Gary-Summer: Savage

Showing posts with label Savage. Show all posts

Friday, October 30, 2026

October 30, 2026 - OSHER Tour-Mussel Slough

Title: October 30, 2026 - OSHER Tour-Mussel Slough ~~and Stone Corral~~
Hike Info : Description : Background

Hike Info:

Type:Touring

GPS Tracks - Note: The GPS Dropped the tracks from Fresno State to the first site, the Mussel Slough Tragedy Landmark.

Description:

Sherri pondering

OSHER Catalog Description: Presenter: Dan Carrion Historian Dan Carrion, a former Fresno State Theater Department staffer, will guide this adventure, which begins with a bus trip from campus to the Hanford area for the 1880 Mussel Slough shootout site and the cemetery where three people who died there are buried. Next, it’s Hanford's Courthouse Park to explore some sites of interest and have lunch (on our own), possibly enjoying a cold treat from Superior Dairy’s pink truck that’s open while the cafe is being renovated. ~~After a visit to Stone Corral, site of the final shootout of Sontag and Evans~~, the trip’s historical aspect ends in Reedley, visiting several historical sites, before returning to campus . [Notr: Permission could not be obtained to visit the private property which the Stone Corral is located at. So this did not take place.]

Also see the Background section for more detail on the various markers.

I got up at 6:00 and did not move very fast, then had breakfast before Sherri got up. I then put the finishing touches on what I am taking. We got to Fresno State by 7:40 and joined the rest of the group going on this trip. The trip is through OSHER. Dan has led these trips to explore the different parts of the Central Valley through the eyes of the area’s history.

Mussel Slough plaque

Grangeville Cemetery

Dan at Grangeville Cemetery

Hanford Cemetery

We will be chauffeured on a bus. The “we: is 38 of us. As we go along, Dan starts to give us a background on what we will be seeing and hearing. The theme is, in the 1880’s the railroads were powerful and corrupt. Laws which encouraged them to develop lines through the Valley and throughout California-that would be the Railroad Acts of 1864 and 1866 -allowed railroads to have up to 10 square miles of area within 20 miles of the track they laid down. This meant that each mile which was laid down they got about 20 square miles. Consequently, they were huge land owners in the Central Valley.

Hanford Cemetery

That was a legit incentive I think. What got twisted is the intention was that the companies could then turn around and have people rent or buy these parcels. The problem is the railroads would change the terms, increasing the rent and sale price by 10 times or more in some cases. This created outrage by some of the settlers, leading to a violent confrontation at Mussel Slough when the railroad tried to evict a settler from his home.

Old Hanford-1926

After learning the details of the Mussel Slough Tragedy, we went on to the Grangeville Cemetery. We got our first bit of excitement as the bus driver tried to maneuver the narrow lanes of the cemetery without going onto the grass or worse, over a grave. He did not, but decided he was not going to go further-the groundskeeper came out to make sure he had not left the pavement. So he let us off while we explored and he worked on getting out of the cemetery-he was successful.

The reason why we stopped at the cemetery is that five of the eight people who died at Mussel Slough are buried here: Iver Knutsen, Daniel Kelly, Miles Hart, Edward Haymaker and Acrhibald McGregor. The groundskeeper mentioned another person or two which are buried here as well, but not connected to Mussel Slough. The grounds do show the pride of being well taken care of.

We get back on the bus and head to the Hanford cemetery. You guessed it, two more of the Mussel Slough deaths are buried here: JE Henderson and James Harris. We looked around a bit more before moving on.

We are up ahead of Dan’s schedule, so he takes us to old downtown Hanford. I am thinking that around the park and the old jail is the old downtown. But there is an area even older, at West 6th and South Irwin Streets. He shows us where the old railroad station-right beside the tracks. Not where Amtrak runs, but the older freight tracks. Some of the history of Hanford is having its downtown burnt twice as all of the buildings were made of wood. The third time Hanford was built was with brick. He points out an old brick building which fronts 7th St as one of the older buildings in Hanford. This is also one of the favorite watering holes of E Clampus Vitus, the Sequoia Club.

Superior ice cream

We are still up ahead of schedule, but this is a good lunch break, so we head to a local strip mall which has three restaurants close by: Pho Wynn, La Taqueria Pata Salada, or Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Sherri and I chose the Mexican place-did you expect anything else? (I suspect Sherri left alone would have gone to the Pho place.) The meal was hearty, not spicy at all. We will be content for the rest of the day.

Then it is on the Hanford Civic Center Park. You have the old jail there, a replica of the Bastille. Also the Hanford Civic Auditorium, complete with an old World War I canon in front. About 30 years ago, Hanford brought in things to make it more kid friendly, such as a carousel. But what we all flock too, and flock is not an exaggeration is the Superior Diary pink trailer. Sherri and I share a small mint ice cream dish-which is two good sized scoops with some fudge syrup. It tastes good, but I will be glad when the brick and mortar opens up. Somehow, it tastes better over there.

Poole Ferry

Sherri had waited in line behind Anita, Dan’s wife. Each shares a love of sourdough baking. Consequently, they both enjoyed each other’s company and promised each other recipes.

Dan gathers us while we are savoring the ice cream and talks about Major James Savage and his relationships with the Indians and settlers of the area. Savage knew how to get along with the natives and would broker when disturbances happened between the two. What he could not remedy was the greed of certain folks who thought that they could take whatever they wanted. This was how the demise of Savage came about as he was shot dead by a judge which he helped get appointed. We will learn more about this later on.

Smith Ferry

Now it is time to reboard our bus and head to the final three spots for this afternoon. The first being in southern Reedley. Here Dan talks about two ferries: Poole and Smith. In our age of dams, bridges and highways, we forget how important and challenging river crossings would be. There is a wide variance in the depth and swiftness of water in the Central Valley. In the late 1800’s a wagon would easily get swept away with all of your goods in an ill-fated river crossing.

There were two crossings close together. One would be pretty accessible during certain times of the year and one was pretty much all year. These were Poole and Smith Ferries. They were competitors with each other, within a mile or two. It was here that Savage was killed. The monument the E Clampus Vitus people put up is a single large granite block with information on each ferry; one on one side of the block and the other on the other side.

After the ferry monument, we went on to a bridge crossing, which substantially replaced the ferries over the King’s River. The bridge was called the Wagon Bridge. This bridge was wooden, but survived several floods until it was replaced in 1929 with a concrete bridge.

Our last stop is at Hillcrest Farms. On the southeast corner, outside of the fence is an E Clampus Vitus memorial to Major James Savage. It has a biography of him on it. I am not sure that this is a special place for Savage. Still he deserves his own place away from other remembrances. He was a man with flaws and of his times-aren’t we all. But he did die while defending a people who were trying to live in peace away from the encroaching white man. He does deserve his own place. [It is noted that there is a second James Savage about half a mile away on private property.]

We got back to Fresno State about 5:15. Derek, our bus driver is appreciated by all 38 of us as he has done a good job of driving us around, sometimes in places which I would guess he wonders why he signup for this. All of us also appreciate the work which Dan did in preparing for this trip.

Sherri and I get back home about a quarter to six, just glad to rest for awhile. Who knew that riding around in a bus all day could be so tiring?

Background

Headstone Symbols: There are common symbols used on many headstones. Sherri and I first came across this when we saw a bookmark at the gift shop at the Atlanta Oakland Cemetery, There are websites which also give an explanation. Here are three of them:

Stone Letters - Has good pictures
Merkle’s Monuments - Guide to Common Headstone Symbols
Memorials - a pretty comprehensive list

Monument References:

Mussel Slough:
Poole and Smith Ferry
- Historical Marker Database (HMDB)
- Wikipedia on Smith Ferry
- Kiddle for Kids
  - Smith Ferry
  - Poole Ferry
- Gribblenation. There is a second entry dealing with Poole Ferry.
Wagon Bridge
- Historical Marker Database (HMDB)
Major James Savage
- Historical Marker Database (HMDB)

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

November 11, 2025 - The Other Wawona Loop

Title: November 11, 2025 - The Other Wawona Loop
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail head: Wawona Visitor Center Parking Lot

Trail: Chowchilla Mountain Road, Four Mile Road, Part of the Bills Hill Trail, Wawona Meadow Loop

Destination: Loop

Distance: 6.45 miles

Start Time: 12:17

End Time: 4:47

Travel Time: 4:30 (1.43 mph)

Moving Time: 3:47 (1.71 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,121'

Descent: 1,102‘

Maximum Elevation: 4,839'

GPS Tracks

Description:

I got up at 5:30. Today we are going to do a hike up at Wawona. Unlike a couple of weeks ago, we will be doing an extended loop around Wawaona Meadows. But first, I have a 9:00am appointment with my dental hygienists. I worked on my book blog-we are having the author of Consummation for my Book Group Thursday and I need to be prepared for it. The hygienist visit went well. I think this was the first time ever that I was told I am doing well with my flossing.

Fall Colors

I get home at 10:10. Rachel comes in shortly afterwards. Steven will not be coming with us. We are able to leave by 10:40 with me driving. It is Veteran’s Day. So I cannot understand this long line of cars heading south on Highway 41. I am just glad we are heading north. We arrived at the Wawona Visitor Center parking area a few minutes before noon. Coming in we had noticed what looks like a prescribed burn a little ways away from Wawona. When we get out of the car, there is a slight smell of smoke. After discussing it, we felt it does not seem to be too bad. So off we will go on our hike.

At 12:15 we started walking up the Chowchilla Mountain Road, but only about ¾ of a mile up. Tthis part of the trip is where we gain most of the elevation. It is huff and puff time for my part. We did not go on the first junction, but the second junction to the Four Mile Road. This second one is a bit overgrown from disuse. Maybe it would have been better to have taken the first junction.

One of the things which I like walking the Four Mile Road happens right at the apex of the triangle between the three roads. There is a tree which stands right in the center of the two roads. In the Autumn, this whole section is covered with leaves, forming a carpet of brown for us to walk on. The trail now does a series of undulations as it climbs its way across Mt Savage-you have to go either cross-country or find a use trail to go to the top.

The Poseiden Tree

As we walk along the Four Mile Road-not the Four Mile Trail, it gives us a chance to talk. The subject of meditation is brought up. Particularly when walking or hiking. We discuss the various aspects of being able to meditate. There seems to be an element of calming your physical body or at least getting in a rhythm where you do not have to think about what the body will do. But there is also an element of letting your mind rest. Silence is part of this. When walking alone, you only get the sounds of nature-the birds, the wind, the crunching of your feet against the ground and sometimes the little trickle of water running down a hillside. These work to calm and help you to focus your mind on the subject of your meditation. In a Christian it is God. In the outdoors, I usually think about God, the Creator and the God who loves me.

Eventually we decide we want to stop and have a bite to eat as it is around 1:40. We spot a nice log about 15 feet above us and we scramble to it. It is a nice log just to set and eat at. I do notice there are some fungi growing under the log.

About ten minutes later, we came to the trail junction down to Wawona Meadow. Something has changed-there is a sign. The first time we walked this, there was a barely noticeable indentation in the mountain misery to guide us where the trail was. Over the years, a bit of flagging was added to a metal pole. Now, the whole world knows where to turn. What fun is that?

Going down Bills Hill Trail

This is a little used trail which I think is part of the Bills Hill Trail. I think it is one of the more enjoyable trails in the Wawona area. We see very few people on it-today the number is less than one. It takes you down from the Four Mile Road to Wawona Meadow. There has been trail work down on it as the downed trees which we used to crawl over have been sawed recently. I have never gone up it, but I think it would tax a person who is in shape, which I am not. But coming down, we see all sorts of trees and brush. Towards the bottom we run into the power lines which come into Wawona. And then there is the service road which goes up to the lower poles. The trail repeatedly crosses this road-you can take the shorter route, but the road is steep.

When we come out on the Wawona Meadow Loop, we find the log which we rested on a couple of weeks ago and eat an energy bar. I give Sherri and Rachel a choice: continue on the Bills Hill Trail up to the top of the ridge to the east of the Meadow, or follow the Loop trail around the rest of the meadow. The choice is to do the Loop Trail. That probably is wise.

Walking the Wawona Meadow Loop trail is comparatively faster than going up either of the roads. Still we found plenty of occasions to stop and take pictures while enjoying the company of each other.

Gary

The Meadow has some very historical aspects to it. Such as tucked away in some trees is the site of Galen Clark’s Inn. Or there was once a landing strip in the meadow. Or there were orchards to supply fresh fruit for guests. It is the last item which has a bearing. The Washburns ran a flume from the South Fork of the Merced over to the Meadow. You can still see the flume and where it drained onto the meadow. It has been one of my fascinations to walk the bank of the flume on the over side of Highway 41 around until we are above the hotel. So endeavored to do that. Rachel decides this type of adventuring is not for her and retreats back to the trail. I think Sherri is doing the same thing.

Walking the Flume is Blocked

I try to walk the flume. It has gotten a lot more overgrown since I last walked it before the Pandemic. I detour around part of it. Then bushwack through other parts until I reach a solid wall of young pines. I know when I have been beaten and descend down a steep slope to the trail. I eventually come across Rachel waiting patiently on a log for me. I asked her, “Where is your mother?” “She is following you.” Oh Oh. So we took off looking for her. We were yelling her name and then we heard a response, and then had visual of Sherri. I need to back up a bit. Sherri is coming down the area which I did. When I came through, I noticed a telephone line just about 4½’ off the ground. Since I was lumbering along, I ducked under it. Sherri on the other hand makes a bee line straight for Rachel, not stopping for the line in her path and gets clotheslined, just like in the cartoons. If I was more sensitive, my first response would have been to run over and see if she is OK. But from the way Rachel and I are laughing, you would think this was the funniest thing to have ever happened on earth. After we stoped laughing, we checked on Sherri’s well-being-nothing damaged except for her ego.

Even with this mishap, we are only a short walk back to our car. We get back as the skies are darkening, as this time of year that would be 4:45. Rachel takes up the driving responsibilities. We decided that we wanted to eat before reaching Fresno. I suggested Mexican, to which there were no objections. We decided we wanted to eat at our new restaurant-at least new to us-Los 2 Carnales.

We get home at 7, just in time for watching Jeopardy. Rachel watches it with us. At the end, she goes home and I go to the shower.