonehaven Journal on January 9, 1849 is a description of a Victorian Christmas tree, which held many delights (Starmans): THE CHRISTMAS TREE AT WINDSOR CASTLE. A Christmas tree is annually prepared, her Majesty’s command, for the royal children. The tree employed for this festive purpose is a young fir, about eight feet high, and has six tiers of branches. On each tier or branch are arranged dozen wax tapers. Pendant from the branches are elegant trays, baskets, bonbonnie’es and other receptacles for sweetmeats, of the most varied and expensive kind, and of all forms, colours, and degrees of beauty. Fancy cakes, gilt gingerbread, and eggs filled with sweetmeats, are also suspended try variously, coloured ribbons from the branches. The tree, which stands upon table covered with white damask, is supported at the root by piles of sweets a larger kind, and by toys and dolls of all descriptions, suited to the youthful fancy, and to the several ages of the scions of royalty for whose gratifications they are displayed. The name of each recipient is affixed to the doll, bonbon, other present intended for it, so that no difference of opinion in the choice of dainties may arise to disturb the equanimity the illustrious juveniles. On the summit of the tree stands the small figure of an angel, with outstretched wings, holding in each hand wreath.” The tradition of Christmas cards, the singing of carols in public, and cooking large meals for your friends and family emerged (Khederlan). The first mention of Santa Claus appears in an 1823 poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Celement Moore and the first documented Santa impersonator in America was in Philadelphia in 1849. Christmas would become a legal holiday in Massachusetts in 1856 (Mackinac State Park). Shortly after, the Civil War began in 1861 and ran until 1865. The Civil war intensified the celebration of Christmas in that the holiday was a time to celebrate peace and family, and soldiers would be leaving theirs behind at war (Restad). By the 1870s, with the reconstruction of the US underway, the marketing of Christmas would take off. Newspapers and women’s magazines would suggest a greater sophistication of Christmas trees, with value placed on the uniformity and style of the tree. Christmas trees became the centerpiece of Christmas décor, as a place for the display of beautiful balls, stars, and more. Department stores would sell all kinds of goods, with ornaments imported from Germany sold in stores (Restad). Instead of making homemade ornaments, there was a pressure to buy them. At this point, the commercialization of Christmas looked more like it does today. It was during the 1870s and 1880s that gift giving would also take off. Restad suggests that gift giving was a sign of the bustling economy, but also a means of Americans promoting relationships with each other. Prior, giving small hand-made presents was common, but the need for wrapping and purchasing presents was promoted later during this time. These practices demonstrated not only materialism, but kinship and community. It was around this time that Lancaster was established. In 1900, it was estimated that one in five Americans had a Christmas tree (Redstad). Below is a glass negative plate of the Wright brothers’ Christmas tree in their Ohio home in December of 1900, three years before their famous flight. Many gifts can be seen below the tree. Christmas tree in the home of Wilbur and Orville Wright at 7 Hawthorn Street in Dayton, Ohio in 1990 (Shorpy The American Historical Photo Archive) With Myrtie and George running the Western hotel around this time in the early 1900s, it is likely that their halls were fully decked. These practices are reflective of what many Americans and Lancaster inhabitants do today, indicating that our holiday traditions are deeply rooted in the past. For the rest of this month, the Western Hotel Museum will be decorated for Christmas. Works Cited Khederlan, Robert. “How Christmas decorations evolved through the 1800s It’s time to deck the halls”, Curbed , December 9, 2016. How Christmas decorations evolved through the 1800s - Curbed Mackinac State Historic Parks. “America’s 19th Century Christmas Traditions: A Connection Between the Past and Present”, December 20, 2019. America's 19th Century Christmas Traditions: A Connection Between the Past and Present - Mackinac State Historic Parks | Mackinac State Historic Parks (mackinacparks.com) MOAH Collections. “The Western Hotel Museum Self-Guided Tour”and 2023.FIC.351-353 images. e60af9_b024f49c353d4f74af2eb165975c6b8d.pdf (lancastermoah.org) Restad, Penne. “Christmas in 19th Century America”, History Today Volume 45 Issue 12, December 1995. Christmas in 19th Century America | History Today Shorpy The American Historical Photo Archive, Image of Wright brother’s Christmas tree from December 1900. Christmas With Wilbur and Orville: 1900 | Shorpy Old Photos | Framed Prints ). Starmans, Barbara J. “Old Time Christmas”, The Social Historian. Old Time Christmas - The Social Historian

If you’ve done your fair share of exploring in the Mojave Desert, you may have come across some odd things – maybe, perhaps, even a mummified animal. When people think of mummification, typically the pharaohs of ancient Egypt come to mind, but the process of mummification can happen naturally in dry environments as well. Some use the term “mummy” to refer to bodies that are deliberately embalmed in chemicals, but the term has been applied to accidental/naturally made mummies since the early 17th century ( New English Dictionary on Historical Principles ). A mummy can be defined as a dead human or animal whose soft tissues and organs have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, low humidity, or a lack of air. To understand how mummification occurs, it is important to first understand the process of decomposition. Decomposition begins at the time of an animal’s death and is caused by two factors known as autolysis and putrefaction. When an animal dies, the heart stops, and blood can no longer supply oxygen or remove carbon dioxide from the tissues. This causes an animal’s cells to break down, which releases cellular enzymes. These enzymes can break down the other surrounding tissues and cells in the body. This process is called autolysis- in which the body’s own enzymes begin breaking down the body (Dominguez). After death, there is a small amount of oxygen still present in the body. This oxygen is sought after and used up by cellular metabolism and microbes that are naturally found in the body, such as in the intestinal tracks. This leads to the growth of more organisms, which consume what carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids are available in the body thus breaking it down further. This process is called putrefaction (Dominguez). Later, other decomposers such as bacteria and scavengers such as insects, coyotes, vultures, and crows can break down the body further, aiding in its decomposition (Gibbon, National Geographic). Bodies that are mummified do not go through this entire process. When exposed to the right conditions, putrefaction does not occur as bacteria are not able to grow and survive. In purposeful mummification, the body is often treated with embalming chemicals which repel insects and slow down the putrefaction process by killing bacteria already in the body or by stopping the cells from becoming a nutrient source for other bacteria to consume (Dominguez). Naturally, remains can be mummified in both cold and hot temperatures. In very cold environments, the body freezes before bacteria can grow and break down the remains. In dry environments, there is a high amount of heat and a lack of moisture. This heat causes bacteria to die and stops the body from further decay (Dominguez). The Mojave Desert is a prime location for natural mummies to occur, as we have a very hot and dry climate which can prevent bacteria from forming and halt the decomposition process. In addition, other naturally forming mummies have been formed in peat bogs, a type of wetland with a lot of dead plant material or peat occurring in it. The soil in these bogs is acidic and does not have a lot of oxygen- which leads to less bacteria growth and thus less decomposition. At MOAH, we have several mummified animals within our collection. On display at the Western Hotel Museum is a partially preserved Desert Tortoise, which has one of its front feet preserved, scales and all. Found at the Elyze Clifford Interpretive Center is a partially preserved mummified rabbit skull, which has become misshapen and still has some fur present. 2022.FIC.397 Partially mummified rabbit skull from MOAH Collections Perhaps one of the most interesting items is a mummified mouse stuck inside an amber glass bottle. This item was excavated in 1994-1995 by archaeologists when the new Lancaster Sherriff Station was being constructed on the corner of Sierra Hwy and Lancaster Blvd. The bottle is likely from Lancaster residents from the early 1900s. It is likely that the poor mouse ventured inside the bottle looking for water or a sweet treat and was unable to get out. 1996.13.57 Mummified mouse inside glass bottle photo provided by MOAH Collections 1996.13.57 Mummified mouse inside glass bottle video provided by MOAH Collections To learn more about the Mojave Desert environment and the animals and plants that call it home, be sure to visit the Elyze Clifford Interpretive Center at 43201 35th St W, Lancaster, CA 93536. We are open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm (Closed Holidays). Works Cited Dominguez, Trace. “How Do Mummies Form Naturally? 10,000-year-old mummified lions were recently found buried deep in a glacier. What are the other ways nature takes us back in time?”, Seeker , published on 11/8/2025. How Do Mummies Form Naturally? - Seeker Gibbon, Victoria. “How scavengers can help forensic scientists identify human corpses”, The Conversation. How scavengers can help forensic scientists identify human corpses (theconversation.com) MOAH Collections. Images of 1996.13.57 and 2022.FIC.397. National Geographic. The Role of Scavengers: Carcass Crunching. The Role of Scavengers: Carcass Crunching (nationalgeographic.org) New English Dictionary on Historical Principles. “Mummy”. A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles: Founded Mainly on the Materials Collected by the Philological Society : James A. H. Murray : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive.

Known for his improvisation, experimentation, rock, pop, jazz, and orchestral work, Frank Zappa is a legendary musician. Unbeknownst to many, Zappa lived in Lancaster during his formative years as a teenager and the experience would later greatly shape his music. Frank Zappa, Photo Courtesy of MOAH Collections Zappa was born on December 21, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland to an Italian immigrant family and he was the eldest of four children. The Zappa family moved often, as his father was a chemist, mathematician, and engineer who worked for the US military’s defense industry. Zappa would eventually make his way to California in 1952, moving to Mission Bay High School in San Diego. Here, Zappa would form his first ever band as a drummer. Around the same time, Zappa would also get a phonograph and begin a collection of music at home, holding a deep love for black rhythm and blues (R&B) music. At twelve years old, he was given his first snare drum and gained an interest in classical music, such as Italian opera, and his interest in composing music began. In 1956, at age 16, the Zappa’s would move to Lancaster because, like many AV residents today, his father was hired as an engineer at Edwards Air Force Base. Zappa would join the ranks of Antelope Valley High School and while there he met several other young creatives that would influence his art. Zappa would meet Don Glen Vliet, a fellow student who would later take the stage name Captain Beefheart (Gurba). They became good friends and would influence each other throughout their musical careers. Also, around this time, Zappa played drums in a local band called the Blackouts, the only rhythm and blues band in the western Mojave at the time (Gurba). The band was racially diverse and also included James, or Jim, “Motorhead” Sherwood who would become a member of the famed band Mothers of Invention. Zappa played harmonica, drums, and guitar in the band. The Blackouts would play for only one school assembly and never at nighttime dances because the teachers thought the music was too suggestive (Gurba). The Blackouts also performed several times at the fairgrounds. The Blackouts, Photo from “Legendary Locals of the Antelope Valley” by Norma Gurba, Courtesy of Patrice “Candy” Zappa The Blackouts, Photo Courtesy of MOAH Collections Photo of Zappa at Antelope Valley High School with some of the Blackouts band members, Photo Courtesy of MOAH Collections Another band called the Omens was later formed and they were sometimes sponsored by the American Legion Hall Post No. 311. Performances were made at the Lancaster Woman’s Club and at the fairgrounds (Gurba). While in Lancaster, Zappa worked part time in the Record Den on Sierra Highway where his record collection and musical education grew. Zappa was also a painter, and he won a statewide art competition sponsored by the CA Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Hallmark greeting company. At one point his artwork was displayed at the Sands Bowl and the Lancaster Woman’s Club building in Lancaster (Gurba). Zappa’s family was supportive of his musical interests and, for the most part, his school was as well, though it appears that Zappa was prone to antics and would have a general disdain for formal education. He would join the AV High School marching band and his interest in composing increased. By the end of his senior year he was writing, arranging, and even conducting pieces for the school orchestra. Mr. William Ballard was his music teacher who seemed to support his endeavors but would later kick him out of the band for smoking while in uniform (Gurba). Frank Zappa would graduate from Antelope Valley High School in 1958, with some residents naming him the “James Dean of the Antelope Valley”. He studied very briefly at Antelope Valley College, “only to meet girls”, before leaving Lancaster in 1959 (Gurba). He would move to Echo Park where he would meet his first wife Kay Sherman while briefly enrolling in composition study at Pomona College. Zappa would go on to form the Mothers of Invention and create music that mixed R&B, doo-wop, and experimental sound that captured the freak subculture of Los Angeles during the 1960s. Frank Zappa’s Antelope Valley High School Graduation Portrait, Photo Courtesy of MOAH Collections Zappa would release Freak Out! , the debut album by the Mothers of Invention, and on the sleeve of the album, he would encourage listeners to: “Drop out of school before your mind rots from exposure to our mediocre educational system. Forget the Senior Prom and go to the library and educate yourself if you’ve got any guts. Some of you like pep rallies and plastic robots who tell you what to read.” Zappa also included a large list of people who had contributed to their music which has been dubbed by Zappa Fans as it the infamous Freak Out! List. On the third column, Mr. Ballard- the AV High music teacher- is listed. So, it appears that AV High School did have a strong impact on Zappa and his music. Mr. Ballard is also mentioned in Zappa’s 1989 biography, "The Real Frank Zappa Book": "Mr. Ballard also did me a big favor without knowing it. As a drummer, I was obliged to perform the gruesome task of playing in the marching band. Considering my lack of interest in football, I couldn't stand sitting around in a stupid-looking uniform, going 'Da-ta-da-da-ta-ta-taaaah; CHARGE!' every time somebody kicked a (censored) football, freezing my nards off every weekend. Mr. Ballard threw me out of the marching band for smoking in uniform -- and for that I will be eternally grateful" (Wiki Kill Ugly Radio). The Freak Out! List, Mr. Ballard is listed on the third column, 5th from the bottom. In the 1974 album Roxy & Elsewhere , Zappa would do a live recording of the song “Village of the Sun” in which he mentions going home to Sun Village, a community located in the eastern Antelope Valley in Palmdale. In the live recording of the song, he asks the crowd if they are familiar with Palmdale and Lancaster and mentions that they used to farm turkeys there. From about the 1930s to the 1980s, turkey farming was popular in both Lancaster and Palmdale. Despite the lack of turkeys in the AV today, the song is still a relevant and humorous representation of the area. The insane high winds of the Antelope Valley are mentioned which will “take the paint off your car and wreck your windshield too.” The lyrics also speak to the concept of the “AV vortex” with the line “I don't know how the people stand it, But I guess they do Cause they're all still there.” Transcription of Zappa’s “Village of the Sun” recorded on the live 1974 album Roxy & Elsewhere: Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a song about this place where I used to live where they used to raise turkeys. (Ready?) Goin' back home To the Village of the Sun Out in back of Palmdale Where the turkey farmers run, I done Made up my mind And I know I'm gonna go to Sun Village, good God I hope the Wind don't blow It take the paint off your car And wreck your windshield too, I don't know how the people stand it, But I guess they do Cause they're all still there, Even Johnny Franklin too In the Village of the Sun Village of the Sun Village of the Sun, son Zappa would go on to make 62 albums and 39 singles over the course of his life and would pass away on December 4, 1993 of cancer just seventeen days shy of his 53rd birthday. His legacy lives on in his music, as do memories of the Antelope Valley. Works Cited Gurba, Norma H. Images of America Lancaster. Arcadia Publishing, 2005. MOAH Collections, Multiple photographs of Frank Zappa. Wiki Kill Ugly Radio, Category: Freak Out! (The List), Category:Freak Out! (The List) - Zappa Wiki Jawaka (killuglyradio.com) Wikipedia, Frank Zappa, Frank Zappa - Wikipedia.

When settlers first arrived in the Mojave Desert, they were met with the sight of the Joshua tree. Despite the endearment many desert dwellers have for them today, initially these monocots were viewed as useless eyesores. Joseph Smeaton Chase, an English-born American author and traveler who is known for his writings on California landscapes, wrote in his 1919 book “California Desert Trails” that: “One can scarcely find a term of ugliness that is not apt for this plant. A misshapen pirate with belt boots hands and teeth stuck full of daggers is as near as I can come to a human analogy. The wood is a harsh, rasping fibre; knife blades long hard and keen fill the place of leaves; the flower is greenish white and ill smelling; and the fruit a cluster of nubbly pods, bitter and useless. A landscape filled with Joshua trees has a nightmare effect even in broad daylight: at the witching hour it can be almost infernal.” However, this attitude towards Joshua trees would briefly change beginning in the late 1870s. According to John Swisher, a historian from the Wrightwood Historical Society, an entrepreneur named Walker went to England to seek funds to establish a paper mill in the high desert. Walker claimed that he knew how to make a “wasteland” cactus into useful and beautiful paper. Suddenly the ugly and useless Joshua tree was a money-making prize, plentiful and untouched in the Mojave Desert. School boys sitting in a Joshua tree in the rear schoolyard of the second Lancaster Grammar School which was built in 1890. The school was located in the vicinity of the present-day Lancaster Chamber of Commerce office, across the street from the Western Hotel (Gurba). Photo from MOAH Collections. In 1884, Walker gained funders and the Atlantic and Pacific Fiber Company of London, England was established. The company was managed by Englishman Colonel Gay, a Mr. Payne, and Los Angeles based attorney J.A. Graves (Gist). The Joshua tree paper they made would be shipped to England for use. Americans would also gain interest in milling the paper and another mill would start in San Jose, called the Lick Paper Mill, likely around the same time, and their only paper project was Joshua tree paper (Swisher). At one-point, the Atlantic and Pacific Fiber Company of London would fund the purchasing of 5,200 acres of the Antelope Valley for milling (Gist). They were contracted to furnish the London Daily Telegraph with Joshua tree paper. Lancaster’s own famous local, George Webber, came to the United States in 1885 working for the London Daily Telegraph and was involved in the Joshua Tree paper business. Several editions of the London Journal were printed on Joshua tree paper. George Webber, Image from MOAH Collections The Atlantic and Pacific Fiber Company of London, England would get an old mill used for mining and convertit into a paper mill located between what was called Alpine and Ravenna in Soledad Canyon Pass (Gist). The Ravenna depot was located southwest of what is today known as Acton (between Lang and Acton). Alpine was located northeast of Acton, between the Acton and Lancaster depots (Henderson). Several photographs of this mill were taken by photographer Carleton E. Watkins, who photographed various areas of the U.S. from about 1850 to 1906. These photographs were taken when the mill was active, which according to Gist was likely the late 1870s- 1886 (Gist). B 4309, Yucca Paper Mill At Revena, S.P.R.R.. Photograph by Chareton E. Watkins. (Gist, sourced from the "California Views from the R.W. Waterman Family Papers" Collection at U.C. Berkeley's Bancroft Library). A crew of Chinese workers would be employed by the company to cut the trees into two-foot length logs and then haul them to Ravenna (Gist and Swisher). Written in London: Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce Journal article from March 21, 1879, the article mentions the promise of the Joshua tree as one of the most interesting modern paper materials and how Lancaster was a key stop in bringing the Joshua trees to the mill. The plant was “brought to the station of Lancaster and loaded on waggons at a cost of two dollars per cord. From Lancaster to Ravena, the distance is thirty miles, and the railroad charges one dollar par cord for the freight. The lands surrounding the railway are divided into sections and belong to the Government and the Company. The Government collects an annual tax of 25 per cent. per acre, and at the end of three years, by paying one dollar per acre, the ownership may be acquired. The price of the plant delivered at the station is calculated at four dollars per cord." To process the Joshua tree, the mill would tear the logs into a mushy pulp. This process was extensive and involved burning the outer portions of the bark off before processing the fiber. The process is described in the 1879 journal: “The yuccas are put into heaps and burned so as to strip them of the bark; this operation is performed in the desert. They are then placed on waggons and carried to the mills, where two men are set to scrape off the burned part, but as the flame has penetrated and blackened the fibre, this cannot be fully attained. The trees are sawn into strips three inches thick, and placed on a decorticator, then three wooden vats are filled, a solution of lime is added, in no fixed proportion, however, and the exhaust of the steam-engine performs the boiling for twenty-four hours. The fibres are taken out of the vats, and two rag engines, each of a capacity of 650 lbs., are filled for the washing, which is done in two or three hours. The result is not a half-stuff which can be immediately transformed into paper, the boiling having had no effect on the fibres; the washing is not completed, and the stuff is greyish and hard to the touch. This half-stuff is spread out in the sun, and with a humidity of twenty-five per cent. is put on the wagons; it is neither pressed nor covered, and is thus brought to the mills at Lict, near Santa Clara [in northern California]. This journey costs six and a quarter dollars per ton. The stuff is here boiled again in a rotary boiler, with caustic soda, then washed and beaten, and finally made into wrapping paper upon a cylinder machine 48 inches side. The average price of labour is two and a half dollars per day; the freight of the chemicals from San Francisco to Ravena is 14 dollars per ton; and wood costs at the mill of Santa Clara five dollars per cord; and Californian coal six dollars per ton. The daily consumption of paper in California is estimated at from 15 to 20 tons. A mill at Ravena capable of turning out five tons could hardly fail of being a complete success, but it would be necessary to have the pulp and the paper manufactured at the same place, and not, as at present, one half at Ravena and the other at Santa Clara, places 400 miles from each other.” “Paper-Making Materials”. Journal of the Society of Arts. No. 1,374, Vol. XXVII | Friday, March 21, 1879, pp. 383-384. London: Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (Gris). As described here, the process was laborious and had high transportation costs, but was seemingly bound to work with the demand for paper. Once the pulp was processed, it was then bailed and placed on the Southern Pacific Railroad and delivered to the Los Angeles Harbor, where it was then shipped to London (Swisher). At the 1885 District Agricultural Fair which took place in Southern California there was an exhibit of Joshua tree logs and pulp brought in to help promote the promise of Joshua Tree paper (Gist). The Lick Paper Mill in San Jose would plan to have a monopoly of all the paper mills in the region and have them produce Joshua tree paper exclusively. B 4311, Sawing the Yucca at the Revena Mill, S.P.R.R.. Photograph by Chareton E. Watkins. (Gist, sourced from the "California Views from the R.W. Waterman Family Papers" Collection at U.C. Berkeley's Bancroft Library). B 4310, Loading Pulp at Revena, S.P.R.R.. Photograph by Chareton E. Watkins. (Gist, sourced from the "California Views from the R.W. Waterman Family Papers" Collection at U.C. Berkeley's Bancroft Library). However, during the shipment to England, the bails would often get mildew thus ruining some of the paper product. The milling would go on for two years up until 1886. During this time, the largest Joshua tree in the Antelope Valley, reportedly at 66 feet tall, was cut down to make paper (Swisher). Meryl Adams, author of “Heritage Happenings”, writes that in 1886, a cloudburst greatly damaged the mill, and it was never repaired. Due to the great cost of manufacturing Joshua tree paper, the business ended (Gist and Swisher). The mill’s ruins were reported to still be found by Mojave Desert explorer and writer Evalyn Slack Gist in 1952 (Gist and Swisher). She conducted extensive research on Joshua tree milling. This image was taken by her when she visited the supposed site. Photograph by Evalyn Slack Gist, Original caption: “This is believed to be the ruins of one of the old mill buildings, designed to make paper pulp from the Joshua trees”, likely taken in early 1950s. (Gris). Other abandoned possible Joshua tree mills have been found throughout California, with another found between Phelan and Wrightwood (Swisher). There are a few articles running up until 1894 which mention Joshua tree milling businesses starting up and then failing. One November 1894 publication mentions that a factory-made Joshua tree veneer by peeling the trunks. The veneer would be stained the color of various woods, but in the end, the veneer was too porous and would absorb a lot of the color, so this enterprise was also abandoned (Gist). By the end of the 19th century, the Joshua tree paper enterprise had ended, and the mill workers would find other ventures. George Webber would remain in California and eventually come to own the Western Hotel in 1908, which is now a museum run by MOAH on Lancaster Blvd. Had the Joshua tree paper business succeeded, it’s likely that the Antelope Valley’s forests would be significantly less than what we have today. To learn more about Lancaster’s early history and George Webber please visit the Western Hotel Museum ( Western Hotel Museum | MOAH (lancastermoah.org) ). We are open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 AM – 4PM. Works Cited Gist, Evalyn Slack. Photograph of mill ruins and “Forgotten Mill of the Joshuas”, Vol. 15 No. 1 January 1952 SCV History . SCVHistory.com BL4294 | Ravenna | Active Joshua Tree Paper Mill, 1880s. Gurba, Norma H. Images of America Lancaster. Arcadia Publishing, 2005. Swisher, John M. “Joshua Trees Once Consumed by Paper Mills” from “Bits’N Pieces,” pp. 53-54, September 5, 2003, Wrightwood Roots . d09tppr (wrightwoodcalif.com) Watkins, Chareton E. Photographs B4309-B4311. Featured in Gist’s “Forgotten Mill of the Joshuas”, Vol. 15 No. 1 January 1952 SCV History . SCVHistory.com BL4294 | Ravenna | Active Joshua Tree Paper Mill, 1880s. Originally sourced from the "California Views from the R.W. Waterman Family Papers" Collection at U.C. Berkeley's Bancroft Library.

Como saben los residentes de Antelope Valley, los veranos en el desierto de Mojave pueden ser muy calurosos. Los primeros residentes de Lancaster también tuvieron que encontrar formas creativas de combatir el calor del verano. Las piscinas se han convertido en un oasis para muchos habitantes del valle. La Figura 1 muestra a Dorene Burton Settle, una joven residente de Lancaster, y su familia en su propia piscina hecha con un tanque de agua cerca de su casa en Tropico (Gurba, 2005). Figura 1: Una joven Dorene Burton Settle y su familia en una piscina con tanque de agua cerca de su casa en Tropico (Gurba, 2005; Colecciones MOAH) La Figura 2 muestra a los niños y sus familias en la piscina de Antelope Valley High School en 1930. La piscina en sí fue construida en 1926 y a los adultos se les cobraba una tarifa de entrada de 10 centavos y a los niños 5 centavos (Gurba, 2005). Figura 2: Niños en la piscina de la escuela secundaria AV en 1930 (Gurba, 2005; Colecciones MOAH). Otro lugar acuático local es la piscina Webber. La piscina Webber se encuentra en Jane Reynolds Park y lleva el nombre de la famosa residente local de Lancaster y propietaria del Western Hotel, Myrtle “Myrtie” Webber. Myrtie fue descrita como una pionera robusta y de carácter fuerte: de complexión delgada y ojos azules brillantes. Se mudó a Antelope Valley en 1908 y se desempeñó como guardiana del Western Hotel, atendiendo a sus huéspedes como cocinera y enfermera. Myrtie tenía una mentalidad cívica y siempre estaba dispuesta a ayudar a los enfermos y necesitados. Durante la epidemia de gripe que azotó el valle en 1918, el hotel se convirtió en hospital. Myrtie operó el hotel hasta la década de 1960. Falleció en 1978 a la edad de 110 años, siendo la ciudadana de mayor edad de Antelope Valley. En dedicación a su servicio a la ciudad, la piscina recibió su nombre en 1958. Se la puede ver en la piscina en la Figura 3, con Warren M. Dorn, supervisor del Quinto Distrito del Condado de Los Angeles de 1956 a 1974 en la ceremonia de dedicación. Myrtie tenía 91 años en ese momento. Para obtener más información sobre Myrtie y sus excelentes contribuciones, visite el Western Hotel Museum durante nuestro nuevo horario de operación los viernes, sábados y domingos de 11 a. m. a 4 p. m. (cerrado los días festivos), ubicado en 557 W Lancaster Blvd, Lancaster, CA 93534. Figura 3: Myrtie Webber con Warren M. Dorn, supervisor del Quinto Distrito del Condado de Los Ángeles de 1956 a 1974 en la ceremonia de inauguración de la piscina Webber en 1958. Hoy en día, la piscina Webber está cerrada por reparaciones, pero los residentes de Lancaster pueden visitar la piscina Eastside, que ahora está abierta a partir del 20 de junio durante su nuevo horario de verano que se publica a continuación: Early Bird Lap T/Th 5:45 - 7 AM Water Aerobics T/Th 9:30 - 10:30 AM Senior Swim M-Th 10:30 - 11:30 AM Noon Lap M-Th 11:45 - 1:00 PM Saturday Lap 6/24 - 8/12 12:00 - 1:15 PM (Space is limited) Public Swim M/W/Sat 2:15 - 4:15 PM (Sat only ends 5:15 PM) Evening Lap Wed 7:30 - 8:30 PM La piscina de Eastside está abierta para varias actividades durante todo el día, que incluyen: NATACIÓN DE VUELTA : El primero en llegar es el primero en ser servido. Este programa fomenta las preferencias individuales de natación y los ejercicios autodirigidos, como aeróbicos acuáticos, natación en largos, flotar en el agua y cualquier otro ejercicio terapéutico. Abierto a adultos mayores de 18 años y nadadores jóvenes en equipos de natación competitivos y afiliados a EE. UU. Los nadadores de vuelta deben nadar en círculos. NATACIÓN SENIOR : Edades de 55 años y más. La natación es un ejercicio ideal para las personas mayores, principalmente porque presenta poco riesgo de lesiones y es de bajo impacto. Natación y caminata acuática abiertas solo para personas mayores. AERÓBICOS ACUÁTICOS : ¡A partir de 18 años! Water Aerobics es una clase de fitness grupal dirigida por un instructor. Las clases se centran en la resistencia aeróbica, el entrenamiento de resistencia y la creación de un ambiente agradable con música. Para registrarse visite www.cityoflancasterca.gov/register . Las tarifas de admisión para utilizar la piscina hoy se publican a continuación: Infant (3 yrs. and under) Free Child (4-12 yrs.) $1 Teen (13-16 yrs.) $1 Adult (17 yrs. +) $2 Senior (55 yrs. +) $1 Además, si quieres aprender a nadar, la ciudad ofrece clases de natación durante todo el año para todas las edades, así como varias clases de ejercicios acuáticos. Visite la página de deportes acuáticos de la ciudad de Lancaster para obtener más información: Deportes acuáticos | Ciudad de Lancaster (cityoflancasterca.org). ¡Esperamos que disfrutes tu verano! Trabajos Citados: City of Lancaster, Aquatics Aquatics | City of Lancaster (cityoflancasterca.org). Gurba, Norma H. Images of America Lancaster. Arcadia Publishing, 2005. MOAH Collections. Photographs of Dorene Settle and AV High School swimming pool.

Written by MOAH Collections intern Joshua Segura Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Installation located in the Antelope Valley between Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County. It was established in 1933 as Muroc Field and has since remained an important flight-testing site and school. The name, Edwards Air Force Base, has become synonymous with the Antelope Valley and its nearby industries. The fascinating life of the man that prompted the name change in 1950 is a tale of American bravery and tragedy in the Antelope Valley. Edwards Air Force Base in California, 2007|Image source: Glen W. Edwards | This Day in Aviation Glen Edwards was born March 5th, 1918, in Alberta, Canada and was the son of Claude Gustin Edwards and Mary Elizabeth. His father, from Michigan, had decided to homestead in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. The investment didn’t pay off, as a drought quickly hit the area and forced Claude Edwards to sell the property. After selling the property, the family drove in their Model T Fords and migrated to California. After a brief time of living in tents in present day Los Angeles, the family relocated to Northern California and established themselves in their new home of Lincoln, a small town north of Sacramento. In 1931, Claude bought 12 acres of land and there after a large ranch was carved up. Glen Edwards and his siblings would ultimately grow up here and help on the farm when not in school. Young Glen Edwards attended Lincoln High School where he would be called “peewee” for his briefly short stature. He played on the tennis team and also proved to be proficient in the Spanish language, so much so, that he became a part of the Spanish Club and wrote for a Spanish paper named “El Eco” (The Echo). Following his graduation in 1936 he attended Placer Junior College 11 miles away from Lincoln in Rocklin, California. Following the completion of his studies there, he was accepted into University of California, Berkeley, where he would grow into a lover of skiing and even took a year off to teach it at a local club. He graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in chemistry in June of 1941. One month after receiving his degree, with much of Europe and Asia engulfed in war, Edwards enlisted in the United States as an aviation cadet. He officially began his training that same month at Cal Aero Academy near Ontario, California. On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese Empire attacked Pearl Harbor, and the United States joined the war abroad. The war thrusted Edwards into the line of battle where he kept a diary, now since published, about his time in the military and career as a test pilot after the war that he continued until is death. His training took him to various areas of the United States and gave him a wide range of aviation experience. He had stints at: Boeing’s Flying Fortress in Boise, Idaho; Will Rogers’ Field in Oklahoma City, Greensboro, North Carolina; Chicopee, Massachusetts; and more. Following these trainings, Edwards’ squadron, the 86th Light Bombardment Squadron, was sent overseas. Throughout his military service he flew with a Douglas A-20 Havoc Fighter. The squadron had little knowledge of the military plans for them. Since they were being stationed in Britain, many believed they would be performing bombing runs over German occupied France. However, the military in reality had the intention of deploying them to take part in the Allied invasion of French North Africa following Operation Torch. Tunisia was the focus for the Allies and so the squadron saw much terrifying combat there and suffered their first casualties, especially during the Battle of Kasserine Pass where German forces were attempting to break through gaps in the line on the ground. At one point his squadron ran 11 combat missions in a single day. They even set a record by finishing one of the missions in just 19 minutes. Edwards would call this battle as “humiliating” however the Germans and Italians failed to take advantage of the victory operationally and eventually lost the battle for control of Tunisia and eventually North Africa. The squadron would later receive a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation for their service in the Tunisian campaign. Edwards would also be promoted to Captain in April of 1943, allowing for increased funds to be returned home to his family. Two U.S. Army Air Force Douglas A-20B-DL Havoc light bombers in Tunisia, 1943, like those Edwards flew over North Africa in World War 2|Image Source: Glen W. Edwards | This Day in Aviation Following the Tunisian campaign, the Allies looked toward an invasion of Sicily. Here Edwards and his squadron would see action one last time. They bombarded the enemy to soften the resistance to the landings and invasion of the islands. The operation was successful and after Italy declared war on Germany, Edwards was sent back home on leave. For his service in both campaigns, he was awarded four Flying Crosses and 6 Air Medals. Lt. Glen W. Edwards|Image Source: Glen W. Edwards | This Day in Aviation Later, Edwards was assigned to Florence Field in South Carolina to train new pilots. He was very soon after dispatched to write a manual for A-20 planes, as he now had extensive experience with them. He was assigned to the Pilot Standardization Board and sent to Princeton University where he received his Master’s in Aeronautical Engineering. Edwards continued his passion of piloting by becoming a test pilot at various locations including Wright Field and eventually Muroc Army Airfield, a career he would have until his death. Capt. Glenn Edwards|Image Source: Namesakes: Glen Edwards | Air & Space Forces Magazine (airandspaceforces.com) Muroc Army Airfield, located in the Antelope Valley, became an ideal spot for the military to test various fighters due the leveled low desert ground provided by the dry lakebed. When he arrived at Muroc he noticed the lack of funding present, especially after the war. He immediately began to scope out nearby land in Muroc and the town of Mojave stating it had “nothing but bars”. He also heard stories of other fighter pilots that had lost their lives in various accidents nearby. During his test piloting career, he tested XB-42 Mixmaster, Convair XB-56, and the Northrup N-9M. He was as distinguished as a test pilot as he was in active military service with his country. He and Lieutenant Colonel Henry E. Warden set a transcontinental speed record by flying from the west coast to the east coast in 5 hours and 17 minutes (flying at about 433 mph). He was also recommended by Major Robert Cardenas to fly the Bell X-1 to break the sound barrier. Tragically, in May of 1948, Glen Edwards, at the age of 30, and a crew of test pilots were testing a Northup YB-49 at Muroc. Edwards had noted the instability and uncontrollability of the aircraft prior to a subsequent test flight. After takeoff, the plane broke apart in the sky and fell back into the desert terrain (near the town of Mojave), and all lives were lost. Edwards’ remains are buried back in Lincoln, California. Muroc Airfield was renamed Edwards Air Force Base in 1950 and remains a highly important test flight location and military installation within the United States. Cited Sources Namesakes: Glen Edwards | Air & Space Forces Magazine (airandspaceforces.com) Glen W. Edwards | This Day in Aviation Glen Edwards : Daniel Ford : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Las Vegas is famous for its rich history of burlesque shows. It is home to the Burlesque Hall of Fame, the world’s only museum dedicated to the history, preservation, and future practice of burlesque. However, many may not know that this museum got its start in the Mojave Desert with the help of Dixie Evans, the Marilyn Monroe of burlesque. Dixie Evans was born Mary Lee Evans on August 28, 1926 in Long Beach, California (Fox). Her father was an oilman who died when she was young, and the family struggled to support themselves after his death. Evans held a variety of jobs, such as working in the celery fields and being an airplane mechanic during WWII. Evans would begin her life on the stage as a member of the chorus in touring musicals (Fox). Sometime as a young woman, Dixie ended up stranded in San Francisco between jobs. There she found that a local burlesque theater paid four times more what she was making previously (Fox). Dixies’ career soon took off and she began preforming at Minsky’s burlesque house in Newark. She soon adopted the act of impersonating Marilyn Monroe which made her a legend in burlesque. In 1998, she told the New York Times “If you couldn’t meet the real Marilyn, you could come to the burlesque and meet me.” It is said that Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn’s ex-husband, amongst many other famous men, would come to see Dixie perform after his divorce (Fox). Dixie would meet her husband, the prize fighter Harry Braelow while performing and they were married in 1963. Dixie would perform as Marilyn up until Monroe’s tragic death in 1962. This would force Dixie to re-do her act, as she admired Monroe and imitating her after her death felt sacrilegious (The Burlesque Hall of Fame). A young Dixie Evans (Burlesque Hall of Fame). Dixie as an airplane mechanic in WWII (Burlesque Hall of Fame) Dixie Evans (Burlesque Hall of Fame) Dixie Evans as Marilyn Monroe (Burlesque Hall of Fame) Dixie would go on to hold several other jobs, including working as a nurse’s aide in California (Fox). She would divorce her husband Braelow a few years later. In the mid 1960s, Dixie even went on to manage a hotel in the fishing village of Bimini in the Bahamas. She found a hotel owner and petitioned for a show with live music. The owner was initially doubtful, “You’re going to put a show on the smallest island in the world?” the owner asked. Dixie responded: “That’s the only way I know how to open up a place!” (The Burlesque Museum). She would design the bar and restaurant, and create the beautiful venue known as the Bimini Hotel which became a popular destination. Dixie was a true entrepreneur. In the late 1980s, Dixie’s friend and fellow burlesque performer Jennie Lee would be diagnosed with breast cancer. Jennie had retired on a goat ranch in Helendale, California- located in Victor Valley in the Mojave Desert , within San Bernardino County. Dixie would move there to help take care of Jennie (Fox, Burlesque Hall of Fame Wikipedia). Jennie Lee had begun collecting burlesque memorabilia when she owned the Sassy Lassy nightclub in San Pedro and had wanted to create a burlesque museum with her collection, as well as run a burlesque school and bed and breakfast (Burlesque Hall of Fame Wikipedia). Jennie would pass away in 1990 and Dixie carried on her wish to open a museum with her collections, working with Jennie’s widow. It became the Exotic World Burlesque Museum and Striptease Hall of Fame (Burlesque Hall of Fame Wikipedia). Previous visitors to the site would describe it as being filled with Greek-like plaster goddesses, fountains, and pools. A pool was built into the museum, where Dixie would host an annual beauty pageant. There was a sign at the museum gate instructing visitors to honk three times for a tour, and Dixie would appear in full makeup and costume to greet them (The Burlesque Musuem). The museum became a place of burlesque heritage, where young performers would come to learn about past dancers. Past performers are said to have enjoyed visiting the museum, seeing their work preserved and presented lovingly and professionally (Roadside America). Dixie is quoted stating that “This is history, and it deserves to be told” (The Burlesque Museum). Dixie at Exotic World (Burlesque Hall of Fame) Dixie would run the museum in the desert for sixteen years up until 2006, when the museum was moved to Las Vegas. The annual pageant would continue since its first start. In2018, the museum would move to its permanent home in the Vegas Arts district where it was renamed the Burlesque Hall of Fame (Burlesque Hall of Fame Wikipedia). Dixie moved to Las Vegas with it, and she ran and curated the museum until her death at 86 years old in 2013. Today, the museum still runs as a tourist spot and non-profit organization which offers tours of its collections of costumes, props, and memorabilia from the past. The museum also offers classes for beginners and experienced burlesque performers and its collections are open to researchers (Burlesque Hall of Fame Wikipedia). A promoter of history and a pioneer in burlesque, Dixie Evans’ legacy lives on through her museum- which all started in a small town in the desert. Dixie giving a tour at The Burlesque Hall of Fame (The Burlesque Museum) Works Cited Burlesque Hall of Fame. Dixie Evans (1926-2013). Dixie Evans (1926 – 2013) – Burlesque Hall of Fame Pinterest. Image of Dixie Evans. Dixie Evans, burlesque | Vintage burlesque, Burlesque, Belly dancing classes (pinterest.com) Fox, Margalit. “Dixie Evans, Who Brought ‘Monroe’ to Burlesque Houses, Dies at 86”. T he New York Times . August 10, 2023. Dixie Evans, Who Brought ‘Monroe’ to Burlesque Houses, Dies at 86 - The New York Times (nytimes.com) Roadside America. Exotic World- Strippers Hall of Fame (Gone). Exotic World - Strippers Hall of Fame (Gone), Helendale, California (roadsideamerica.com) Wikipedia. Burlesque Hall of Fame. Burlesque Hall of Fame - Wikipedia Wikipedia. Helendale, California. Helendale, California - Wikipedia

George Brittain Lyttle AKA Dick Fellows: One of California’s Greatest Stagecoach Bandits...Who Couldn’t Ride a Horse When we think of Stagecoach bandits, we often picture rough and tough cowboys with mean sneers and pistols, who take off on horseback with their loot. But that was not the case with George Brittain Lyttle , AKA Dick Fellows, who became one of the most famous outlaws in southern California. Despite being best known for his embarrassing streak of failures in horse riding, Fellows was also a very charismatic escapee who charmed himself out of years of prison, time and time again. This is the story of one of California’s greatest stagecoach bandits who surprisingly couldn’t seem to ride a horse. George Brittain Lyttle was born in Clay County Kentucky during the mid-1840s, likely in 1845 or 1846 (Redmon and The History Guy) (See Figure 1). He was born to a wealthy family and began studying law. His studies were interrupted by the Civil War, and he enlisted in the Confederate Army in July of 1863 (The History Guy). Four months later in November, Lyttle was captured by the Union and was paroled later in December with the promise to not go against the Union again. Lyttle would go back to law school for a short time, but soon struggled with alcoholism, which would affect the trajectory of his entire life. He would abandon law, leave Kentucky, and head to the San Fernando Valley area of California in 1867 to begin a new life (Redmon and The History Guy). He gave himself a new name, Dick Fellows, and went into hog farming. Despite an initial success, Fellow’s struggles with alcoholism would soon lead him to lose his business, turning him to stagecoach robbery (Redmon). Figure 1: Dick Fellows, circa 1882, Photo from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Fellows executed several successful robberies with a simple tactic of waiting for stagecoaches to pull up into town and then brandishing a pistol to the driver who would give him their Express Box, which typically held a few hundred dollars (The History Guy). Eventually Fellows was tracked down in January of 1870 after three years of crime and was sent to San Quentin prison, where many of California’s greatest outlaws were held (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Harvey, Redmon) (See Figure 2). Figure 2: Sketch of San Quentin as it was in the 1870s, Photo from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation While in San Quentin, Fellows was a model prisoner. Intelligent and keen, Fellows worked in the prison library and taught education and Sunday school to the fellow inmates and was seemingly remorseful for his actions. The governor at the time, Newton Booth, would pardon Fellows in 1874 after serving half of his eight-year sentence (Redmon and The History Guy). Once released, Fellows went back to trying to run a business, but his struggles with alcoholism continued and it failed. Fellows again returned to robbery. In November of 1875, Fellows lived in Caliente in Kern County where he hatched a plan for what would have been one of the largest stagecoach robberies in California history. He planned to rob a huge Wells Fargo shipment of $240,000 in gold bars (Redmon). Fellows rented a horse to take to where he planned to rob the stagecoach, but the horse threw him off before he could get very far and he was knocked unconscious for several hours, thus missing his chance for the greatest steal (The History Guy). The legend of Dick Fellows, the outlaw who couldn’t ride a horse, was born. Fellows was still determined to get some of that money and planned to rob the same stagecoach on its way back into town about a week later (The History Guy). He would confront the driver and successfully make off with the strong box. However, Fellows soon realized he had no way to open the box, which was tightly secured shut. Fellows then tried to run off with the box by loading it onto his horse, but the horse got startled and ran off, leaving him stranded in the desert with a huge load (See Figure 3). Once again, a horse had cursed him. Fellows attempted to carry the strongbox into town, but unfortunately got his leg stuck in a hole which caused him to fall and break his leg (Harvey, Redmon, The History Guy). Amazingly, broken leg and all, Fellows would eventually struggle on and enter a Chinese laborers’ camp where he was able to steal some tools, splint his leg, and open the strongbox, taking $1,800, equivalent to about $50,000 today (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and Redmon). Figure 3: Illustration by Tom Phillips for “The Outlaw That Couldn’t Ride” from Western Horseman. Fellows once again would steal a horse to escape. This horse had been newly shod, or given new shoes, prior. One of these shoes was a mule shoe, since the owner had run out of horseshoes. This unique print made the horse easy to track and Fellows would be captured near Bakersfield (Harvey, Redmon, The History Guy). Fellows would briefly escape but be recaptured shortly after. He was sent back to San Quentin with another 8-year sentence (Redmon). Repeating history, Fellows again became a model prisoner, perhaps because he was deprived of alcohol. Again, he taught his fellow inmates' basic education as well as Spanish (The History Guy). After serving five years, Governor George Perkins would pardon him in 1881, and in July, Fellows was freed. Once again, Fellows would attempt to run a legitimate business as a Spanish teacher but would go back to robbing stagecoaches after failing at his new endeavor. Fellows would go on to rob a few stagecoaches in San Luis Obispo County and committed several other robberies up until January of 1882 (Los Angeles Herald). While on the run this time, Fellows attempted to hitch a ride with two men in a wagon. They recognized Fellows and overpowered him, delivering him to Constable Van Buren who gave him to Constable Bark of Santa Clara (Los Angeles Herald). When he arrived in Santa Clara, Fellows managed to charm the constable into stopping at a saloon for a drink. Fellows apparently asked for brandy and poured himself “an extra-large horn, in spite of his handcuff” (Los Angeles Herald). After drinking, both Constable Bark and Fellows left the saloon and as soon as he reached the sidewalk, Fellows darted away down the street. The constable would shoot at Fellows and miss, and the barkeeper would take off after him. Others were alerted and soon a group of fifty people were looking for Fellows in the city, but remarkably they didn’t manage to find him (Los Angeles Herald). Dick Fellows would later be captured again in Santa Barbara. Again, he would try to escape by running off on a stolen horse, which of course, would knock him to the ground and allow him to be captured for a final time in April of 1882 (The History Guy). This time, Dick Fellows was sent to Folsom Prison with a life sentence (Redmon and The History Guy) (see Figures 4 and 5). Remarkably, Fellows was given another pardon by Governor James Gillett in 1908 after having spent nearly forty years of his life in prison (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and The History Guy). This brought an end to Dick Fellows’ crime streak. What happened next is uncertain. Figure 4: Dick Fellows’ admission to Folsom State Prison, Photo from The Santa Barbara Independent. Figure 5: Folsom Prison, circa early 1900s, Photo from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Some suggest that Fellow’s affluent family in Kentucky offered to take him back there where we would not cause any more trouble (The History Guy). Some say he changed his name again and lived teaching Sunday school and writing for magazines in another state (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation). Dick Fellows vanishes from history, leaving no further records of where he went or when he died- a fitting ending for a wild west legend. Although he failed spectacularly in dealing with horses, he was tremendously successful in the number of robberies and escapes he pulled off. References California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. “Stagecoach Bandits Crossed Paths with California Prisons”, 2019, Stagecoach bandits crossed paths with California prisons -. Harvey, Fred. Western Horseman, “Man Off a Horse The Outlaw that Couldn’t Ride”, Illustrated by Tom Philips, 1959, Man Off A Horse - Western Horseman. Los Angeles Herald. University of California Riverside California Digital Newspaper Collection, Volume 16, Number 140, February 2, 1882, Los Angeles Herald 2 February 1882 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu) Redmon, Michael. The Santa Barbara Independent , “The Bandit Dick Fellows Daring and Ineptitude Marked His Career”, 2015, The Bandit Dick Fellows - The Santa Barbara Independent. The History Guy. YouTube, “The Outlaw Who Couldn’t Ride a Horse: Dick Fellows”, 2017, The Outlaw Who Couldn't Ride a Horse: Dick Fellows - YouTube.

Many Lancaster locals frequent the Crazy Otto’s restaurant on 20th Street West. If you look up on the roof of the restaurant, you’ll see the familiar face of a smiling seal statue. Despite its familiarity, many are unaware of where the friendly seal came from. As described in the book Lancaster, California Through Time by Norma Gurba, Karl Peterson, Dayle Debry and Bill Rawlings, the fiberglass seal was an advertising mascot “Harbie the Harbor Seal” for the Southern California Harbor Gas chain. The chain ran in the Los Angeles and Orange County area up until the early 1970s (Roadside Peek). Since the chain ended, many people have inherited or purchased their own Harbie and many can be seen scattered about the LA area. Figure 1 shows a Harbie at Camperland located on Harbor Blvd, in Garden Grove in 1974 (Photo courtesy Orange County Archives). Visitors to Disneyland in the 1970’s may recall seeing him nearby. Figure 1: Harbie the Harbor Seal at Camperland, Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, 1974, Photo courtesy Orange County Archives. Lancaster had its own Harbor Gas station in the early 1950s on the northwest corner of Ave. J and Sierra Highway (See Figure 2). Harbie protected the gas station, holding a lantern in one outstretched hand and a sponge in his other. Today, the station has been replaced with a Union 76 Gas station as shown in Figure 3. Figure 2: Southern California Harbor Gas Chain in the early 1950s, Photo from Lancaster, California Through Time. Figure 3: Union 76 Gas Station on the northwest corner of Ave. J and Sierra Highway where the Harbor Gas Station was once located. Photo from Lancaster, California Through Time. The first Crazy Otto’s was created in the early 1970s by Otto Lindsel. Lindsel moved from the northwest coast to the Antelope Valley to be closer to his family. According to Crazy Otto’s, Lindsel had experience cooking for lumberjacks and so he opened his own diner in his retirement (Crazy Otto’s History). The original Crazy Ottos was located on Sierra Highway, same as the Harbor Gas station.It is likely that once the gas station closed, Harbie was picked up and set atop the original Crazy Otto’s, which can be seen in Figure 4. Figure 4: The original Crazy Otto’s restaurant on Sierra Highway, photo from Crazy Otto’s History website ( Restaurants in Lancaster CA (crazyottosdiners.com). Crazy Otto’s was located on Sierra Highway until 1994,when the Metrolink extended its services from Los Angeles to the Antelope Valley. The original building was determined to be too close to the railroad tracks and the diner had to move (Crazy Otto’s). The restaurant then expanded to several locations. Lancaster’s Harbie now sits atop the Lancaster Avenue K Crazy Otto’s, a friendly face admired by all (Figures 5 and 6). Stop by and pay Harbie a visit! Figures 5and 6: Crazy Otto’s Harbie Works Cited Crazy Otto’s Diner, History Canyon Country Restaurants (crazyottosdinerlancaster.com). Lancaster, California Through Time by Norma Gurba, Karl Peterson, Dayle Debry and Bill Rawlings, 2017. Orange County Archives, Harbie the Harbor Seal at Camperland, Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, 1974 . Werner Weiss, from the Werner Weiss Collection, Acc#2013.6. Harbie the Harbor Seal at Camperland, Harbor Blvd, Garden … | Flickr. Roadside Peek : Roadside Characters Southern California 1

Written by Jessica Diaz, MOAH Collections The Antelope Valley is home to many hidden gems. One of these is the Sanctuary Adventist church, a Spanish-style chapel that can be found on Avenue G and 200th street east. This site has been a popular filming location for multiple Hollywood movies, one of the most notable being “Kill Bill” volumes I and II. After its long history with Hollywood the chapel was later restored to a place of worship. It is important to note the chapel is still functional and holds mass every Saturday. In the 1920s the building was actually built to serve as a community hall. It also served as a school, community center, dance hall, etc. It was not until 1981 that the building got its first makeover to make way for filming, which included installing a bell tower and front porch. Once filming concluded the building returned to its original function as a community center. Finally, in 2003 the interior of the building was transformed with wood paneled walls, wooden floors, and wooden beam arches that remain inside today. This transformation was due to the filming of the movie Kill Bill Vol. I and II that would later make the location famous. In a strange twist of fate, once filming concluded in 1981 the building remained a church and began offering spiritual services. At this point, the building itself would no longer serve as a community center. According to the most recent picture taken by google maps the church is open for filming and has multiple phone numbers outside of its windows to book for filming. The church is a 21-mile drive from Lancaster and is worth the drive. So why not visit on a free day and explore all the area has to offer. Image Source: The Sanctuary Adventist Church. Jeremy Michael Brown. Glimpse of actors Uma Thurman and David Carradine standing outside of the Sanctuary Adventist church while filming for Kill Bill Vol I Image Source: IMDB References https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-sanctuary-adventist-church https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=E%20Ave%20G%20%26%20198th%20St%20E,%20Lancaster,%20California,%20USA&ref_=ttloc_loc_8 https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0378194/mediaviewer/rm4021654017/ “Kill Bill: Vol. 2.”.N.D. IMDb, m.imdb.com/title/tt0378194/mediaviewer/rm4021654017 /. Accessed 24 June 2023. https://www.scoutingla.com/scouting-the-kill-bill-church-a-brief-history-of-hollywoods-most-famous-and-fake-desert-chapel/

Nacido el 20 de septiembre de 1903, Victor Ryckebosch se mudó al Antelope Valley desde Minnesota en 1929 cuando tenía 26 años. Estableció la granja de pavos Ryckebosch que proporcionó aves de corral al Antelope Valley desde la década de 1930 hasta la década de 1980 (ver Figura 1). Además, sirvió a su ciudad como miembro del comité agrícola de la Cámara de Comercio de Lancaster y la junta directiva de la Federación de la Industria del Pavo de California. También sirvió en el comité para establecer el primer hospital en el AV y ayudó a establecer Joshua Memorial Park y Antelope Valley Country Club. Cuando Ryckebosch llegó al Antelope Valley, la cría de pavos estaba en un punto de inflexión. Dentro del artículo "Cómo los pavos obtuvieron pechos anchos y blancos", Sara Bir escribe sobre el desarrollo de la raza de pavo conocida como el blanco de pecho ancho durante el siglo 20. Los blancos de pecho ancho fueron criados específicamente para producir la cantidad máxima de carne por pavo con la cantidad mínima de costo. Estos pavos ahora dominan el mercado de pavos y son lo que la mayoría de nosotros consumimos en el día de Acción de Gracias. Antes del desarrollo de los blancos de pecho ancho, la cría de pavos era más pequeña y se utilizaban otras razas de pavos. Inicialmente fue difícil criar pavos para que fueran grandes porque no estaban diseñados para tener grandes cantidades de carne en ellos, y quemaban la mayor parte de sus calorías mientras buscaban comida activamente. Esto cambió más tarde durante la década de 1900, cuando los agricultores recurrirían a la cría selectiva de pavos que tenían pechugas inusualmente grandes, de ahí inventaron el nombre de blancos de pecho ancho. De hecho, estas aves tienen pechos tan desproporcionados con respecto al resto de sus cuerpos que tienen problemas para mantenerse en pie y deben ser inseminados artificialmente para la reproducción (Bir, 2014). Deben nacer en incubadoras y luego se alimentan con maíz fortificado en grandes cantidades para que crezcan muy grandes en un corto período de tiempo. Una vez que comenzó esta cría selectiva de pavos blancos de pecho ancho, los agricultores cambiarían de cobrar una tarifa por un ave entera a por libra, lo que aumentaba sus ganancias (Bir, 2014). Además de tener la capacidad de criar aves más grandes, la tecnología de transporte y congelación mejoró, lo que permitió que la carne se transportara más lejos y durara más tiempo. Bir escribe que un jugador clave en esta historia fue el abuelo de su esposo, Victor Ryckebosch, llamándolo "un pensador estratégico y empresario inherente", ya que un joven Vic notó que los pavos eran un artículo de lujo criado en pequeña producción. Ryckebosch desarrolló su propio pavo y lo llamó bronce de pecho ancho que fue criado de manera similar para producir la mayor cantidad de carne posible (Treece, 2007). Comenzaría a vender pavos en 1929. Comenzó con solo una incubadora de huevos en su apartamento de Santa Mónica y crió pavos bebés allí durante 6 semanas antes de transportarlos a la granja de su familia en Lancaster, titulada Ryckebosch Poultry Company. Este rancho estaba ubicado en la esquina noroeste de la calle 40 al este y la avenida K. Más tarde se desarrollaría una planta empacadora cerca de Avenue H-6, al oeste de Division Street (Treece, 2007). En su apogeo, la planta empleó a unas 300 personas (Treece, 2007). A partir de ahí, su negocio creció y Ryckebosch formó una cooperación de cría de pavos vendiendo aves bajo la marca Lancaster Farms. Más agricultores entrarían en el valle y para 1930, la población local de pavos en el Valle del Antílope se estimaba en 40,000. En 1938, había alrededor de 50 granjas de pavos que producían pavos y en 1940, el valle producía 150,000 pavos anualmente (Treece, 2007; Norma Gurba, 2005). Bir recuerda que un artículo conservado en un álbum de recortes familiar titulado "Pechos anchos en la tierra del árbol de Josué", presenta una foto de pavos en el rancho descansando bajo la sombra de dichos árboles de Josué. Durante la década de 1950, el presidente Dwight D. Eisenhower recibió un pavo de 40 libras llamado "Tom" por Ryckebosch y su esposa, Eleanor Conrad, como regalo del Día de Acción de Gracias del Antelope Valley (Treece, 2007) (Ver Figura 2). La industria del pavo de AV alcanzaría su punto máximo durante la década de 1970 hasta principios de la década de 1980, y Ryckebosch informó que hasta 2,5 millones de pavos se entregaban a los mercados anualmente (Ver Figura 3). Pero los precios de las aves de corral de Arkansas y otros estados del sur para los pavos crecerían para ser más baratos que los de las aves cultivadas en AV. Ryckebosch se anunciaría en Los Angeles y comenzó a comercializar aves bajo el logotipo de Lancaster Farms, abogando por comprar aves cultivadas localmente y frescas en su lugar (Ver Figura 4). Eventualmente, este esfuerzo de marketing daría sus frutos y experimentó ventas exitosas durante varios años (Treece, 2007). En 1938, Ryckebosch decidió interrumpir la producción de pavos y centrarse en los pollos. En un momento, enviaban alrededor de 50,000 pollos semanalmente a Chinatown en Los Ángeles, Little Saigon en el condado de Orange y una tienda asiática en Azusa. A principios de la década de 1980, muchas granjas de pavos terminarían debido a problemas económicos causados por la recesión. En 1987, solo quedaban seis criadores de pavos en Antelope Valley (AV Press). Victor Ryckebosch fallecería el 27 de diciembre de 1987 a los 84 años de edad. Su esposa Eleanor viviría de 1906 a 1995. Ambos están enterrados en Joshua Memorial Park en Lancaster. Los tres hijos de Ryckebosch, Bob, David y Jim, continuarían con su negocio bajo el nuevo nombre Victor Ryckebosch Inc. Ryckebosch Lane ubicado entre East Ave J8 y East Ave K8 lleva su nombre. Dentro del departamento de colecciones de MOAH se encuentra un libro de proyectos de investigación estudiantil, titulado "Espejismos, montañas y misterios: un estudio regional del Valle del Antílope", que fue compilado por un grupo de ciento treinta estudiantes de séptimo y octavo grado del Equipo II en Park View School en 1972 (Ver Figura 5). Este texto presenta una entrevista con Victor Ryckebosch por Steve Ryckebosch (probablemente de parentesco, posiblemente un nieto) y René Maldonado. El texto de una entrevista ha sido dictado a continuación ¡Esperamos que hayas tenido un gran Día de Acción de Gracias! Entrevista con Victor Ryckebosch Por Steve Ryckebosch y René Maldonado ¿Cuánto tiempo llevas en el valle? Él respondió: "Tengo que hacer un poco de cálculo, vine aquí en 1929, así que eso sería 43 años". ¿Cuál es tu ocupación en el valle? "Soy productor de aves de corral. Hay dos tipos de aves de corral, pavos y pollos". ¿Cómo era el valle por primera vez cuando llegaste aquí? "Bueno, algunas partes son más o menos lo mismo. Hay mucha diferencia en el número de personas aquí. Cuando llegué aquí por primera vez, la población era de unos 1.250 habitantes. Eso fue en 1929. Recuerdo que muchas de las calles no estaban pavimentadas. La única calle pavimentado viniendo hacia el este estaba Ave. K hasta 40th St. East, aunque Ave. Llegué a Roosevelt. No había nada una vez que salías de la ciudad en este lado de las vías del tren. No había casas de negocios ni nada hasta la Avenida K. No puedo recordar muy bien cuáles eran los límites en ese momento, pero no estaban del todo a la Avenida J; casi a Ave I alrededor de una milla cuadrada. Eso constituyó la mayor parte de los edificios en el área residencial y comercial. En el valle mismo, la alfalfa se cultivaba principalmente. En ese momento había algunos pavos. Las condiciones del agua eran muy buenas. Había pozos flotantes en el valle. Había uno en el lago seco que conozco y lo había visto inundar. Nuestra agua aquí bombeaba constantemente y mantenía un nivel de 40 pies de la superficie. Gradualmente cayó desde ese punto hasta lo que es ahora. Hoy nuestro nivel de agua ha bajado a 400 pies cuando bombeamos continuamente. Los pozos tienen en su mayoría 600 pies de profundidad ahora. En ese momento, la mayoría de los pozos tenían solo unos 250-300 pies de profundidad". ¿Cuál es su opinión sobre el acueducto? "Bueno, eso se relaciona con lo que acabo de decir. Creo que es muy importante que tengamos el acueducto. Necesitamos agua en el área porque el nivel de esta agua ha estado bajando en los últimos años. Puedo recordar a mediados de la década de 1940. En un momento, un grupo de personas pensó que deberíamos obtener agua del lago Yellowstone en el Parque Nacional de Yellowstone. Pensamos que, al ser la altitud más alta del país, el agua podría ser llevada al valle por gravedad sin ningún bombeo o cualquier otra cosa". ¿Has visto crecer el valle a lo largo de los años? Él dijo: "Simplemente creció gradualmente; se desarrolló más agricultura y el clima fue reconocido por mucha gente, particularmente después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Teníamos un número considerable de personas aquí que estaban en las Fuerzas Armadas, en particular en la Fuerza Aérea. Muchas de las personas regresaron después de que terminó la guerra". ¿Cuáles son algunos de los comités en los que ha estado que han ayudado en el progreso de Lancaster? "He estado en la Cámara de Comercio durante varios años. Yo estaba en el comité de agricultura de la Cámara de Comercio. También serví en la junta directiva de la Federación de la Industria del Pavo de California y en el plan de mejora de aves de corral que era un proyecto estatal, pero para el bienestar del Valle Antelope Valley. Luego también serví en el comité del hospital cuando el hospital se desarrolló por primera vez. Tuvimos que establecer un distrito fiscal aquí para comprar el terreno para construir el hospital, así que tuvimos que recaudar el dinero para comprar el terreno. Luego tuvimos que recaudar dinero para una elección con el fin de obtener el dinero del condado con el fin de construir el hospital y luego esto estableció el distrito de impuestos para todos en el valle. Fui uno de los primeros en contribuir a establecer AVEK. También fui uno del grupo original con la creación de Joshua Memorial Park. Ayudé a establecer el Antelope Valley Country Club. La primera ubicación del Country Club fue en Rosamond Dry Lake y East Avenue E. Eso fue en los últimos años 30. Entonces la tierra fue condenada por la Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos". ¿Cuál es su opinión sobre la entrada en el Aeropuerto Intercontinental? "No he pensado demasiado en ello. Tengo una mentalidad agrícola y todavía estamos cultivando aves de corral. No nos ayuda en nuestro negocio y no ayuda al aspecto agrícola de nuestro valle, aunque creo que el progreso está llegando. Personalmente, creo que pasarán bastantes años antes de que necesiten el aeropuerto en el valle". ¿Cuál es su opinión sobre la nueva autopista que se abrirá el 3 de noviembre de 1972? Él respondió: "Creo que es importante tenerlo en el valle porque necesitamos transporte y hoy incluso tenemos muchas personas viviendo aquí que viajan de ida y vuelta que trabajan en otra área que no está en el valle". ¿Cuáles fueron algunos de los primeros edificios en el valle? "La escuela secundaria original estaba ubicada en el mismo terreno que la moderna es ahora. Era el distrito más grande del mundo. Fue escrito en uno de los periódicos nacionales que se distribuyó en todo Estados Unidos. Ahora tenemos varias escuelas. La base de la Fuerza Aérea Edwards era solo un lago en ese momento en particular. Lo llamamos Muroc Dry Lake y luego se cambió a Edwards Air Force Base. Aterrizarían sus aviones en el lago seco y verían un accesorio que se suponía que era un barco, luego harían su práctica de bombardeo. Realizarían maniobras durante dos semanas y la gente de la Fuerza Aérea estaría en tiendas de campaña en lugar de edificios. Ahora tenemos el aeropuerto más grande de los Estados Unidos. Algunos de los edificios que siguen en pie se encuentran en Lancaster Boulevard, justo al oeste de Sierra Highway hasta el Western Hotel. La primera ubicación del Bank of America fue al lado del callejón. La estación de ferrocarril sigue siendo la ubicación original de donde se construyó por primera vez". Figura 1: Es probable que la foto sea de la granja de pavos de Ryckebosch, Imágenes de América Lancaster de Norma H. Gurba, Colecciones MOAH. Figura 2: A la izquierda: Imagen de Eleanor Conrad y Victor Ryckebosch sosteniendo a "Tom" que fue enviado al presidente Eisenhower. La foto fue enviada originalmente a AV Press por David Ryckebosch. A la derecha: Victor Ryckebosch con sus tres hijos, David, Robert y James. Presentado en Antelope Valley Press 2007 Figura 3: Anuncio publicitario de recorte de noticias para pavos Ryckebosch, presentado en Antelope Valley Press 2007. Figura 4: Anuncio de granjas Ryckebosch presentado en Antelope Valley Press 2007. Figura 5: Portada de "Espejismos, montañas y misterios", colecciones MOAH. Obras Citadas Treece, Jana y Vern Lawson. "El perdón presidencial del Valle". AV Scrapbook, The Antelope Valley Press, 8 de julio de 2007. Bir, Sarah. "Cómo los pavos tenían pechos anchos y blancos". Modern Farmer, 24 de noviembre de 2014. Cómo los pavos obtuvieron pechos anchos y blancos - Modern Farmer. Consultado el 20 de noviembre de 2022. Gurba, Norma H. Imágenes de América Lancaster. Editorial Arcadia, 2005.