Tag: California

California, located on the west coast of the United States, is renowned for its diverse landscapes, vibrant culture, and significant economic influence. From the sun-kissed beaches of Southern California to the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, the state offers a range of natural beauty. The state is home to iconic cities like Los Angeles, known for Hollywood and the entertainment industry, and San Francisco, famous for its tech innovation and the Golden Gate Bridge. The state’s economy is one of the largest in the world, driven by sectors such as technology, agriculture, entertainment, and tourism. With its rich cultural diversity and pioneering spirit, California continues to be a land of opportunity and innovation.

Table Mountain Campground

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Table Mountain Campground is situated in the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. The campground is surrounded by a beautiful and serene forest environment, with stunning views of the mountain range. It is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy a peaceful camping experience.

The campground offers a variety of camping options, including tent sites, RV sites, and cabins. The tent sites are situated on a grassy area, with fire rings, picnic tables, and access to water nearby. The RV sites offer full hookups, including water, electricity, and sewage. The cabins are well-equipped with modern amenities, including kitchen facilities, bathrooms, and heating.

One of the best things about the campground is its location. It is situated near several hiking trails, offering visitors the chance to explore the mountain range and the surrounding forests. The trails range in difficulty, from easy strolls to challenging hikes. Some of the most popular trails include the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs through the campground, and the Table Mountain Trail, which offers stunning views of the valley below.

In addition to hiking, the campground offers plenty of other activities for visitors to enjoy. There is a playground for children, a volleyball court, and a horseshoe pit. There is also a campfire area, where visitors can gather around the fire and enjoy the peace and quiet of the forest.

The campground is well-maintained, with clean and modern facilities. There are restrooms and showers available, as well as a laundry facility. The staff are friendly and helpful, and are always on hand to answer any questions or provide assistance.

Table Mountain Campground is a great place to visit for anyone looking for a peaceful and relaxing camping experience. Its beautiful surroundings, modern amenities, and variety of activities make it the perfect destination for families, couples, and solo travelers alike. Whether you are looking to hike, explore, or simply relax in nature, this campground has something for everyone.

Campground Summary

NameTable Mountain Campground
LocationSan Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles County, California
Latitude, Longitude34.3863, -117.6894
OpenSpring – Fall
Elevation7,261 Feet
Number of Sites111 single site(s), 2 double site(s)
AmmenitiesVault Toilets, Potable Water

Campground Map

References

Courtney Chauncey Julian

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Courtney Chauncey Julian
C. C. Julian

Courtney Chauncey Julian, C. C. Julian, was a businessman and shameless promoter who’s business dealings forced him to flee to California for China. He is noteworthy in his dealing in Death Valley National Park for his promotion of the town of Leadfield. After numerous court battles, he fled to Shanghai, China where he is poisoned or committed suicide.

C.C. Julian launched a newspaper blitz promoting his Julian Petroleum Corporation in 1923. The promotional blitz formed the basis for a ponzi scheme for investment into the JPC. The scandal became known as the “Julian Pete Scandal”. By 1927, it is estimated that Julian sold four million dollars in stock, which was stolen from his investors. Others estimate the value of the scheme at over eight million.

Drama followed the man, as he received death threats, however the nature of this threat is never resolved. It was reported by the United Press on Jan 4, 1924, that gun shots are fired threw the windows of his $100,000.00 house in Hollywood.

Perhaps one of his wierdest altercations came with famed film star Charles Chaplin. Just weeks after the shooting, Julian literally bumped into a table where Chaplin was eating at Club Petrouschka in Hollywood. A fight ensured and Chaplin got the better of Julian and knocked him out.

As one would expect from a thief, Julian had assets seized, by Collector of Internal Revenue, of $250,000.00 in cash and securities for failure to file is earnings from 1919-1923. He is able to maintain his house because it is deeded by his wife.

Julian at the Western Lead Mine located in Leadfield, California - Photo Los Angeles Times
Julian at the Western Lead Mine located in Leadfield, California – Photo Los Angeles Times

The end of Julian Petroleum Corporation stated in 1925. Julian sold his interest in the company to Sheridan C. (S.C.) Lewis and Jacob Berman for the sum on $500,000.00. The following year the company merged with California-Eastern Oil Company. An internal audit revealed the company had issued 4,200,000 unauthorized shares of stock. On May 5, 1927, the Los Angeles Stock Exchange halted trading in Julian Petroleum.

In 1931, Julian was charged with conspiracy to commit fraud in Oklahoma. He jumped bail and fled to country for Shanghai, China. Courtney Chauncey Julian is found dead of suicide in March, 1934.

"The Last Days of C. C. Julian," Los Angeles Times, 29 Sept. 1935
“The Last Days of C. C. Julian,” Los Angeles Times, 29 Sept. 1935

This town was the brain child of C. C. Julian, who could have sold ice to an Eskimo. He wandered into Titus Canyon with money on his mind. He blasted some tunnels and liberally salted them with lead ore he had brought from Tonopah. Then he sat down and drew up some enticing, maps of the area. He moved the usually dry and never deep Amargosa River miles from its normal bed.

He drew pictures of ships steaming up the river hauling out the bountiful ore from his mines. Then he distributed handbills and lured Eastern promoters into investing money. Miners flocked in at the scent of a big strike and dug their hopeful holes. They built a few shacks. Julian was such a promoter he even conned the U. S. Government into building a post office here. 

Desert Magazine – 1971 – Betty J. Tucker

References

Chilao Campground

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Chilao Campground is a popular camping destination located in the Angeles National Forest, in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. The campground is situated at an elevation of 5,300 feet and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Facilities

Chilao Campground features 77 campsites, each of which is equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, and food storage locker. The campground also offers a number of amenities, including potable water, restrooms, and showers. Additionally, there is a camp store on-site that sells firewood, ice, and basic camping supplies.

Activities

The San Gabriel Mountains are a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors can explore the nearby hiking trails, including the Silver Moccasin Trail, which offers stunning views of the San Gabriel Mountains. There are also opportunities for fishing and swimming in nearby streams and lakes. Additionally, the campground is located near several historic sites, including the Mount Wilson Observatory.

Location

Chilao Campground is located in the Angeles National Forest, approximately 55 miles northeast of Los Angeles. To get there, visitors can take the Angeles Crest Highway (State Route 2) to Chilao Campground Road. The campground is situated in a peaceful, secluded area, surrounded by trees and mountains.

This is a great destination for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors. With its stunning natural scenery and wide range of activities, it is sure to provide a memorable camping experience for visitors of all ages.

Campground Summary

NameChilao Campground
LocationSan Gabriel Mountains, Los Angeles, California
Elevation5335 Feet
Number of Sites77
Latitude, Longitude34.3203, -118.0134

Campground Map

References

Carl Mengel – Panamint Valley Miner

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Carl Mengel was a prospector and miner in Panamint Valley, located in Death Valley National Park, California. He lost a leg in a mining accident, and continued to mine. He is the namesake for Mengel Pass in the Panamint Range. His ashes and prosthetic leg are buried on top of Mengel Pass in Death Valley National Park.

Carl Mengel with dog "Whitey at his home in Butte Valley, April 1940. Photo courtesy of DEVA NM.
Carl Mengel with dog “Whitey at his home in Butte Valley, April 1940. Photo courtesy of DEVA NM.

Carl Mengel was born in San Bernardino, California, in 1868. After various attempts at mining, farming, and fishing for a living, Mengel moved the Butte Valley region of Death Valley in the early 1900s. He is said to have purchased the Oro Fino Claim in Goler Wash in 1912, and later found even richer deposits there

Mengel was an early prospector in the Butte Valley area and contemporary and friend of such well-known Death Valley personalities as Shorty Harris and Pete Aguereberry. The site is located about one-half mile south of Anvil Spring and commands a grand view over Butte Valley toward the Amargosa Range on the east side of the salt pan.

.In October 1924 Mengel filed on several claims south and west of Anvil Spring: Topah Numbers. 1-4, Topah Extension, and Mah Jongg Numbers. 1-6. He died in 1944 and his ashes were put in a stone cairn atop Mengel Pass approximately fifty feet outside the boundary of Death Valley National Monument.

After his death the claims located by Mengel in Butte Valley underwent numerous resales through the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. The Topaz (Topah) Extension, Topaz (Topah) No. 1, and part of the Topaz (Topah) Extension claims were later amended and located as the Greater View Springs, Greater View Springs No. 1, and Greater View Springs Millsite, respectively.

References

 Albert Mussey Johnson – Death Valley Ranch Owner

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Albert Mussey Johnson
Albert Mussey Johnson

Albert Mussey Johnson (1872 – 1948) was a businessman and investor who received notoriety as the millionaire, who built “Scotty’s Castle” in Death Valley, California. He was born into a Quaker family n Oberlin Ohio and attended Cornell University to study engineering.

Johnson borrowed a sum of $40,000 from his father and invested in some mining operations in Joplin, Missouri. This initial investment returned five hundred percent dur to a zinc boom. Albert travelled across Utah and Colorado, in December if 1899, with his father looking for investment opportunities in power production or mining ventures. While on this trip, the father and son team are involved in a rail accident which kills his fater and leaves Albert bedridden with a broken back.

Johnson eventually recovered from his broken back but he suffered with chronic medical issues and walked with a noticeable limp. This injury caused Johnson to focus his professional efforts in economic investment pursuits. He pursue relationships with his fathers partners and soon built up a career as a vice president of the Arkansas Midland Railroad and later the president of the North American Cold Storage Company.

In 1904, Walter Scott AKA Death Valley Scotty ran into Johnson while Scotty is looking for new investors for his gold mines in Death Valley, California. Scott was a conman who would defraud investors of this infamous gold mines. Despite no return on is investment, Johnson continued to send Scott’s ventures.

Death Valley Scotty and the Johnsons
Death Valley Scotty and the Johnsons

Johnson first visited Death Valley in 1906 to tour Scott’s Gold Mines. The two became embroiled in the Battle of Wingate Pass, where Scott’s brother is shot in the groin. This injury forced a retreat from Death Valley. Johnson did not return to Death Valley for another three years. In 1909, he returned to the valley seeking to visit the mines in which he invested. It is said the dry air was a benefit to Johnson’s health. For whatever the reason, Johnson began purchasing land. Johnson purchased about 1500 acres of land. The Steininger Ranch was the most important parcel. Nestled in a spring-fed verdant valley, this was soon to be the site of the Death Valley Ranch.

Scotty's Castle located in Grapevine Canyon in Death Valley.
Scotty’s Castle located in Grapevine Canyon in Death Valley.

In 1922, Johnson started building Scotty’s castle as a vacation home.  When the size and scope of the property was realized, people assumed Scotty used the proceeds for his gold mine to pay for the Ranch.  Scotty, ever the promoter did nothing to correct the record and soon The Johnson’ vacation home.

Due to its remote location, the Death Valley Ranch needed to maintain its own power station and water supply and evaporation cooling system. Despite the conditions, Scotty’s Castle boasts a 1,121 pipe theater organ, fountains, clock tower and a massive unfinished swimming pool.

The stock market crash impacted Johnson’s fortune. He was not able to complete the Death Valley Ranch.

References