Lost in the Fog

Wow! I just realized that it has been over a month since I last updated my blog. I have been mentally “lost in the fog” of so much work on different projects that time has kind of flown past me. I have been out and about with my camera, for pleasure as well as for work. Additionally, I am now being paid to write historical articles for an internet forum. Here are a few of my shots taken over the past month.

On The Shelves!!!

Some great news. My book, "Randsburg" The Mojave Desert's Liveliest Ghost Town," will now be available on store shelves at Red Rock Books in Ridgecrest, California! That makes three stores who stock and sell this book.

New Book Description

I have finally motivated myself to change up the official description of my book. No doubt I can do more, but it is a start, LOL!

The new description:

A combination history, photographic journey and travel guide to the historic living ghost town of Randsburg, California, located in the Mojave Desert. Take a step back in time and live the Old West! This old mining town has a lot of tales to tell, some of which you will find in the pages of this book. With a population of nearly 3000 in it's hey day, Randsburg saw it's share of excitement, murder, hi-jinks and disasters, often gaining mention in the larger newspapers. See where Billy Bob Thornton made his supporting speaking role debut in the movie "Chopper Chicks in Zombietown." After months of thorough research I reveal the true identity of Randsburg's most famous red-light madam, French Marguerite. Read the scandalous headlines about the woman vampire seeking new virgin blood! Explore the stories of some of those buried in the Rand District cemetery, who, until now, have been forgotten to history. Learn all the details behind the murder of Emily Davidson, shot dead on Butte Avenue in broad daylight by her husband. You will also learn about some of Randsburg's current residents and shop keepers, and how they manage to keep the history of Randsburg alive for future generations. Full of photographs, both color and black & white.

The Santa Susana Cantina, aka "Wallie's"

The Santa Susana Cantina, now owned by SRM Properties and used as office space, has had a long history in Simi Valley. John Wayne and other movie cowboys hung out here and Jay Leno paid a visit as well. It is even rumored that Charles Manson stopped by to "wet his whistle" once. It is mostly remembered as being a bar/saloon or restaurant by long time locals. Some have claimed that this building actually started out as a stagecoach stop in the 1800's, but records show it was built in 1930. This date could be wrong and it could have been built earlier. Many of the older buildings in the Knolls area have been given estimated build dates on official records because actual dates have been lost. In the early 1900's it supposedly served as a small church for a time, which would give it a build date of earlier than 1930. It was in the year 1932 that the first liquor license was issued for this building to be operated as a drinking establishment. Since then it has been known by many names, such as "Scotty's," "Irene's," "Jave's Reef," "Rod's," "Otto's Oasis," "Otto's Beer Bar," and even, in 1984, "Olde Susana Restaurant." But most seem to remember it as "Wallie's Hideout."

"Wallie" was Lottie W. Matthies, who bought "Otto's Beer Bar" in 1986 and renamed it "Wallie's Hideout." Lottie herself was quite an interesting character, who, at age 14 learned to be a butcher from an uncle. In 1944 she joined the Marines and became a drill sergeant. After leaving the service she headed for California, where she worked for 33 years as a butcher in various grocery stores. She finally retired from the trade and bought the bar, which she dedicated 18 more years of her life to. "Wallie passed away from cancer on January 30th, 2003. But, she saw a lot of life and colorful events at her little bar in "Santa Susana," including the filming of one of the "Terminator" movies in her parking lot, as well as scenes for the televison shows "The X-Files" and "Twin Peaks."

Here is "Wallie's Hideout" in the X-Files, season 9, Episode 10, about 30:35 minutes into the show. As you can see on the photo, this is supposed to be taking place in Canada, LOL! I have my friend Gary Wayne, of the Seeing Stars website to thank for finding this for me. If you want to find out about Simi Valley locations to be found in movies or television shows Gary is the man to contact.

This shot of "Wallie's Hideout" can be found in the old television series "Twin Peaks." This is from season 2, episode 18, called "Masked Ball." Apparently "Wallie's" also shows up in season 2, episode 22, "Slaves and Masters," but I haven't looked yet.

True Blood in Simi Valley

In early May of this year my sister Diane, our friend Jean and me decided to hike around the Tapo Canyon area of Simi Valley. Our purpose was to see if we could gain access to the Big Sky Movie Ranch in order to photograph the former "Little House on the Prairie" film location. We meandered up and down small roads, photographing wild peacocks, checking out the old ranches and talking about the history of our hometown. Finally, we headed up Bennett Road, where the Big Sky Movie Ranch is located. Unfortunately we were unable to access the road leading to the former "Little House" set, but we did stumble upon some scenes being filmed for HBO's popular vampire series, "True Blood." Never one to miss an opportunity, I turned on my camera and captured some shots of the house.

Naturally, being the curious type (some would say nosy!) I wanted to know more about this little old house, it's use in the "True Blood" series, as well as it's history.

To find out more about it's purpose in the "True Blood" series only one person came to mind, Gary Wayne, webmaster of the "Seeing Stars" website. I have often utilized his informative and interesting site when seeking information regarding filming in the area. Gary was more than happy to help and he didn't disappoint. Not only that, he was silver-bullet quick with his responses! According to Gary, who took the time to re-watch older episodes in his efforts to provide identification, this house appeared first in Episode 12 of Season 3, when Hoyt surprises Jessica with her new house. But instead of telling you all about his discovery here, I invite you to visit his website and read for yourself. Gary has done far more justice to describing the scene than I ever could. Besides, I wouldn't want to deny you the privilege of having a look through the rest of his superb website.
Hoyt & Jessica's House - True Blood - Seeing Stars Website

Regarding the history of this quaint little ranch house, I believe it was originally part of the Tapo Rancho, which in 1904 was purchased by the Patterson Ranch Company of Oxnard, who intended to use this land for raising horses and mules, as well as grains and hay for feeding them. A 1911 map drawn up by Dessery & West, Civil and Hydraulic Engineers, shows this area of Bennett Road with a number of buildings identified, including the cook house, bunk house, Superintendent's house and the blacksmith shop. It is my belief that this was the former Superintendent's house. While part of the Tapo Rancho this area was known as the Home Camp, which indicated that this house was built before 1904. Later, this property was purchased by the Tapo Mutual Water Company, and is now owned by the Big Sky Movie Ranch.

If you'd like to view or purchase digitally filtered prints of this house please visit my gallery at:
Hoyt & Jessica's House gallery

Deja Vou - or My, that looks familiar!

Written by Cindy Nunn

While looking through the photos of our blog you might be thinking to yourself..."I'm SURE I've seen this place before!" yet you've never been to Simi Valley or even to California for that matter.

My answer to you is this..."Oh, but you HAVE been here, many times, if only through the magic of Hollywood. You just weren't aware of it!"

With its rugged mountains, gentlly rolling hills, groves of oak trees, pastures of green and gold and sandstone rock formations Simi Valley and Santa Susana have been the backdrop of literally thousands of movies and television shows since at least the 1930's. The Larry Levinson Studios, producers of the Hallmark Channel movies, is located in Santa Susana / Simi Valley, directly across from the former Corriganville Movie Ranch. We are also home to the Big Sky and Paramount movie ranches.

Simi Vally is a small town with lots of BIG country surrounding it, making us an ideal location for everything from an old west setting to more modern suburban ones. Recent movies filmed here have been Transformers, Thor and The Benchwarmers. That "cursed" Poltergeist house? You'll find that right in the middle of one of our average, middle-class neighborhoods.

The location of the photo below will be familiar to any fan of Laura Ingalls Wilder as this is where America's much loved "Little House on the Prairie" television series was filmed dueing the entire run of the show. Sadly, the buildings are now all gone, with most of them going up in a blaze of glory on the last day of filming for the series when the town was blown up. Those few buildings which remained were consumed by the wild fires which raged through Simi Valley and Moorpark in 2003.

Another classic, Gone With the Wind, was also filmed in Simi Valley. Well, okay, not the entire movie, but those famous Tara cotton fields were filmed here. I suspect that some of the footage with the oak trees may have also been filmed here since our valley is full of these grand old trees.

At Corriganville you can still wander through "Robin Hood Forest" and visit the site of the former "Fort Apache." You can also stand in what was at times the lagoon from "The Creature From The Black Lagoon," "Robin Hood Lake," and "Jungle Jim's" swimming hole. In this recent photo, taken by the author, the lagoon/lake is dry.

For the rest of the world Simi Valley's "old west" flavor has been immortalized on film, with actors playing the parts of tough men crossing rugged trails and desert canyons. For those of us who reside here, well, we get to experience the real thing through our hiking adventures. In many ways the Old West is still alive and well in Simi Valley's back hills country and meandering canyons.

Simiopolis – Simi’s First Tract Home Neighborhood

Written by Cindy Nunn

During the 1800’s there were three distinct areas in what is now known as Simi Valley, with ranches dotted throughout the area from one end of the valley to the next. The land near the hills to the north, in what is now the Tapo Canyon and Tapo Street areas was called Rancho Tapo, the south east area was called Santa Susana and the rest of the valley was known as El Rancho Simi, Simi Valley or simply ‘The Simi.’

In the year 1888 a group of land investors, called the California Mutual Benefit Colony of Chicago, was formed with the intention of bringing new settlers to Rancho Simi from Illinois. These investors bought land in Simi for the town site, as well as acreage for farming. The area was advertised as a place for those seeking a more healthful environment, even going so far as to portray a paddle-wheel boat in the arroyo, making the small body of water appear far larger than it was. Soon, about one-hundred brave and hardy souls signed on to become the new settlers of what became known as Simiopolis, a name which lasted for no more than six months before reverting back to the more simple Simi.

Twelve ready-made homes, none of which came with in-door plumbing, were purchased from the T.W. Harvey Lumber Company of Chicago, who also specialized in cottage style house plans, which could be chosen from a small catalog of designs and sold for about $300. These houses were partially assembled in Chicago and sent by rail to Saticoy, California, where they were then picked up and hauled to Simiopolis by horse and wagon. In November 1888 the first group of new settlers left Chicago and arrived in Simi Valley on 15 November. However, the houses had not arrived yet, forcing them to camp out in tents at the Simi Hotel. They were no doubt shocked and surprised to find that they had come to a settlement that had neither church nor school, or much of anything else in the way of amenities for that matter!

Soon, the homes were up and the new “Simi Colony” came to life. This area, bounded between current-day First and Fifth Streets and Los Angeles and Ventura Avenues, became Simi Valley’s first tract housing neighborhood. Sadly, only two of the original homes exist, one of which is located at the Strathern Historical Park. The other, however, remains in the same location at which it was first erected, at 2^nd Street and Pacific Avenue, and is owned by Larry Powell, who has been lovingly restoring this Lovely Lady of Simi Valley for well over twenty years.

Before Mr. Powell purchased the property it was owned by Rose Arabella ROWE Printz, and then by her daughter, Bessie Printz. Ownership of the home pre-Printz is not positive, but I believe it may have been the William H. and Mary Gardner family.

Rose Arabella was born Sept. 1861 in Fayette County, Ohio, where her parents, Levi ROWE and Eliza DAVIS owned at farm at Sugar Land. On census records for 1870 and 1880 Rose was actually enumerated as Arabella R. Rowe. Her siblings were Oliver, Martha ( aka Mattie) and Wesley. On 9 June 1886 Rose married Charles Albert Printz in Fayette County, Ohio. Charles was born in Miamisburg, Montgomery County, Ohio in the year 1860.

Soon after, this newlywed couple moved to Cook County, Illinois, settling in Hyde Park. Charles was a wholesale grocer at this time. In 1888 they were living at Jefferson Avenue and 57th Street, where daughter Anna Francis Printz was born on 27 May 1888 at 5:30 in the evening. It was in this year that the partially assembled houses for the Simi Colony were being loaded on the trains at Chicago for their trip to California and daughter Bessie recalled that her parents talked about watching these houses being loaded on to the train cars.

Apparently Charles was a land agent in Los Angeles for the Simi Land and Water Company for a short time. He must have had itchy feet because by 1890 we find him living in Pleasant Valley (current day Camarillo), Ventura County, California, where he became a Registered Voter on 19 July 1890. He lists his occupation as farmer. Then, in September 1891 it was reported that he was almost finished building “a comfortable little house on his ranch,” which was located in Simi Valley. This is where daughter Gertrude Lillian was born in December 1891. Daughter Bessie was born in October 1893, probably in San Jacinto, Riverside County, where the family were living at the time of Charles’ death on 3 October 1894. Land records show that Charles and Rose granted land to the Simi Land & Water Company on 17 January 1892, quite possibly where they had built their little house.

In 1900 we find ‘A. Rose PRINTZ’ and daughters living in Fairfield, Highland County, Ohio, according to the census for that year. Sometime after 1901 Rose and her daughters returned to Simi Valley, where they lived in one of the Colony Houses from 1903 to 1905. At this time Rosa was the postmistress of Simi Valley. In 1905 the family home caught on fire and burned to the ground, forcing a move to the house next door, which is the one still standing at 2^nd and Pacific. From here, Rosa not only retained her position as postmistress, a job she held from 1903 until 1941, but she also ran the telephone exchange for Simi from this house. After many years of moving from one state to another, and than from town to town, Rose finally returned to Simi and stayed, forever immortalizing the part she played in the history of the little Simi Colony. Later, daughter Bessie took over the position of postmistress and the eveidence is still there. If you happen to stop by to see this beautiful little house, don’t forget to take note of the respectful tribute paid on the mailbox by current owner Larry Powell, which still reads “B.M. Printz.”

Please note: Research into the history of this colony house will continue as new information comes to light.

California Mutual Benefit Colony of Chicago

Written by Diane Beauton

Cindy and I have started a new chapter in the book of our lives. What started out as a walk for health three times a week has metaporphosed into a new hobby for fun and fitness.

Exploring off the beaten paths, dirt trails and historical points of interest has led us to a more exciting journey down the corridors of history and a growing interest to capture it in the view of our lens.

Our first venture was the oldest cemetery in Simi Valley, where the last remnant of the 1889 settlement also know as 'Simiapolis' are laid to rest. A small graveyard with a portion of it fenced off to cradle some of the oldest citizens of Simi Valley. This group of adventurous pioneers headed West across prairie, mountains and desert to reach a promised paradise filled with honey, wild tobacco, wheat fields, lush farm land and artesian springs; a place in 1889 known by some as The Simi and The Tapo.

A group of business men and Doctors who called themselves the California Mutual Benefit Colony of Chicago was responsible for painting the picture of this western utopia into a promise land to which some heeded the call. The California Mutual Benefit Colony of Chicago moved 12 prefab houses by train to the Simiapolis. To this date one house has been restored, historically known as the Strathern House and another is still occupied bya local resident.

Back at the cemetery we found a lone Civil War Veteran belonging to the NYHA (New York Heavy Artillary Regime), who fought in the War of the Great Rebellion. But for now our interest was awakened for two women in the Old Pioneer part of the cemetery. While many families are scattered about, Jamima Vose and her daughter Hester lay side by side. Cindy being the awesome genealogist and relentless snope has already begun to dig up little to unknown morsels of information on mother and daughter.

Their story begins as a puzzle of a few pieces, yet we already have enough to give us a glimpse into the past lives of these two courages pioneer women.

Hester Sophia Vose and her daughter Edith left Pennsylvania and settled in the new Simiapolis circ. 1893, 4 years after the first settlers arrived. It appears Hester was a widow when she ventured out to make the treacherous journey West with her daughter. It's not yet known how she arrived here, but if anyone can find out it will be my sister.

We do know that Hester served as The Simi's postmistress and telephone operator in the little community from 1893 until 1903 in one of the oringal 'Colony Houses' railed in from Chicago in 1888.

As for Jamima, it looks as if she joined her daughter sometime circ. 1897 to 1900 after her husband F.D. Vose, high constable in the city of Wilkes-Barre, died.

As more information unfolds on Jamima Vose this article will up edited and updated.