HISTORY OF PALOMAR MOUNTAIN As Remembered By HANK AND FLORANCE SADDLER

The First Permanent or Year-Round Park Employees , on Palomar Mountain State Park

(July 1, 1940 to January 15, 1943) (December 1, 1945 to April 24, 1948)

My first experience at Palomar Mountain 8 88 a l4-year-old boy who, while ee on @ construction job near Rincon, was called to Palomar Mountain

to fight a forest fire about August 1922. I wes a truck driver (Model T)

at the construction camp and hauled about ten fire fighters up the West Grade

A AMIUEAKS

to the fire.

The next time I arrived on Palom2r Mountain wes in the summer of 1936, es the PX Steward in a CCC Camp. At the end of the summer, the camp was moved

to what is now San Clemente State Beach,

In 1937 I again returned to Palomar Mountain, this time as a foreman in the National] Park Service CCC Camp. My crew built some of the stoves, camp and picnic tables in Silver Crest picnic ground, the stone cooler house, most of the rock walls in and around the original residence, and did some trail

and roed work.

At 2 a.m., June 30, 1940, I once again traveled to Palomer Mountain, eccom- panied by my wife, Florance. This time I wes to be the State Park Custodian

in charge of Palomer Mountain State Par’. There w2s no stove in the beautiful

two bedroom cabin that had been constructed by the CCC forces. Florance prepared her first meal in the fireplace and thereafter for about a week until the stove arrived. There was no electricity in the house for about one and one-half years, so we used Coleman lanterns. The only he2t we had in the house was from the fireplace and, believe me, it takes a lot of wood (sawn by myself with a one-men crosscut sax) to keep a house warm when

there is three feet of snow on the ground.

Since the State was too poor to vurchase a vickup, I used my personal car, a 1935 Plymouth Course, for patrol, hauling garbage, etc. There were no flush toilets et that time, except in the residence; only chic sales throughout

the campgrounds and vicnic areas.

I was a member of the National Guard and had to attend a three-vieek encamp- — ment in Chehalis, Washington, during August and September 1940. During these three weeks Florence collected the fees, voliced the grounds, and in effect ran the park. She would hike from the residence two miles down to Doane Valley twice a dey and back. She also did a lot of painting eround the camp and picnic areas. Nail came three times e week, and Florance would hike to the Post Office, a distance of seven miles round trip. Harvey Moore, warden at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, drove to Palomar Mountain at least once weekly

rg and hauled the garbege for Florance.

On February 1, 1941, I received a telegram from the Chief of the Division, Mr. Darwin Tate, to proceed to Morro Bay State Perk to assist in construction

of a combination building. JI remained at Morro Bey, not only to heln build

a combination building, but also to assist the Custodian, Clyde Newlin, now Superintendent of District 3, with the operation of the Park. I returned

to Palomar Mountain May 1, 1941.

In the early spring of 1942, an inmate honor camp was established in the

old CCC chow hall. Superintendent Lee Blaisdell (now retired) and I, in Februery 1942, started converting a part of the old CCC chow hall into living querters for twelve inmates, which were the nucleus of a 6%-man camp. The first twelve inmates errived on a cold snowy day in épril 1942, and were pri- marily concerned with getting the camp ready for additional inmates from the minimum security prison at Chino. The one correctional man, called a Camp

Suvervisor, was. the only free man furnished by Corrections.

The first Camp Supervisor wes Malcom Harris, who later became the director ee of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Another Camp Suvervisor wes \alter Dunbar, who now is Director of Corrections. When I had hunter problems, I called on a

Game Varden, Walter Shannon, now Director of Fish and Game, whose heaiouarters

were in Julien.

By the spring of 1942 it hed been decided that a dam, a 100,000 gallon reser- voir in Upper Doane Valley, end a 100-man barracks were needed. I had ac-

ouired two assistants prior to this: Robert Hatch, now Superintendent, District 2, and Louis Juch, now retired. These two men and I were the project foremen for everything that was built by honor camp inmates. We were visited by the Chief, two or three of his staff from Sacremento, and District Supverintendent

Flemming one day. After looking et several possible sites, Chief Tate pointed

across Doane Creek in the lower portion of Upper Doane Valley and said, "Put .a dam here, 'Sad'." That was the extent of the plans for this job. Before proceeding to build the dam, I called on a friend in Julian who headed up a Soil Conservation District that included the Palomar Mountein State Park area, I asked him to loan his engineer to run soil tests, determine water- shed area, and based on maximum rainfall figures to advise me on the-capacity of spillway for the dam. If he would loan his engineer, I would furnish

his room end board et Park Headouarters at no cost to Soil Conservation (except salary) or to the State. He agreed and about 15 days later we had

complete plans for the dam on letter-size sheets of paper.

The working plans for the 100-man barracks were drawn under my supervision by an inmate I selected who had mechanical drawing experience. Likewise the | working plans for the 100,000 gallon soil cement reservoir. In sasteuctine the dam, we acouired a small D-2 Division Cat, e gasoline-powered Cat with

dozer blade, and we rented a D-4 Cat with a 4-yard pan from San Diego County. In the meantime we had acouired a pickup and a l4-ton truck. I used my 1941 Plymouth on State business and was paid 5¢ a mile for the first 500 miles and 3¢ a mile for anything over 500 miles. If you asked for a per diem allowance

in those days when away from your unit, it wes $5.00 per day. x Construction started on the dam, the reservoir, and the 100-man barracks in

the early summer of 1942. By October the dam was nearing completion, but be- cause there was not an adequate bypass for water to get around the dam while under construction, it was decided to work a 12-hour shift. ‘ie began to worry

about possible heavy rains and doubled our shifts to two 12-hour shifts. In

other words, 2/ hours a day there was work on the dam. For lights we had the headlights of a truck and pickup ry personal car sometimes), and a 1,000 Watt generator. I believe we worked three or four dzys, working clock round, before we completed the dam and spillway. A few days later we did receive a heavy rainfall and water behind the dam began coming over the

spillway. We had lucked out!

We did all the plumbing and carpentry work, including the structural plans

for the 100-man barracks and the 100,000 gallon soil cement, reservoir. All details and layout of plumbing and electrical work were done by free park forces. No outside skills were aaptared to construct these structures. Skills not available within the inmate forces were taught the inmates by Juch, Hatch,

or Saddler.

a om aod

There are several apvle orchards in Palomar Mountain State Park, and heretofore the apple crop had been picked by a concessioner. Sometime during the summer of 1942 Chief Tate and others decided we should pick the apples with inmate crews. So when apple picking time came around in October, we started picking apples with ininate labor. Now the problem was how to get rid of the apples.

I remember loading my Plymouth Coup up with boxes of apples and peddling

them to the supermarkets in Escondido. About two trips like this and I de- cided that this“was for the birds. I advised Chief Tate-and he seid, "Well, then, have the apples mede into cider on a percentare basis." Louie Juch, a native of Julian, was given the job of finding someone in Julien, which was eprle country, who would be interested in converting our epple crop into cider,

end he was successful. I don't remember the percentege basis worked out, but

we had apple cider all over the plece in gallon jugs. Somehow or other, this

cider got dispersed throughout the State under the direction of Chief Tate.

One year Gene Velsey, now a retired Assistant Superintendent, and Jack Fleckenstein, now a retired Ranger III, came up to the park to assist me in pruning some apple trees. They arrived about 10 a.m. one day sometime in February 1941, and by evening it was snowing. They returned to their respective units the following morning as soon es the snow plow had cleared the roads. That wes the end of the pruning project that year. The apple trees did get pruned one year by inmate labor. I can still taste the flavor of thempalomars ont bS from the orchard below Boucher and the-Arkansas* Blacks’ inthe same

Ae

orchard. Other apple varieties were -Maiden Blush;pBensiDavis ends Pippinss gy

I also remember the old hermit of Palomar, Robert Asher, who was a botenist and accomplished photogravher and did ouite well et oil painting. He lived down the road which was knovn then as the Baptist Trail where the Baptist Church had acouired some property from Mr. Asher to establish e camp for

their church.

I also remember Mrs. Alice Hill, a retired actress, who lived on the road to French Valley above Lower Doane Valley. She was visited by the famous ectress eMSUdeeRaeMs;! Whom Florance and I had the pleasure of meeting et Mrs, Hill's

residence,

While stationed at Palomar Mountain, I also had the pleasure of meeting some

of the world famous scientists who visited the observatory.

Uncle Sam put his arms eround me on October 31, 1912, and I left Palomar Mountain State Park for active duty in the Sea-Bees on January 15, 1943. In the meantime the dam hed been completed, the bzrracks were 99% complete, and the 100,000 gallon reservoir just needed a roof. After WW II, I returned to Palomar Mountain on December 1, 1945 as Ranger in Charge (while in the service, the titlesCustodian, Assistant 'arden, and Warden had been changed to Ranver, Assistant Ranger, and Chief Ranger). Shortly thereafter, I was appointed ea Ranger II, still in charge of Palomar Mountain State Park. Sometime early in 1946 a Ranger I was appointed to Palomar Mountain. His name was Paul Haines, end he came with his wife Charlotte. Two finer people I have never met. Paul eventually resigned and they now live in San Diego. While Paul and Charlotte were still there, enother Ranger was assigned to Palomar Mountain, whose nisin

oe

wes Clyde Strickler, now a Ranger IV at San Luis Reservoir State Recreatio

_-

Area. Clyde and his delightful wife Rosemary were another nice couple with

whom I had the pleasure of working.

The work was routine - taking care of park visitors, working closely with the observatory peovle, end the County Road people, and others, particularly in

the winter time when we had to depend on each other for essistance.

I was apvointed Chief Ranger of Richardson Grove State Park in Humboldt County on November 1, 1947. Because no residence was eveilable, they asked me to remain at Palomar Mountain which I did, and reluctantly left Palomar Mount2in State Park in late Avril 1948 for Richardson Grove State Park. Amongst other things that Florance and I left behind at Palomzr Fountain State Park was a

greet big nortion of our heerts.

THOUGHTS ON PALOMAR MOUNTAIN

Watching the deer in the early morning hours and in the late afternoon feeding

on the salt licks across the driveway from the Park Headcuarters.

Meeting up with an occasional mounte2in lion.

Feeding the foxes on the picnic table behind the Park Headouarters every night. The meals were so good we finally had three foxes, and our neighbors all over

the mountain came over to watch them many times.

Feeding the hundreds of O-egon Juncos just outside the back door of the Park

Headouerters in the winter time, primarily with wheat germ.

Sitting and watching the friendly Nuthatches end wetching the mischievous Blue

Jays.

Watching and talking with the Indians every year when they came up to gather acorns which they used in making "wee-wish." Florance and I finally learned to like "wee-wish" and looked forward to the Indians giving us some each. year as they came back to gather acorns.

PtANTEO VY DOANE

ae &

The giant pears and crab apples between Upper and Lower Doane Valleys.

The Canyon Live Oak with a rock about five feet in diameter in its main trunk,

situated on the north side of lower Doane Valley.

Seeing the giant glass for the 200 foot telescope when it arrived on the mountain;

and, after it was installed, looking down on it within the dame.

The burial ground of e pioneer adjacent to the Silver Crest Picnic Ground. Notable people joining with us at our campfire programs,

Mrs. Margaret Flemming, wife of the District Superintendent, sketching and ASK TOHH f ROT painting on some of her visits to Palomar Mountain Stete Park. THESE

Helping the County Road forces kick end remove rocks fromthe south grede.

Les McKnight, now ae Rencer I at Hatfield (wto wes not a Raneer at this tire),

courting his wife Addie, who w2s a lookout on Boucher Hill.

The Park Headouarters being celled Honeymoon Cabin because the nevwly-married Custodian, Al Selzgeber, and his wife, Hank, had snent their honeymoon there the

summer before. Al wes the summer custodian in 19M3'l | — Watching a2 rainbow (moonbow) on a bright moon-lit night from Boucher Hill.

Sitting around an open campfire with Mr. Stone, the cattle-grazing concessioner, his Indian cowboys, énd cattleman Hap Mendenhall; then eating steak and beens cooked by one of the Indian cowboys, served on an old piece of rusty steel plate for a table, pie tins for rletes, and rocks or hunks of wood for chairs. Enjoying @ glass or two of yed vine afterwards and singing songs with a guitar being played

by one of the Indians.

The mournful Coyotes! howl almost every night.