I am interested in obtaining old yearbooks or copies of old yearbooks. If you have any you are willing sell me or willing to scan for me please contact me.
I’d also be interested in old photos of Trona. I would particularly like to get pictures of the executive quarters and the other houses that were on the street where the north gate was.
I was talking to my brother Joel today about Trona. He remembers it much better than I do. I am sure that is because he lived there longer than me and worked in both the Trona and Westend Plant before he moved in 1975. He reminded me that bunkhouse 17 that was on the west side of the clubhouse burned down. He also reminded me that the quonset huts shown near the bottom of the picture above were once used by the village maintenance crews that were part of Trona when AP&CC owned all the houses. I had even forgotten the gas station that was near the fire station.
And in my head I was getting Ted Langs gas station in Argus, where Joel once worked, mixed up with Joe Brangwin’s station in Trona. I’ve asked him to help put captions on the photos that he knows about. If you can help out add a comment to any that you know about. Joel also told me that he worked with Larry Fox at the Westend Plant for nine years and new him very well.
I still don’t quite remember exactly where the old Catholic Church was located. Joel told me that at one time it was an automatic three bases if a batter hit it. Does anyone remember the barn and stables down about where Zimmerman’s lumber was? I seem to remember one of the barn building being moved to the other side of Trona Road and being used by the NRA for a target range. Joel says I’m wrong. But he was wrong about how old Larry Fox was too.
Joel also mentioned a place called Silver City that was built on the east side of Trona Road. He said it was an expansion to Tent City and that all the structures were painted silver to reflect the heat. He described it as a place that didn’t have trees and didn’t have a chance of ever getting any.
And then there was the Federal Housing Project that was between Trona and Argus. I remember that very well. I can remember being at the opening festivities with my mother.
I think I remember that part of the project was on the west side of Trona Road but was torn down way before the rest of it was.
Now, if I can get my sister to tell me where the Hog Ranch was again.
I spent today working on upgrading the way pictures are displayed on some of the pages. I also tried to add captions as best I could. If I could only guess I guessed. If you have nothing better to do and have the time to help identify some of the photographs and the people in them I would appreciate it. If you have ever worked in the plant please tell me what some of those things I guess at really are.
The Trona Centennial committee is looking for sponsors:
Sponsor levels are:
Borax – $1000.00 or more
Hanksite -$750.00 to $999.00
Potash – $500.00 to $749.00
Halite – $100.00 to $499.00
Trona – $1.00 to $99.00
Send your donation to:
Trona Centennial
PO Box 630
Trona, CA 93592-0630
There will be a Searles Valley History Symposium on Friday, March 28, 2014
Talks already Spoken for are: Trona Mining History; Trona in the 1950’s; Trona Place Names; Trona Water Line; Searles Valley Historical Society History; Epsom Salt Monorail; Shady Myrick’s Mining Adventures in Searles Valley; Garden City; Bootlegging in the Area. If you are interested in Giving a please contact Russ Kaldenberg at kaldenberg@machlink.com. They are looking for about seven more talks.
Sometimes I think I remember everything. Maybe I do but even if I do I don’t always remember things the way they really were. What I do remember was the Mexican village in back of the railway yards. It was almost hidden away and almost as if it were on Trona Railway property. Maybe it was built to house railroad workers families but the effect, deliberate or not was a segregated Mexican American ghetto. My brother, Joel had friends there. The one I remember the best was Ernesto Dominguez. Ernesto was nicknamed “Head”.
As I remember that little village there wasn’t more than six houses and it seemed like there wasn’t a real street, just a lot that all the houses faced. Joel would go there and play baseball in the lot with his friends. I would follow him there to watch. What a pain I must have been. The problem was that Joel would always get in trouble when I followed him. My mother didn’t think it was a place that I should be and any time I was anywhere with Joel around I became his resposibility. No one ever likes a little brother tagging along anyway, especially one that could report bad behavior.
Eventually the Trona Railway moved all the houses. I’d like to think it was because it was just plan wrong to have them there.
The following is a quote from Laura Quezada’s research on the 1941 Strike:
“Discrimination was a key issue for many Mexicans employed at AP&CC. Mexicans were only allowed to do the lowest form of physical labor in the Shipping Department. Mexicans were paid five cents an hour less than the men with whom they worked. They worked 12 hour shifts with only 15 minutes for lunch. There was no chance for advancement. Mexicans could only live in one isolated area of town and there were “No Mexicans Allowed” signs posted in some Trona establishments.
A fundraising pamphlet distributed by the Union states: ‘Another AP&CC tactic has been that of discriminating against Mexican workers. They are kept at the lowest pay rates, do the most menial tasks, are not eligible for advancement, and must occupy quarters that are only seen in substandard slums. Until recently they have been refused privileges afforded other workers, such as the use of the Trona Club to dance, skate, bowl or play billiards. Against this form of Jim Crowism the Union has fought unceasingly. The Mexicans have responded by 100% Union membership.'”
If you remember the other side of the tracks better than I do I’d like to hear your story about it.
I have recently been told by Jess Dominguez that the name of the street was Mojave Street. He told me that there were sixteen houses and three bunkhouses deliberately put in a location where the Mexicans would be segregated from us white folks. When I hear that now it makes me want to cry. Actually it makes me cry. I can only remember being on Mojave Street a few times. That is why I don’t remember it well. That and 50 plus years. I know we were told that it was a place we were not supposed to go.
The way I look at it maybe I could have learned about Mexican food that much sooner and it wouldn’t have been limited to the fifteen cent Tacos from the Taco Tia in Barstow or the tamale pie recipe my mother found on the back the Kraft American cheese package. Actually I still like canned tamales like the ones we used to buy in the Trona grocery store. I think they were Van Camp brand. I sound so white.
My brother Joel told me that he can still name each of the sixteen families that lived on Mojave Street. He also told me about a dog named Rags that he got from Ernesto. He said that when he got it it didn’t understand English. The concept is hard for me to wrap my head around but I know that what he said is true. We had a family friend that had a ranch in Idaho. His sheep dog came from a Basque sheepherder. It was very good at controlling sheep and cattle but it only understood commands in Spanish.
I don’t remember Rags at all but right now I have this picture in my head of Joel calling his dog, Rags, and being ignored.
According to the social security death index the following alumni were all residents of Trona:
I almost never know someone has died until I hear it from George Sherman. Ever since I saw George pull a rabbit out of a hat I had thought that he knew everything, but now I am finding out that, like me, he only remembers the classmates that were in School when he was. Thank you Cynthia Rains Moreno for bringing the younger alumni to my attention. Please take a moment to remember those that you knew and pass the news along to classmates who might not know that an old friend has died.
Rex Henry Duffel Class of 1959
I remember Rex Duffel, although not very well. He was the football team manager along with Elliot Cook.
Ben Nelson Class of 1961
I remember Ben Nelson for blowing up a cork gun by trying to use a real shotgun shell in it and for the trap door under his bed where he stored dynamite that he found at old mine sites. It is a wonder that he lived as long as he did. I say this in the spirit of the friendship we once shared as children.
I remember Sharon Hodges’ name but I cannot remember why.
Taking the time to remember old friends makes my task a little easier. We are deeply sorry to hear about our classmates deaths and in sorrow, we mourn those lost. In gratitude, we embrace those around us who remain. In sympathy, we reach out to those who grieve.
Marian Walsh wrote to share news of the loss of her son, Jeff, on Feb 11, 2011. Marian, we are all sorry for your loss.
It is amazing to see this. In the early the diving board and diving tower were removed and all diving was prohibited. There were just too many people getting injured diving into five-and-a-half-foot water.
John Fox, the son of Larry Fox, sent me a message today but the email address he used was invalid. Here is my reply to his letter.
Where does the water for Valley Wells come from? Are there really wells? — John
John,
Great question. I appreciate it. It gives me something to write about.
Valley Wells was named for the wells that make it possible to have the large reservoir of water known as Valley Wells that was used as a swimming pool for many years. If you have ever been to Valley Wells you may have noticed the well towers all around it. You can see the top of one towering above the trees in the picture above. The wells were drilled hoping to find fresh water but it was discovered that the water from the wells was salty.
Still, the water was very useful. It is used for processes and cleaning in the chemical plant. It is used to water the tamarisk trees around the pool. At one time it was used throughout Trona to water trees and in all the toilets for flushing.
I remember a new school teacher telling his class about how they were having a plumbing problem in the house but he discovered that the tap outside was still working so that is where he got the water for coffee that morning. He learned about Trona salt water the hard way.
alley
The well towers are rather interesting. They look like oil drilling rigs. I’m guessing they served the same purpose. The difference is that the Valley Wells towers are enclosed. My guess is that instead of tearing the rigs down they enclosed them and turned them into pump houses.
Valley Wells
Valley Wells
Valley Wells
John,
Did you ever live in Trona. If so do you remember where you lived and what your father did there?
My brother worked with Larry at Westend. When I was in elementary school Larry Fox lived in a duplex on Clover Street and was involved in newspaper delivery.
Do you know the location of the Hog Ranch in Ridgecrest?
I hope you will be to share some of your photos of Trona that you mentioned with us. I’m looking forward to hearing from you again.
Note: John Fox died in 2014. He never responded to me.
My brother, Joel wrote and told me that that Don Brooks, class of 1954 had died about a year ago. His death was October 26, 2011. He was buried in the Searles Valley Cemetery. Don Worked in Trona for 40 years.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79673144/donald-milton-brooks
Warren “Gene Bradburn” Greenstreet Eagle, passed away on February 20, 2013. Gene was in the class of 1951 but the family left Trona after his junior year. Gene was the son of Kenneth Greenstreet and Doris Hicks. Gene’s father died of pneumonia in 1935 when he was three. Sortly after that his mother Doris married Fred Bradburn. Gene’s brother, Kenneth “Leroy” Greenstreet- Bradburn was in the class of 1952. They had two younger sisters; Linda and Joyce who were born after their father died.
Obituary:
“Warren Eugene Eagle, a resident of McCloud, California, passed away on February 20, 2013 at Mercy Medical Center in Mount Shasta, California. He was 80 years old.
Gene was born in Elwood, Indiana on November 29, 1932. He moved to Siskiyou County from Pomona, California in 1980.
Gene was a veteran of the US Army. He was a tradesman and enjoyed the outdoors.
Survivors include his wife, Leslie Eagle of McCloud; sons, Randolph Greenstreet of Sierra Vista, Arizona, and Warren Eugene Greenstreet Jr. of McCloud; daughters, Tamara Greenstreet of Sierra Vista, Arizona, and Stacy Otte of Yuba City; brother, LeRoy (and Shirley) Bradburn of Elwood, Indiana; sister, Joyce Call of Sierra Vista, Arizona; and four grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are in the care of Mt. Shasta Memorial Chapel.”