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| Mary Alice Reasoner Pillsbury and Dr. Arthur Francis Pillsbury |
The
History of Cedar Slope
by
Art Pillsbury
Nellie
L. Marshall was born on 15 June, 1851. She was a professional
seamstress, living somewhere in the area bounded by Visalia,
Porterville (or Plano). Daunt (now Springville), and Milo (A
settlement at the junction of Balch Park Road and Yokohl Valley Road.
There is no settlement there now.). She has been reputed to have
worn a gold nugget signet ring, a present made by her cousin, James
Marshall, the discoverer of gold in California. This was Sutter's
Mill on the American River. The present whereabouts of the ring
appears to be unknown.
In 1881
Nellie Marshall, on one of her trips into the southern Sierra,
discovered the land now known as Cedar Slope, and decided to
homestead. She built a log cabin on what is now lot 65, where the
Clark (formerly Smith) cabin stands. [This is now the Hummel cabin.]
Twenty years ago, when my family and I started going up to Cedar
Slope for our vacations, the ruins of the old cabin were still there.
Our children were excited when they search for, and found, the old
square forged nails that she had used. She must have felled the
trees on the spot for her logs, and packed in the supplies and
equipment on mile back. There were no roads at that time above
Springville. A little one gallon per minute spring, from where she
carried her water, is just below Oak Drive on the Reasoner property
west of Lot 85. She did have a neighbor, name unknown, [M. Rowland]*
on the other side of the river, and a way down there of about the
same vintage (the land was subsequently traded to the Forest Service
for 160 acres down towards Springville.)
One
Nathan (Nate) P. Dillon, his wife Zylphia, and children, who were
living in Quincy, Illinois, decided in 1851 to head west. They
purchased Conestoga wagons, oxen, and the necessary equipment and
supplies, and the next next spring started the long trek west.
Zylphia had Mormon kinfolk who had recently settled in Salt Lake
City. That was a possible destination. Also, they heard many
accounts of the potentials and delights of California so that was
another possible destination. They started with a group similarly
equipped, and with similar desires. They followed the Oregon Trail,
and then cut south to Salt Lake City. After a stay there, they
headed on to the California gold fields. Maybe the gold fields were
too rough and lawless for them, or maybe Nate's roots were in the
soil, they headed south and purchased land where Visalia is now
located. They did farm, primarily growing wheat and a group under
the leadership of Nate, is said to have donated some of their farm
land to establish the town of Visalia. They hoped that it would
become the County Seat of Tulare County, which county then included
Kings and Inyo Counties.
Wheat
farming kept him busy for part of the year, but there were long
periods when there was nothing to do. So Nate ran a pharmacy in
Visalia for a while. Then, he built and operated a grist mill,
water-powered, east of Visalia on the St. Johns Branch of the Kaweah
River. Wheat milling is also not a continuous activity, and he only
supervised the farming by then. In looking around, he became
interested in logging, and in the Big Trees. He found the land he
wanted in the “Mammoth Forest” area, north of what is now known
as Balch Park. And Mountain Home State Park. He homesteaded a
parcel, moved his family there, and gradually purchased land father
and farther up the slopes. There was an economic problem in the cost
of getting lumber to the market. Above all, it was costly to move
the logs very far. Therefore, he moved his lumber mill several
times, each move father up the slope. His final mill was in the area
now called Dillonwood. It is being looked at today as a possible ski
resort of considerable promise.
Zylphia
died in 1886. Nate's sister, sometime later, introduced him to her
good friend, Nellie Marshall. After a short courtship, Nellie and
Nate were married in Visalia, Nate's age was 71, and Nellie gave her
age as 35, although she was really 40. After the marriage, they went
to his home in the North Fork of the Tule country to lead a busy and
happy life. Nate had had 12 children by Zylphia and had a daughter by
Nellie, (a Mrs. Veda McCoy). Nellie was killed in an accident
involving her wagon and horses on August 1, 1897; so Nate survived
both his wives. Today the tombs of Zylphia, Nate and Nellie are to
be found, side by side, in Porterville Cemetery. Nellie did have a
busy life from 1891, when she married Nate, until her death in 1897,
and, apparently sold her Cedar Slope homestead during this time.
In 1920
there was a road up to the powerhouse where the North Fork of the
Middle Fork, Tule River, joins the Middle Fork. (Actually, from a
water production standpoint, the Tule River. Besides producing more
water, it is longer than any other branch of the River, and reaches
higher elevation.) Brooks Gist recalls a pack trip of that year, and
states that they had to start up the trail from there with their
saddle horses and pack animals. All along the trail they saw the
survey stakes for a road following the same route. That road must
have been complete, at least as far as Camp Nelson, a year or two
after 1920. For a time after the road was completed to Camp nelson,
it was a one-way affair, up on the even hours, and down on the odd.
Apparently, the control stated at Coffee Camp.
Ruth
Bailey once told me that they had found the spot, and loved to drive
up there, for a Sunday picnic. Apparently Fred and Hazelyn Hopkins,
along with Les and Ruth Bailey (Les and Hazelyn were brother and
sister), and with the children, went on these picnics. The area had
been heavily logged, but the swmill was gone. The”Headquarters”
cabin was standing, and is now on lot 33 [indicator cabin]. Also,
there was a giant sawdust pile, which the children loved to slide
down. Anyway, the Bailey and Hopkins families, together, decided to
purchase the property, if possible. They found the owners at that
time to be George and Amanda Dooley of Delano. Because the land had
been so heavily logged, they were able to purchase it for $5,000.00,
each family putting up $2,500.00. the deed is dated December 29,
1944, and was recorded on September 5, 1947. [L. W. Cornell had sold
this property to George and Amanda Dooley on March 18, 1924 for
$2,500.00. Dooley took off 1,000,000 board feet of timer before he
sold the property to Bailey. *
The
Bailey and Hopkins families originally stayed in the old sawmill
cabin. In May 1946, Les hired Paul Gordeuk, who had been working in
Springville, o do the building and developing of Cedar Slope. (Paul
has spent his free time at Cedar Slope every year since he stopped
working for Les. He and his wife Evelone have long had their own
cabin up above the highway [now the Harr cabin].) The subdivision
was developed in 1947-48, with an Alden Jones doing the surveying.
While the subdivision was not officially open for sale until 1949 Les
had sold three of his lots in 1947. Construction on thse lots
started almost immediately. These lots were sold to Dr. Elmo Zumwalt
(father of the former CO of the Navy) [Lot #7, how the Reasoner
cabin], severely damaged in the snow storm of 1969 at which time it
became uninhabitable. “Annex” on the property was converted and
became the present cabin. - Information obtained from Muriel
Reasoner] to Dr. L. Watke, [Lot #76, purchased by Tabaz in 1978,
cabin burned before 1983], and to Gail Shadinger [Lot #46, now the
Khoury cabin]. Dr. Watke still owns his cabin, along side of
Marshall Creed, and still spends time there. Paul did much of the
construction of the Zumwalt cabin, and of the “Canteen” the
original store [Lot #20].
There
was always fresh coffee at the Canteen, along with candy, bread,
milk, and other staples. Also, a Mr. Root was working for Les, and
was a barber on th eside. He had his barber chain in the Canteen.
They Canteen, now remodeled into a cabin, is standing and owned by
the Cotta and Franklin families of Porterville. A sign on a tree in
front calls in “Fred's O'l Place”. A bit later, less dug a pond
next to the Canteen, stocked it with trout, and charged people 50
cents for each fish caught.
A Mr.
Flag, some time before, had moved the sawmill from Cedar Slope to
Camp Nelson. After his death a few years later, it was purchased by
E. E. (Bud) Lyman, and moved to Springville. About 1945 Les picked
out trees in his part of the subdivision that would be in the way of
access roads, plus some needed for thinning, and had Bud do the
logging and hauling. Part of the deal was the rough lumber needed
for the 1947 construction. This was hauled back to Cedar Slope.
Part of the sugar pine was cut into short blocks and sawed into
shingles at the Springville shingle mill. These same shingles are
still on the old Zumwalt cabin [cabin demolished in 1988] and on the
former Canteen.
In 1952
Les built a new store on Lot 5, along side of the highway. At about
the same time he built a new cabin for Ruth and himself above the
highway on a spot that commands a remarkable view of Cedar Slope and
all of the surrounding country. [Now the McDonald cabin, P#1] Also
about the same time, Fred invited many of his friend sup for a “house
raising”. In two days time they put up a one room cabin. This
cabin was gradually remodeled and added onto, with a major
reconstruction in 1956. It is now the Watto cabin, [Lot # 4]. While
next door to our cabin, [Lot #S6], we see nothing, and hear nothing,
and never have, because of the dense stand of trees.
The
granite around Cedar Slope is too decomposed and soft for use in
making fireplaces and chimneys. Major work was underway on the
highway between Cedar Slope and Quaking Aspen. This granite was quite
while in appearance, very hard, and Les resolved to collect quite a
bit of it. Les and Paul generally went together with a truck. Near
Boulder Creek, Les noticed some particularly good rocks above a cut
for the highway. He told Paul to climb up and crow bar a couple of
good ones loose. Paul loosened one, and this started a tremendous
rock slide, completely blocking the road. Soon, there were quite a
few cars stopped, since no one could go up or down past the slide.
Quite a “crew” was formed to clear the highway. Les just
couldn't admit how the landslide had started, but he hated to see all
of those beautiful rocks roll down the slope. Then he had a
brilliant idea. He told the people that he was thinking of building
a fireplace, and these rocks wight be suitable. Anyway, he persuaded
the people to put the rocks he selected into his trust, rather than
to roll them down the slope. He selected the rocks he wanted, and
soon the truck was fill. From this trip, and others, enough rocks
were collected for an immense fireplace and chimney for the new
store, for his cabin [Parcel #1], and Fred's cabin and later he gave
the rest to the Gists for their cabin. We long admired those
fireplaces.
NOTE:
I interviewed Paul after Dad had died and he told me that it was no
crowbar that caused the slide but several sticks of dynamite. I
suspect the story changed because many people were loathed to tell
Father, an internationally respected expert in several areas, about
what really happened.
There was not much other cabin construction until 1953. In that
year, the Matthews [Lot # 32 – now the Harris cabin]. The Clements
[Lot # 16], and the Reedys [Lot #38 – now the Russell cabin] were
built. Ever since then there has been steady process until, today,
some 57 cabins are served by the Cedar Slope Mutual Water Company.
Three of these are above the highway, so technically not in Tract
119.
The philosophy behind cabins now is quite different than it was in
1947. Elaborate building codes and County inpections, as we know it
today, were not instituted until 1962. There was some inspection of
electrical wiring before electricity could be connected, and some
inspection of septic tanks, but not today's strict building codes. A
cabin was built as a rough summer cabin, now as a home. They were
built for a 20-year life, with piers held off the ground only by
cedar blocks – no concrete. Plumbing usually went up the outside
of the cabins for easy repairs, and to be easily drained in the fall.
Two staggered layers of 1” x 12” planks commonly served as the
walls. Septic tanks were usually two lengths of concrete pipe on
end, and connected. Te leach lines were about 20 feet of concrete
drain tile put in shallow trench and covered. There was no
electricity at Cedar Slope. However, Dr. Zumwalt, who was then
serving as Mayor of Tulare, in addition to his medical practice,
invited Edison officals up to his cabin for a week-end. They arranged
to bring electricity to Cedar Slope from Camp Nelson while sitting
around the table that he had had the German Prisoners-or-war build
for him at their camp near Tulare. Charlie Reasoner has now rebuilt
the original Zumwalt “annex” into a good, but small cabin. The
big table will not fin into that cabin so we are lucky to have the
temporary use of it in our cabin {Lot S6]. It fits well into our
cabin and we would have to be without it.
Rods, 20 years ago, were simply for access and egress during the
summer. Narrow dirt roads would not spoil the primitive environment,
and that is what Les, in particular, wanted. Les and Fred did go
together at first on the roads ,sharing the cost. Together, they
spent $1,283.00 on the roads. But Fred was concerned that the County
would not accept responsibility for the maintenance of the roads that
Les put in. While the County would own them, they would be classed a
“traveled right-of-way”, with the property owners responsible for
all maintenance, and any paving. Therefore, Fred put of $300.00 for
clearing the brush and trees, and $1,200.00 to the County to grade,
drain, and pave the roads in his part of the subdivision. Thus, the
County does maintain the main subdivision road, and the roads that
Fred had had improved. Some of the other roads are in very bad shape
today.
Fred Hopkins actually made his lots larger and fewer in number, than
did Les in the Tract 119 subdivision. Fred believed that lots should
average about one acre in size. While there are 85 lots in the
subdivision, there are only 25 in Feed's half. Tract 119 was limited
to the land below the highway and between Marshall Creek and Hopkins
Creek. Both Les and Fred had considerable land left, which they sold
off in various ways. In 1956, Fred Sold a large parcel to Brooks and
Mabel Gist, long-time friends of the Hopkins and Bailey families. (I
have thoroughly enjoyed reading two of Brooks Gist's books: “The
Years Between”, about the early says in the San Joaquin Valley, and
“High Sierra Adventure”.) Fred suggested that Brooks build a
real log cabin. Fred and Brooks became enthused, and together
cruised the land to find enough where thinning was required. Brooks
felled the trees in 1957, and built the log cabin in 1958 and 1959.
Brooks was no stranger to the area; his first of several pack trips,
leaving from what is now the PG&E hydroplant was in 1913, and
going past Camp Nelson and Cedar Slope to Whites Meadows, Trout
Meadows, and on to Funston Meadows. (Incidentally, 1913 was my first
of many summers spent in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, but in
Yosemite, rather than in the southern Sierra.)
NOTE:
See this link for information on Father's father, Arthur C.
Pillsbury, the inventor of many of the photographic cameras that have
shaped our world today.
Nothing has been said about how Cedar Slope was named. This had to be
done before applying for the subdivision permit. Names being
considered were Ponderosa, Bailey's Camp and Bull Pine Flats. Then
Ruth suggested “Cedar Slope”. Possibly because Ruth was adored
by all, and particularly by Les, her suggestion became law. Cedar
Slope it is and always will be. The lots were originally priced at
$800.00 to $1,200.00 when the subdivision officially opened in 1949.
In 1952 Les built a new store along side of Highway 10. It was
basically a store, with freezers, refrigerators and grocery shelves.
There were game tables such as pool and shuffle board. There was a
counter where one could get short orders, coffee, cold drinks, candy
and pies. Also, Les always said, “The kids need their milk”; so
it was sold at Springville prices. Les often had the urge or need to
be somewhere else. At such times, he would leave the cash register
open, and a sign on the counter asking people to wait on themselves.
When my oldest son found Les gone, which was often, he generally took
over and ran the place for the fun of it. When Les returned, he
would generally give Cap a few candy bars. Les often said that he
never lost a dine by his informal storekeeping. I believe it.
Another thing, everything was priced in multiples of 5 cents. No
pennies allowed. Making frequent excursions to the store was a
ritual for all of the children around. Ruth always stayed at home,
but the kids usually went up to visit her, too. And, they always
flocked up there fore her regular summer Sunday School.
NOTE:
Cap, myself, and Stephen our younger brother, all took turns in the
store. I sold a few candy bars and cokes myself. It was lots of fun
and the Store was then the community meeting house, welcoming to all
ages and kinds of people who either were vacationing or passing
through.
It must have been round 1960 that Les sold the store and the
undeveloped “trailer park”. Les had designed the store so that
the northeast room could be a bar. He actually applied for a
license, but, when Ruth and Hazelyn found out about it, that room
suddenly became the storage room. The new owner did put in a bar
there. He also developed the trailer park by burying 3 ft. lengths
of 3 ft. diameter concrete pipe, with a hole in the lids. An
electrical outlet, and a water faucet, was run to each trailer site.
However, in 1962, the sanitary facilities were condemned. The
trailer park, still not open for public use, is now owned by Carl
Tapia. [In recent years the trailer part has been open for use.[
The young man who had purchased the store apparently lost interest
after a couple of years, and sold it to Carl Tapia. In the winder of
1969, the store burned down, apparently because of a faulty gas water
heater. Carl rebuilt it as the Cedar Slope Inn. His avocation has
always been in the are of music, and, if we listen on week-end
evenings for almost 9 months out of the year, we generally can hear
music coming from the Inn. And, never rock and roll. The Inn is
quite an attraction for many of the adults of the Upper Tule, but no
longer a mecca for the children.
The Cedar Slope Mutual Water Company was incorporated in 1947, and a
permit was granted for the issuance of 89 shares of stock. The water
system has always been a surface diversion from Marshall Creek.
There are almost continuous seeps for a half mile above the tiny
diversion dam. These seeps appear to be fed from the seepage from a
meadow on the way up to Jordan Peak. The original storage tank was
only two feet high, and was fed by a hose running from Marshall
Creek. It was damaged by falling trees and totally inadequate. It
was replaced by a 500 gallon galvanized steel sheet metal tank, which
is till standing,but unused. In 1957, Charlie Reasoner, then
President of the Board, Cedar Slope Mutual Water Company, arranged
the purchase of a 22,000 gallon tank for $2,450.00. At the same
time, the tiny diversion dam on Marshall Creek was built with
volunteer help, and a pipeline installed from the dam to the tank.
The capacity of the pipeline is about 55 gallons per minute, although
the water right is only for 22 gallons per minute. In 1960, the new
tank became inadequate and Charlie arranged the purchase of another
tank of 44,000 gallons capacity to be installed next to the other
tank, and connected to it. This tank cost $3,300.00 installed.
Charlie, and other volunteers, did all the connecting up, making the
system very flexible. Incidentally, the newest tank has a double
bolted lower section, permitting the future addition of another
section that would add 22,000 gallons more.
Also, at the time that Charlie was giving all of his time to the
Cedar Slope Mutual Water Company, he made a start in putting in new
mains and burying them. The old “invasion” pipe was put right on
the surface, and was drained every fall on the Sunday following
Thanksgiving. Paul Gordeuk always did this task, with the help of
any others that might still be at their cabins, Subsequently,
largely through the efforts of George Matthews, who is retired but
receives nominal pay from the water company, the mains and laterals
have now all been replaced and completely “winterized”. The
water is on the year round. Further, the water is now chlorinated,
and without at all affecting its food taste. All 85 lots in Tract
119, plus 5 above the highway, are all served with water. In all, 57
cabins [now there are 58 cabins and the Cedar Slope Inn using water]
have been constructed, and are in use. It's an excellent water
system, and we are quite pleased [a well was drilled in 1987 and
chlorination is not required at this time]. Cedar Slope is a most
pleasant spot for a “second home”. Those who live there keep the
place neat and tidy, and clean up the litter that campers and other
itinerants leave in their wake.
Finally, it might be mentioned that Les purchased another 160 acre
homestead right after it had been logged. I helped him search the
land for the best water supply, so that he could go ahead with the
subdivision. Also, I viewed the “Indian bathtubs” where the
Indians had leached, and then dried into cakes, their acorn meal.
But old age crept up on Les, and he was forced to sell the land. It
has been partially developed as Alpine Village. Hopefully, someone
will write a history of it.
NOTE:
I accompanied Father to the area that is now Alpine Village for the
survey and held the stick for him when not playing in the bathtubs
and exploring.
Acknowledgments:
Brooks and Mabel Gist, Paul Gordeuk, Charles and Muriel Reasoner,
George matthews, and Delpha Hopkins, widow of Fred, have provided me
with a wealth of information, which is incorporated herein. My
sincere thanks to all of them!
References:
Floyd L. Otter, 1963. “The Men of Mammoth Forest”, Edwards Bros.
Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Elaine Egenes. 1970. “The Dauntless Dillons”, Edwards Bros. Inck
Ann Arbor, Michigan.
About
Dr. Arthur Francis Pillsbury
Born October 10, 1904 – Died April 12, 1991
Dr. Arthur F. Pillsbury was an acknowledged expert in the field of
water resources and conservation, his first job after receiving his
Ph. D. from Stanford University in 1932, was to design projects for
the Civilian Conservation Corp. in California. He and his new bride,
Mary Alice Reasoner Pillsbury, spent the first six months of their
marriage moving from place to place, living in a tent, so that Dr.
Pillsbury could be on site.
Dr. Pillsbury went to work for the California University system on
the Los Angeles Campus in 1933, working in both their nascent
engineering department and in agriculture.
He served on the first EPA in the late 60s and because of his broad
understanding of the integrative discipline of soils, agriculture,
and water issues.
In 1962 Dr. Pillsbury was invited to serve on the U. S. Panel of the
International Boundary Commission to work on the problem of increased
salinity of the Colorado River. In 19634 he was in northern Mexico
with the World Bank, in 1964 he took sabbatical leave from UCLA to be
part of the world conference on the problem of salinity in the river
basin. He consulted on water and irrigation problems in West
Pakistan, Tehran, Iran and Israel.
Until his retirement, Dr. Pillsbury was the Director of the Water
Resources Center and the Director of the Engineering and Applied
Center and the Director of the Engineering and Applied Science
Departments at UCLA. He also served on the Department of the
Interior's task force on water quality in 1967, and the following
year was appointed to the California Environmental Quality Study
Council, and traveled the entire state.
In 1981 his article, “Salts of the Earth,” was published in
Scientific American.
He served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Cedar Slope Mutual Water
company from 1975 to 1978.
