Today, Silver Mountain City is a ghost of a ghost town. An army of pines has invaded the town’s cross streets, and only the traces of hand-dug cellars and rock foundations remain where noisy saloons and thriving businesses once stood. The old stone jail, once a proud centerpiece of town, is a jumble of broken blocks. But […]
Lexington: The Long-Lost Treasure Of A Long-Lost Town
It was a couple of weeks before Christmas, 1886 – December 3rd, to be exact. “Colonel” Alonzo Winfield Scott Smith was out exploring the back country of eastern Ventura County, near the confluence of Piru and Lockwood Creeks. And some might say it was a Christmas miracle: Voilà! Smith stumbled across a “lost” gold mine. Or maybe it […]
Sandberg’s Lodge on the Old Ridge Route
When we visited in 1992, all that was left was a sturdy stone wall and a few cracked rectangles of concrete. But in the 1920s, Sandberg’s Lodge was a bustling wayside stop for travelers on the old Ridge Route between Los Angeles and Bakersfield. Some say Old Man Sandberg was a heck of a guy. […]
Markleeville’s (Unofficial) Sister City: Newman, California
Did you know tiny Markleeville, California has a sister city? Well, not an official one. In fact, the two towns probably have no idea they’re even related. But Newman, California and Markleeville share a common heritage. The link that binds them? The man who gave the town of Newman its name. Here’s the tale! Simon Newman (Neumann) was born in 1846 in Willmars, in the Bavarian […]
Jonas Winchester’s Wild, Crazy, Adventurous Life – Part 2
So, how did Jonas Winchester get to California? Ah, that’s a story in itself! (And if you missed Part 1 of Winchester’s wild and crazy story, here’s where to read it!) The eighth of 13 children, Jonas Winchester entered the world on November 19, 1810 in Marcellus, New York. At roughly age 16 he was apprenticed […]
The Wild, Crazy, Adventurous Life of Jonas Winchester (Part 1)
Jonas Winchester was one of a kind . . . . The year was 1871. Hope was in the air, in the tiny mining town of Monitor, California. “General” Jonas Winchester and his wife had recently arrived from back East. And word was that the Globe Gold & Silver Mine was finally going to be […]
Discover the Odd Fellows Rocks
Ever visited the Odd Fellows Rocks? Most folks don’t even know they’re here. But they’re a fascinating and easily-accessible site along the old Emigrant Trail, near the top of Carson Pass! Several jubilant emigrants paused here between August 25 and 27, 1849, after successfully ascending the infamous “Devil’s Ladder” — one of the most difficult stretches that […]
Stalking Perry Mason: Following the Footsteps of Erle Stanley Gardner in Ventura
What’s not to like about a lawyer who got kicked out of law school?! His best-selling Perry Mason novels aside, Erle Stanley Gardner would still be legendary for that un-lawyerly feat! Born in 1889 in Malden, Massachusetts, Erle Stanley Gardner managed to stay enrolled at Valparaiso University’s law school for only a few short months. […]
Vegan Ventura Vacay – Part 2
Ventura Sites & Sights: Our trip to Ventura, California was a fun “Vegan Vacay” – we dined our way through some fabulous restaurants! (For our vegan eatery itinerary, check out Part 1 of this story!) And of course there are plenty of sights to see and things to do in Ventura, as well. Here are […]
Vegan Ventura Vacay – Part 1
Ventura, California. It’s been called the “most under-rated beach town in America.” And frankly, that’s why we love it. Tucked between the L.A. bustle and Santa Barbara glitz, Ventura’s undiscovered energy makes this coastal burg even more special. It’s pedestrian-friendly, temperate year-round, and right on the ocean. Despite recent growth, it’s kept the small-town feel. […]
Take a Ride on History: The Amador Central Railroad!
Our tickets called it a “Speeder Excursion.” And a delightful (if not exactly speedy) ride into history it was, bumping along on the 114-year-old rails of the Amador Central Railroad — one of the oldest continuously-running railroad lines in the country! We gathered at Lane’s Station — a dirt pull-out on Highway 104, about 1.5 […]
Yank’s Station
Old Yank’s Station has a cool anniversary coming up on Sunday, April 28th — 159 years, to be exact! On April 28th, 1860, exactly 159 years ago, a young Pony Express rider named Warren Upson came flying in to change ponies, stopping for the very first time for his mount change at Yank’s. The new road over […]