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Well a great big howdy
to you all from the middle of nowhere. Yes, I'm still here despite the fact that most of you haven't heard from me since our last newsletter in April. Since then a few things have gone on so let's get started with the info. Despite the economy we had a good turnout for our Memorial Day chili & dutch over cook-off weekend. The count was around 700 visitors counting both campers for the weekend along with the short 1 day visitors. We are looking forward to next year when we believe more will come as the economy starts to get better. During the month of May our good friend Stranger (Alan) came up and really did a number on the Shangri-la cabin. He's doing most of the work on the renovation. Now Shangri-la has a complete non leaking roof using rolled gravel roofing material. Down the road we'll eventually put a shingle roof over that which was the original style. Most of the exterior is complete with old wood boards replacing the missing or deteriorated ones. With his expertise with paint he used some black paint to age some of the newer boards. Inside, he's got the beautiful 4' x 4' boxed oak ceiling up in the back bedroom. He raised the ceiling height from 7 feet to 10 feet to give the ceiling a better look of elegance. The floor in the backroom was originally built on the ground and over the 100 years of time had completely turned to crumbs. It had to be taken out mostly with a shovel. It was replaced with 2" x 6" boards and sheeted over that. Eventually the floor will be a combination of tongue and groove oak flooring and carpet along with the front living room & kitchen. He has plans for a Jacuzzi tub and a pull handle old toilet. Prior to the sheet rock and insulation installation Walt with minor help from me and Stranger completely wired the building. All wiring was done with metal flex wiring so we don't have to worry about creatures chewing through wires. Stranger plans on coming back late October and trying to complete or mostly complete the building in time for him to stay in next year for Memorial day weekend. I believe he's on the downhill side now and should be easy according to him. In mid July we had 185 Clampers choose Gold Point for their annual T.R.A.S.H event. That stands for Transsierra Roisterious Alliance of Senior Humbugs. A Humbug is their name for president of their individual chapter. If you're a current or ex-Humbug your invited on this trek. They came from all over the Western states for 3 and 1/2 days. We provided their breakfast and dinners and they provided their own entertainment. During the day they went to Goldfield one day and Tonopah the next day. In the evening they show a couple of old Death Valley Days episodes and did other Clamper stuff. Each year they choose a different place so we probably won't be seeing them again but we sure to thank them for choosing Gold Point this year. Another movie has been filmed here!!! This one is what's called a short. Mangras Coming is the name and it's only going to be about 8 to 10 minutes long. We were contacted by the director, Ben, and the producer, Cassidy, right after they lost their filming location in Bodie, California. They needed a 1880's look for the film about a tall and bad looking dude called Mangra. He comes in and takes one of the soiled doves back to where ever he came from. The front of the saloon was transformed into a 1880's look by taking everything off the walls except 100 year old stuff. What couldn't be moved like the gift shop and refrigerators were covered up with very old boards from one of the cabins we're working on. They built walls around them. To conceal the back of the saloon they built a wall to wall and floor to rafters wall including a door to give it the look of a back room. Before stripping the walls and dust off the walls they took tons of photos and assured us that it would look the same when they got finished. At times Walt and I were wondering what we got into but the movie company that did Blood River did a great job so we just kicked back. When they were done it looked just like they found it. They had put everything back where it belonged except the dust. They came in late on a Sunday one week before Red Dog and I were going on vacation. The minute they got here they started taking photos and stripping the walls. They filmed all day Monday and Tuesday in the saloon and Wednesday around town. They had everything packed up and left very late Wednesday. The cast and crew of about 18 stayed in Gold Point in our cabins and enjoyed three meals a day from us. Red Dog even got a chance to play a part in it. When the townsfolk found out Mangra was coming they all ran out of town and as Red Dog was running with the others she passed her drunken, passed out daughter lying in the street, took a quick look and continued running. We are going to be invited to Grass Valley for the premiere in a couple months or so. Every single one of them were great people and we were happy to have them here and wish them luck with their goal. We can't wait for the premiere. For those interested about the Blood River movie shot here in October of 2007, it is still being shown at film festivals and is still looking for a distributor for release on the big screen. The first three weeks of September was vacation time for Red Dog and I. We covered just over 6000 miles driving through 14 states. We took over 525 photos for our photo album. This letter would be a short book if I gave you all the details of each place so all I'll mention are the places we went and if any one wishes to have more information for one of their own future trips on any particular place, feel free to write us. Okay, here we go in one breath. Remember this is just a brief description. In Colorado we went to Crystal City, Aspen, Independence Ghost Town and Independence pass over the Continental Divide, Leadville and the Mining Museum and Hall of Fame, Cripple Creek and it's museums and train ride to Anaconda, Victor and Goldfield, Pikes Peak and Santa's North Pole on the way up, the Garden of the Gods, Coors Brewery, Colorado Train Museum down the street from the Brewery, Central City, Black Hawk and Georgetown. Dodge City, Kansas. In Iowa we met up with our buddy Jeff and went through the Living History Farms, a coal fired electrical generating plant, a dinner cruise up and down the Mississippi. In South Dakota we went to the Corn Palace, Murdo car and much more museum (highly recommended), Bad Lands, Deadwood and it's museums and such (for 3 nights), Bear Country, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Lead (Homestake Mine) and the Devils Monument. In Montana we went to Custer's Little Big Horn Battlefield. In Wyoming we went to Cody and Buffalo Bills Historical Museums (5 different ones for the same price) Frontier town (on the West edge of town and well worth the stop), Yellowstone and all it has to offer from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone to Old Faithful the through the Grand Tetons to Jackson. In Utah we went to Promontory Point to see where the driving of the Golden Spike took place and two beautiful reproduced running engines. Of course there were things in-between but these are the big highlights of our trip. We are going ahead with plans for our usually annual Day After Thanksgiving Dinner. This year the dinner that Friday falls on November 27th around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. The traditional menu of baked, smoked and deep fried turkey, honey ham, velvety mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, (yams), sausage stuffing, veggies, assorted pies, deviled eggs, raw veggies and chips and assorted dips. All you can eat for $14.00. At this time most of the cabins and rv spots are still available. Last year we had 52 for dinner and all cabins were filled. Let us know as soon as you can if you'd like a cabin or rv spot before they're filled. Ok, now I'm turning the key board over to Red Dog to say a few words. The following paragraph is from Red Dog. Red Dog did another "Hitchin" ceremony for Sue and Norm on the 1st of August right out on the porch of the Prize Shack. Fittin' place since Sue and Norm took care of it this year during the Memorial Day Weekend gathering. This was Norm's first year to help out but Sue has been doing it for several years now and does a darn good job of keeping everything in order. Congratulations to Sue and Norm. We will be seeing them occasionally as Norm has fallen in love with Gold Point and wants to help out wherever he is needed. Sheriff Stone said he wouldn't miss the wedding for nuttin and he broke his back getting here from Las Vegas on time, literally broke his back. His friend Dennis drove him up here after falling the day before and breaking the T 11 & T 12 vertebrae bones in the middle of his back. Thanks Red Dog. By the way I'm feeling a lot better now and hope to be back working in a few more weeks. And now we give you more information from our series "Tales from the not so old West" The following is more from the "Hornsilver Herald" (Gold Point's first and only newspaper but can't confirm if it was printed here or in Rhyolite) May 16, 1908 Vol. 1 No. 2. "The Rhyolite Delegation. Hornsilver possesses thirty odd of the erstwhile residents of Rhyolite. Most of them are engaged in business while some are prospecting for business, but all are happy and hopeful." "An up to date market. Fred Plimpton, formerly of Colorado Springs, and late of Lida, Is associated with Chas.. Lewis of Lida in the market business at Hornsilver. Plimton & Lewis will maintain a full line of fresh Nevada meats, and a full assortment of fresh vegetables, which will be received daily..." "Assay Office. Golden and McShane have opened an assay office on the cornier of Silver Street and Third Ave. Accuracy and promptness assured." "Judge Deane talks of Hornsilver and vicinity. (from the Goldfield Chronicle) Judge J.W. Deane...The town is growing as fast as it can, as fast as supplies and materials can be assembled. Lots on the main street have sold as high as $1000 per. The addition man is busy and annexes and extensions are being laid off. There is a strong slope toward the desert and drainage and sanitation are easy..." "Everyone - man or woman - upon their first advent here exclaims: How beautiful is Hornsilver!! What a magnificent location. How easily accessible from all points... What's in a name. There are some people who do not like the name of Hornsilver. They say it sounds like a one-metal camp, whereas we have both silver and gold here. Whatever it may sound like, it sounds good to the majority of people. To us, it sounds like a live one. Everyone in Hornsilver acts as though he or she felt that the general success depended upon his or her individual efforts; so as a rule all are early to bed and at 5 a.m. the business of the day begins - for all seem to be early risers. There is considerable grumbling and much annoyance at the lack of building materials, but this is being overcome gradually. The mass of canvas yonder is Hornsilver - suggestion to the traveler on the B.G. when he reaches Cuprite and gazes westward... So rapidly is the town filling up that there is now some talk of insurance on building and fire protection..." "Jim Russell speaks of progress. The Goldfield Tribune of yesterday says: That a great camp has been opened up at Lime Point, now known as Hornsilver, is the opinion of every mining man who has visited the district... It has been one of those meteoric rushes from Goldfield in the past month of mining men that the camp never saw before... James M. Russell, who might be called the father of the camp, arrived in town yesterday. He is the president of several of the companies in the immediate neighborhood of the town as well as manager of the Great Western... he said: 'Since coming to town I have been told that the name of Hornsilver is to be changed to Silverhorn, but that in not true. The 16-horse freight team that is hauling ore from the Great Western makes a round trip every two days. To my personal knowledge ore is being sacked on the following leases over which I have jurisdiction on the Great Western ground and the Silver King: H.P. Aldred on the Jessie, Frisbie, Rogers & Colburn, Smith and Harper, Flynn and associates, Gable & Company, Bradley and McKay, the Shea lease..." That's all for now from your friends at Gold Point, Nevada, "Gateway to everywhere and nowhere" Please let us know about your interest in Turkey day and thank you again for reading down this far. Happy Trails and Sunsets, Sheriff Stone &/or Red Dog Lil |
