Legendary Locals Of The Antelope Valley

In exploring the panorama of the Antelope Valley's history and its people's varied aspirations, determination, and accomplishments, it is easy to see the lasting and dramatic impacts they have made. A few are famous, like young Frances Gumm, who went on to become legendary actress Judy Garland, or Richard "Dick" Rutan, who circled the world nonstop on a single tank of gas in the Rutan Voyager aircraft. Most, however, never knew fame during their lives. Some came seeking gold or worked on the railroads, the Los Angeles Aqueduct, and Borax 20 Mule Teams. Others forged ahead, farmed difficult landscapes, and found success in providing for their families. A poet laureate, the father of Death Valley geology, a suffragette who went on to achieve national fame, and individuals who broke through color barriers are among those who have made the Antelope Valley what it is today.

Cradled among chaparral-covered canyons an hour north of downtown Los Angeles is a fascinating place called the Santa Clarita Valley. The history of the valley has significantly shaped the cultural development of Southern California for centuries. But while events are often credited with creating its history, the true portrait of the valley is painted using the palette of personalities who left their indelible mark on the landscape. It is these stories of cowboys, Native Americans, outlaws, farmers, shepherds, soldiers, miners, range warriors, ranchers, saloon keepers, stagecoach drivers, railroaders, town drunks, teetotalers, engineers, land speculators, explorers, missionaries, actors, and common folk that make the history of the Santa Clarita Valley so compelling. Legendary Locals of the Santa Clarita Valley is a pictorial journey through time, telling tales of the colorful cast of characters found sprinkled throughout the region's past, and the "legendary locals" who still make history today.

Migrating tribes settled along the river in the J-shaped valley lying beneath the majestic mountain known today as Mount Rainier. Tribal traders from east of the mountains called the western valley tribe "generous people," a word that in English sounds like "Puyallup." Pioneers found promise in clearing the land, creating the towns of Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting, and donating property for the common good. Agriculture produced hop barons, nationally renowned daffodil bulb growers, and successful berry farmers. Early entrepreneurs spawned multigenerational businesses while doctors, educators, and civic leaders more than fulfilled pioneer dreams. In 1900, a small band of men established an annual fair in Puyallup, which became the Washington State Fair. More recently, benefactors helped to build premier fitness and medical facilities. Citizens from each town continue to participate in community service clubs. Legendary Locals of the Puyallup Valley weaves a story of determined people who have left their mark on this beautiful valley.

Since the 1800s, Mill Valley has attracted spirited freethinkers, entrepreneurs, nature lovers, rabble-rousers, and more than a few rock stars. Early Mill Valley booster Sidney Cushing encouraged tourism with a train up Mount Tamalpais called the Crookedest Railroad in the World. Laura White, more concerned with protecting Mill Valleys natural beauty than attracting more people, brought the town its Outdoor Art Club and a tradition of conservationism. Vera Schultz broke the glass ceiling of local politics in 1946, and in 1973, 10-year-old Jenny Fulles letter to President Nixon changed the future of Americas female athletes. When an elementary school teacher named Rita Abrams wrote a song about why she loved Mill Valley, it became a national hit; so did a song about the heart of rock and roll, written by local boy Huey Lewis, who had attended that same school. The stories of Mill Valleys legendary localswhether from 1890 or 1980are sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes inspiring, often humorous, and always fascinating.

Experience John Wesley Powell’s now-famous expedition through the Grand Canyon In 1869, Civil War veteran and amputee Major John Powell led an expedition down the uncharted Colorado River through the then-nameless Grand Canyon. This is the story of what started as a geological survey, but ended in danger, chaos, and blood. The men were unexperienced and ill-equipped, and they faced unimaginable peril. Along the way there was death, mutiny, and abject terror, but Powell saw it through and produced a masterwork of adventure writing still held in the highest regard by the boatmen who follow his course today. Never-before-used primary sources and firsthand canyoneering experience combine to create an authentic and visceral account of Powell’s historic journey. Written by an accomplished river guide with experience navigating Powell’s legendary course, River Master brings to life one of America’s iconic frontier stories.

It is often said that the greater Los Angeles area is the largest movie set in the world, and if a person lives there long enough their home or street will probably be featured in a film or television show. The tourism industry in Tinseltown is huge business, with thousands of devoted fans each day flocking to see just where their favorite star’s blockbuster was filmed. This work documents locations used in more than 335 motion pictures and 86 television series filmed in Los Angeles and San Diego. The locations were identified and verified after an extensive review of films, video tapes, site photographs, and personal interviews with film industry personnel. Synopses of the motion pictures and television series cited are included. An index provides instant access to names, places, monuments, landmarks, film studios, film titles and television titles.

An Absence of Honor By: Dr. Diana Beard-Williams An Absence of Honor is a collection of essays exploring the different layers of intrigue, self-examination, and retribution an activist in any community may encounter. In her essays, author and experienced activist Dr. Diana Beard-Williams speaks both of the rewards living the life of an activist can bring, but also of the dangers any aspiring activist may face, as activism is not about glamour and glory, but self-expression, self-determination, and sometimes self-protection. Learn the Ten Commandments of activism and arm yourself with the knowledge to protect yourself and others. If your purpose is to one day become a smart, successful, and safe activist, Beard-Williams will lead the way.

Sculpted into graceful contours by countless centuries of wind and water, the Great Sand Dunes sprawl along the eastern fringes of the vast San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado. Covering an area of nearly thirty square miles, they are the tallest aeolian, or wind-produced, dunes in North America, towering 750 feet above the valley floor. With the addition of the enormous Baca Ranch and other adjacent lands, the dunes—originally designated as a National Monument in 1932—attained official National Park status in 2004. In Sea of Sand, Michael M. Geary guides readers on a historical journey through this unique ecosystem, which includes an array of natural and cultural wonders, from the main dunefield and verdant wetlands to the summits of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Described by explorer Zebulon Pike as “a sea in a storm” and by frontier photographer William Henry Jackson as “a curious and very singular phase of nature’s freak,” the Great Sand Dunes are a nexus of more than 10,000 years of human history, from Paleolithic big-game hunters to nomadic Native Americans, from Spanish conquistadores and transcontinental explorers to hard-rock miners and modern-day tourists in motor homes. Like these successive waves of visitors, Sea of Sand follows the water, analyzing its critical role in the settlement and development of the region. Geary also describes the profound impact that waves of human use and settlement have had on the land—which ultimately inspired the early grassroots efforts by San Luis Valley citizens to protect the dunes from further exploitation. He examines as well the more recent legislative effort led by an unprecedented coalition of local, state, and federal agencies and organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service, to secure the Great Sand Dunes’ national park designation. Amply illustrated, Sea of Sand is the definitive history of the natural, cultural, and political forces that helped shape this incomparable landscape.