Anna Sue Johnson Eldridge left a message on Facebook saying that Al had recently passed away. If I get any additional information, I will post it here.
Alfonso Tarin Duque — Class of 1961
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Category Archives: Trona News
Westend
Is it West End or Westend? If you are talking about the Chemical Company, it is West End. If you are talking about the town, it is Westend. Don’t let the name confuse your sense of direction, Westend is on the south end of Searles Valley.
West End Chemical Company began in Nevada.
Francis Marion Smith formed the Tonopah Extension Mining and Milling Company, which later became the West End Consolidated Mining Company. He then used his West End capital for new projects, including the acquisition of mineral rights to a large section of Searles Lake in northern San Bernardino County, California and in the Panamint Valley in Inyo County, California.
Henry Hellmers was born in 1891 at Varel, Germany. He came to United States in 1908 and studied Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Berkley. He became a citizen in 1915. In1924 while working for “Borax” Smith he patented a process that he believed would make a plant at Searles Lake profitable. He used limestone mined in Panamint Valley to created carbon dioxide which when bubbled up through lake brine would cause the borax and sodium bicarbonate to separate from the solution.
Henry is listed in the 1950 Census as a resident of the Westend Village and used Westend as his address when he registered to vote in 1960. He managed the West End plant at least up to that time. The employees knew him as Mr. Westend.
Henry was known for his love of fly fishing and collection of photographic slides of wildflowers that he had taken.
The Key Patents by Henry Hellmers et al.
Henry Hellmers developed profitable processes for refining the lake brines into the marketable products that were produced by the West End Chemical Company.
walking on Nevada Street in 1940
Note the picture, and from the left to right beginning from the center of the picture, we have the old West End Village (now a pile of lime). Down the middle of the village and heading to the right is Nevada Ave.
To the right of the village are two one story buildings which were the bunkhouse garages. At right angles to the garages is the two-story No. 2 bunkhouse.
In front of the No. 2 bunkhouse is the No. 1 bunkhouse which has an open area (patio) in the center of the building.
To the right is a 100-foot wooden tank – at the time, the largest wooden tank west of the Mississippi. Beyond that was a series of tanks used for brine storage.
The white pile in the background is quick lime.
The building and the cement slab are the rec hall and tennis courts.
Four buildings in a row were bunk houses and beyond that are the borax storage tanks and right of that was the borax refinery building. Beyond that are the 5-foot carbonate towers, and in front of them were three vertical lime kilns. Beyond this were the 10-foot carbonating towers, and on the right is the machine shop.
The above description is from the book, Trona Trivia by Dr. O. N. Cole. Unfortunately, the picture isn’t large enough to identify all the landmarks he mentioned.
For many of us who didn’t live there, Westend was a place that passed on our way in and out of Searles Valley that we didn’t know very much about.
In 1956 West End Chemical Company merged with Stauffer Chemical Company The Westend plant was purchased from Stauffer Chemical Company by Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation on October 1, 1974.
The photos and information on this page were sent to me by C. Patrick Dunne. They were part of a presentation he made for the 2014 Trona Centennial. Thank you, Pat!
Donald Wayne Samuels — Class of 1955
An email from Donald’s daughter, Helen Arrowood, informed me that Donald passed away on November 15, 2022.
Donald was the son of Raemon and Ruth Samuels. He was born 11 February 1938, probably in Trona. It is more than likely that he was enrolled in the Trona schools from kindergarten through high school graduation. His father was an electrical engineer for AP & CC and they lived on Wildrose Street. Donald had an older brother, Neil, class of 1945 and a sister Virginia, class of 1951.
According to the 1955 yearbook Donald was in the band for four years, the varsity club for three years, was a member of the track team for two years and a member of the basketball team for two years.
When an official obituary is available, I will post a link to it.
My condolences to Donald’s family.
2022 Homecoming and All Class Reunion Photos
Please send me any photos you would like to share.
I was told that the “T’ was illuminated with battery powered LEDs this year. (I would like to know more about that. In the early years the “T” was lit up with kerosene soaked torches. Then after someone realized just how dangerous that was the Trona RR would donate railroad flares to lite up the “T”.
If I remember correctly it was always the job of the 7th grade students to make the trek up to the “T” with the flares.
When the natural gas line was run to Trona the gas company made a promise that the couldn’t keep of running a gas line up to the “T” so that the “T” could be gas fired. The best they were able to do was create a large “T” out of pipe that was probably fueled with a propane tank. It was used one time and abandoned.
Alumni Registered for the 2022 All Class Reunion
Bobbie Marie (Halstead) Jones — Class of 1961
I still remember the day that Bobbie Halstead walked into our 3rd grade class as a new student. It was around 1952 or 1953. The Halstead family had just moved to Trona from Porterville. I had never heard of Porterville before and had no idea where it was. She was assigned the desk next to mine. We were friends ever since. I didn’t keep up with Bobbie’s life so I can’t tell you much about it. I chatted with her on the computer quite a bit she started complaining about memory problems and just sort of disappeared from Facebook. The last time I saw her was at the last class reunion that I attended. It was a very sad moment yesterday when I heard that she had passed away. She died on July 10, 2022.
Bobbie was born in Porterville January 24, 1943 to James and Irene Halstead. Bobbie came to Trona with her three brothers, Frank, Jack and Richard and a younger sister Linda. Frank was in the class of 1954 and Jack and Richard were in the class of 1956. Jack passed away in 2003. Linda was in the class of 1962
We would like to express our sincerest condolences to Bob and to all of Bobbie’s family.
Roger Kenneth Mitchell — Class of 1956
Note: Roger went by the name of Roger Terry while he lived in Trona. The family left Trona about 1954/1955.
Roger Kenneth Mitchell
March 22, 1938 – July 14, 2022
Roger Kenneth Mitchell was born March 22, 1938 in Waukegan, IL, and went to be with his Lord on July 14, 2022, aboard the cruise ship Ruby Princess while docked in Juneau, AK.
Spending his youth in Trona, CA, Roger spent many hours exploring the surrounding mountains and desert near Death Valley, ultimately leading him to earn a university degree in geology.
Following graduation, he began following another passion, that of travel to and exploration of other countries, expanding his thirst for knowledge and experiencing world cultures different from his own. His love of travel continued until the end of his life, even though the menace of Parkinson’s Disease wracked his body, making mobility more difficult. The day before he passed away, he enjoyed the wonder and beauty of the Yukon Territory, adding another place to his long list as a member of the Travelers’ Century Club.
Roger believed in helping his fellow Americans and world neighbors. He served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves as a medic. He joined the Peace Corps in its formative years and spent two years helping the indigenous people of the 12,000-foot-high Altiplano plateau of Bolivia build a water system to better their existence.
Service to the members of his community continued while he lived for a number of years in Bishop, CA, where he was a member of the Inyo County Sheriff Department Search and Rescue Team, using the experience he gained while climbing many of the Sierra Club 100 Peaks and twice hiking the John Muir trail on his own.
After moving his family with three sons to Oakhurst in 1980, Roger became a Scout leader, sharing his knowledge and love of the mountains and nature with the boys in the troop and camping with them each summer at Camp Chawanakee.
As Roger commuted to Fresno every day on the dangerous two-lane Highway 41, he came upon many accidents. After one particularly deadly day, he decided to train as an EMT in order to feel like he might help in the future. He joined the Madera County Volunteer Fire Department at Oakhurst Station 12, where he ultimately served as the Captain for 16 years.
Under his knowledgeable leadership, the volunteer company grew in numbers to provide excellent service to the community of Oakhurst and County of Madera, with many firefighters choosing to continue the profession with CalFire.
Roger was awarded the Madera County Firefighter of the Year in 1980 for his role in leading the fundraising and purchase of the first automatic external defibrillator A.E.D. in the county fire department for the engine at Station 12. A life-saving piece of equipment now seen literally everywhere groups of people gather, it was a game changer back in 1980.
Exploring was part of Roger’s nature from an early age, and he began to share his experiences in the 1970s by writing for off-road magazines, encouraging his readers to follow his lead in exploring their surroundings. He wrote booklets that guided off-roaders to follow jeep roads in the forests of the Sierra Nevada and the deserts of Death Valley and Joshua Tree.
Upon reaching retirement, he was able to once again focus on his passions for exploration and writing, traveling far-flung trails with Loris to new destinations in California and Nevada. Together they created Track and Trail Publications and published eleven 4×4 trail guides. Through these guidebooks Roger will continue to lead his readers down roads to exciting new adventures, teaching them about the history, natural wonders and respect for the environment.
Roger is survived by Loris Mitchell, his wife of 44 years; daughter Susan Scammon and her husband Mike; sons Lawrence Ott, his wife Jennifer, Jeran Ott, his wife Elizabeth, and Andrew Mitchell; sister Betty Kuehn; granddaughter Colette Ott; and many friends who remember him fondly. He was preceded in death by his grandson Dallas Dituri.
A service will be held at Oakhill Cemetery on Friday, July 29, 2022, at 1 p.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=17Iz0D1EbxE7E53SPZ_iPo0cVJRLA1e8&ehbc=2E312F
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Fresno Flats – Sierra Historic Sites Association (fresnoflatsmuseum.org).
THS ALL ALUMNI REUNION 2022
Dear Alumni:
It’s time to put the past 2 years behind us and all come together to celebrate Trona High School, Homecoming and all our classmates on October 14-15. For those of you that are not aware, our beloved THS was badly damaged in the earthquakes of 2019. High school students have been attending class at the Round School and will be getting a new school in the future. Listed below is the preliminary schedule, event information, and the reservation/souvenir form..
The festivities will begin Friday night, October 14, with the coronation ceremony and bonfire, followed by a street dance on Frontage Road from 8:00 to midnight. DJ Eric Shoaf of Good Vibrations is donating his time to provide the music. Saturday activities include the pancake breakfast, Homecoming parade, with our very own Anna Sue and Benny Eldridge as Alumni Grand Marshalls. Lunch will be served from 11:00-1:00 at the Round School and proceeds will benefit the Searles Valley Scholarship Foundation. The Varsity football game against Mojave will start around 2:00, preceded by the introduction of the Homecoming Court. Saturday evening includes dancing and entertainment from 9:00-1:00 at the Elks, provided by Uptown, led by our very own Trona alumni John Young. The evening meal will be heavy Hors d’oeuvres. Souvenir tee shirts, zip up hoodie sweatshirts, and caps are available for purchase on the enclosed order form.
Here’s the schedule of events.
Friday, October 14th
• 7:00 pm Coronation on the football field
• 8:00 pm Bonfire and “T” lighting
• 8-12 pm Street Dance – Frontage Rd. (where the liquor store/pizza parlor was)
Saturday, October 15th
• 7:00 am Pancake Breakfast at the Senior Citizens Center
• 10:00 am Homecoming Parade
• 11:00 am Catered Lunch at the Round school (11:00-1:00)
• 2:00 pm Introduction of Homecoming Court followed by Varsity Game
• 6:00 pm Social hour at the Elks
• 7:00 pm Heavy Hors d’oeuvres meal served from 7:00-9:00
• 9:00 pm Dancing at the Elks
◊ Reunion souvenirs: Souvenir tee shirts, hoodie sweatshirts, and hats can be ordered on the attached form. These souvenirs will NOT be available for sale during the reunion weekend, so buy them now! Souvenir packets will be available for pickup at the street dance on Friday night and after the parade on Saturday at the Rose Garden. A group picture will be taken in front of the high school prior to the lunch. Be sure to wear your reunion shirt!!! You may order souvenirs whether or not you attend the reunion, on the attached order form.
◊ Floats: Some alumni may be having floats in the parade. Please check with your class rep for more information.
◊ Hotels: See attached list for hotel information. Camping will be available at the Trona
Pinnacles. The Pinnacle Inn Motel in Trona is hoping to be open by then. Dry camping, at no charge, will be available at the Trailer Park in Argus. Homewood Canyon Cabins are also available to rent. . Check their website at www.homewoodcabin.com.
◊ Cell phones: Only Verizon or Sprint cell phones will work in Trona. If you plan to purchase a prepaid Verizon or Sprint phone for the event, please make sure to ask if that phone will work in Trona. Apparently some do, and some don’t.
In addition, contact your class representative (see below) if you have any questions, want more information, or if you know the whereabouts or address of a lost classmate. Up-to-date information about this reunion will be available on Facebook in the Trona Alumni Group and at David Stevens website Trona On The Web: https://www.trona-ca.com (follow the links)
Hope to see you all in October!!!!
Please feel free to contact any one of the following coordinators: Barbara Sorges (760-608-9338, bsorges@yahoo.com), or Lana McCullar (760-372-5087, mygkids64@icloud.com). They will be able to help you get in contact with your class representative.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
- Fill out the 2022 Reservation/Souvenir Order Sheet and make out a check for the total amount payable to “Trona Alumni Association.”
If you are married to an alumni, please fill out a separate reservation sheet for each person with your class year indicated. Your tickets, and any souvenirs you order will be available for pick-up with your class. - Mail the 2022 Reservation/Souvenir Order Sheet and check to the following address:
Barbara Sorges
TAA Treasurer
416 Dewalt Ave.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555-4987
AND DO THIS BEFORE SEPTEMBER 15, 2022
This cutoff date is firm….registrations/orders will not be accepted after this date.
HOTEL INFORMATION 2022 REUNION
All rooms are plus tax (13.195%)
All rooms reserved under TRONA ALL CLASS REUNION
Make reservations like normal, but mention that it is for the TRONA ALL CLASS REUNION to get the prices listed below.
Springhill Suites – 760-446-1630
king bed or double queen – $149.00
Hampton Inn & Suites 760-446-1968
king bed or double queen – $139.00
Heritage Inn and Suites – 760-446-6543
king bed or double queen – $119.00
Each of the above hotels have 5 king and 5 double queens reserved
Includes breakfast Reserved until 30 Sep
Holiday Inn Express (not open yet, but taking reservations for October)
800-439-4745
King – $159 – double queens – $169, plus tax
Includes breakfast
No rooms reserved
Clarion Inn – 760-446-7910
15 kings reserved – $103 plus tax
10 double queens reserved – $107
Includes breakfast
Reserved until 10 October
Best Western – 760-371-2300
5 kings reserved – $98.99
5 double queens reserved – $108.99
Includes breakfast
Reserved until 1 Oct
Quality Inn – 760-375-9731
5 kings reserved – $109.00
5 double queens reserved – $109.00
Includes breakfast
Reserved until 1 Oct
Torry MacLean –Class of 1959
I don’t know much about Torry or his death. I couldn’t find an obituary except for a short mention in the Searles Valley Slate dated April-June 2022. It reads as follows:
Torry was a Lifetime member of SVHS, and an Old Guest House Museum docent for many years. He loved his time at the museum and shared that he loved to walk around “just studying the photos” whenever the museum was without visitors. Torry also was dedicated to taking care of repairs that were needed around the museum.
The MacLean family came to Trona in 1944 where they lived in Federal Housing until 1953 when they moved to a house on Sage Street The MacLean’s left for Texas in 1955 when AP&CC landed a contract for the production of lithium hydroxide. They started a new company called, American Lithium Chemicals, where Torry’s father went to work.
At some point Torry purchased land in Homewood Canyon and moved back to Searles Valley. Torry’s mother, Hazel, is buried in the Searles Valley Cemetery.
Torry’s brother Paul MacLean (class of 1958) wrote an autobiography,Trona to Austin: How Life Snuck Up on Me, that is available on Amazon.
We send our deepest sympathy to Torry’s family.