As we acquire more information, we will continue to add to this section of our site.
After thought December 2014. Commenters have added a whole lot of information about Eldorado County, particularly the area around Pino Grande and Camino.
Interested readers should access “Camino History” on Facebook. This group has a lot of information and history about the Camino area. Also on Facebook look at “You Know you Grew up in Placerville, AKA Hangtown” for even more photos and information. Thanks to Lee Rogers for drawing our attention to these two historic resources.
Here’s a photo of Phil Tuma and his display board when he visited the Sierra Nevada Logging Museum recently. He’s left the display with us for a couple of months. As you can see, it would be difficult for us to make good copies off this board.
This page has the following sub pages.
Sierra Nevada Logging Museum 
acroynom NBNR in El Dorado Co. adjacent to US Highway 50 at Post mile 54. Any info. on what logging R/R this was
it was the placerville camino and lake tahoe railroad,but it never went past camino . they did it because the goverment gave them every other section of land along the route
Thanks for the post, Bob. The every other section explanation makes too much sense to not be valid.
snlm
Well, what you’ve told me isn’t enough information for me to be able to give you much help, but if I did have more information, I still might not be able to help you.
Is the NBNR on some old railroad car, a wall of some sort, or ????
The only RR I know of that had that acronym was the Nicolet Badger Northern Railroad which was not in this area, but that doesn’t mean that cars or locomotives didn’t end up out here.
snlm
Hi..I lived up in Forest Hill in the late 70’s and there were 3 mills up on the Divide. The Big Mill was just west of town along the road, The Upper Mill was small, and at the other end of town. A few miles northeast of town, up the Divide was the turn off to Big Resivor, and the Hamlet of Baker.
Hues ? Mill was out Big Resivor Rd. on the left. It was torn down and removed before 1980. The Upper Mill ended with a similar fate while later.
Bendix Corp. bought out American Forest Products, and The Big Mill, Truck Shops where closed. My Father was a Truck Mechanic, and Retired in 85-86. When they closed. The Whole mill site, was turned into a new High School.
I’ld forgotten….Baker ….was Baker Ranch . There was a Large Building, which had a huge stone fire place, and was the Bar, and accross the bar was an Orchard, and Mobile Home Park.
Don’t know if this is what you mean by logging camps, but during the summers of 1972-74 I put myself through college by working in the woods. I was employed by American Forest Products and we logged in both the Tahoe and El Dorado National forests. The operation was based out of Foresthill but I stayed in a company run logging camp near French Meadows Reservoir. The camp was called Skidmore Camp and was comprised of about 12 two-man cabins. Their was a large grub shack and two cooks. There was also about a 4 stall shower room. The company was “union” and paid top wages. If I recall correctly I was paid $5.35 p/hr as a choker setter. The camp had a magnificent hot breakfast that contained every breakfast staple….and the cooks would make something to order when you got tired of the spread. Loggers would pack a lunch prior to breakfast. Dinner was similar to breakfast….something for everyone and every taste. No one went hungry. All of this cost $5 a day and fresh linen was provided weekly. After breakfast we’d await the buses that were carrying loggers who stayed in Foresthill. The buses then took us to the various job sites.
Went back to French Meadows in the mid-80s and Skidmore Camp had been dismantled and removed. Only my vivid memory could recreate the camp as I remembered it.
Good information, Tom, Thank you. snlm John
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There were a Lot of Small Saw Mills in Eldorado County not Covered here…
Blair Brothers Lumber Co. had a Lumber Yard at Main St and Misqueto Rd for yrs..Their First Mill was Down at Sly Park, Now Jenkins Lake, South of Pollock Pines. They Had a Mill Also North of Pacific House, across the American River, where I grew up in the 50’s. There was a Mill and town at Fresh Pond, another little mill at Pollock Pines, just east of town, and a small mill in the woods between Fresh Pond and Sly Park…You also had Ohmo Ranch, Like Pino Grande, Remote, with Family Houses, Co Store..The older kids went to High School in Placerville too ….
Lee,
my family the Blairs, and Smith’s owned a number of the mills that you just mentioned. they also owned one near charles brown school off of pleasant valley rd. and one in shingle springs. onre burned down to a aw dust fire i believe. Lee you my have none my mother Julie Smith now Harrison from EDHS class of 1973 i believe.
I own a house in pollock pines very close to town on Sly Park Rd and have been told that this used to be a mill. You can see where there was an old road cut in that is very over grown. Is there anywhere we can get info to try to confirm? I heard many years ago that there was a mill near the community church area of town at one point also. I wish someone had a map!
My Dad was foreman of a Blister Rust camp off of Highway 50, maybe on Tiger Creek. We stayed at Pacific House for a couple of summers and I went to school at Fresh Pond. I think my Mom was more interested in getting me out of her hair during the day than expanding my education. I remember the mill and the community, and also the one room school. It seems very likely that I got Polio from the American River while staying at Pacific House. The resort at Riverton let their sewage go directly into the river and we swam a few miles downstream from there. At the time they didn’t know Polio was in its first stage a GI tract infection.
snlm
John
During the 1930’s I lived five years at Fresh Pond in one of the tent houses. I started school in the little one room school. And I also have a school picture of that year. The Blair Bro’s owned the mill at that time and later sold it to Michigan-Cal Lumber Co in Camino. The water that fed the tent village and the mill pond was up on the hill side and ran down to a stone pool where we dipped our drinking water. Those were the happiest days of my life and the steps my father made were still there in the 1990’s. I’m truly sorry of what has now become of the little tent village where I had the most joy of my childhood.
dottie
Dear Dottie
I have been keeping track of the lumber mills in El Dorado County. I was surprised that there was hardly any information on the Fresh Pond/Pacific House school in the wonderful book about one Room School Houses. Have You seen the Book “Mother Lode of Learning ? ” I would like to Insure that the Photo Curator at The El Dorado County Museum could Get copy your School Picture.
A bunch of retired teachers did a fantastic job on the book on one room school houses. If you have not seen it It is available from the El Dorado County Library. Both in Check out and at the reference section. Sadly there is only one page about Pacific House (326) I would like them to reprint the book but this time with an Index.
There were about 4 mills within a few miles of Fresh Pond in the thirties. I am assuming that your father worked for The Blairs. Could you tell me your Dads Name?
My Father (johnny Van Sant) had a friend Howard Linder. If I remember correctly, There was a real nice memorial at the veterans Lodge in Placerville a few years ago. Howard was a Bus supervisor at Pinewood School.
I would gladly Mail you a copy of the page about Fresh Pond School. But I feel that you may enjoy that “out of print” book as much as I did.
Not Knowing these people at Sierra Nevada Logging Museum, I would recommend that they post Your School Photo on this site. Some great photographer took some great shots of the Pino Grande School. I copied them on this site last year
Sorry this Message is bouncing around quite a bit.
Thanks Again
Roy Van Sant from Placerville
Roy and Dottie,
If you look around our site, you’ll know that we devote a lot of space to the old schools. We’d love to put Dottie’s photo on the web site. Remember, I went to Fresh Pond also.
John
snlm
Was there ever a saw mill in Placerville at or near where the box factory was at Main St. And Sacramento Hill?
The Beach Box Factory was at that Location from at least the 1880’s thru 1967. Three Generations of Mr. Beach ran the company. Grand Pa & Grandson both Named Seth, Joe in the Middle
When I asked a manager (who sold off the Equipment in 1967) that same question. His remark was that he did not think so. but they may have. But they were mostly a Planing mill & Box Factory.
There Is a wonderful old Sketch of Placerville in 1856 with a sawmill a few blocks down. My guess is that it would be the sawmill of James H. Preadmore. Somehow this sawmill never shows up in the photo’s taken about then.
None that I know of in between the two.
Roy Van Sant
Thank you. You’re better than “Google”.
Roy,
The Logging Museum thanks you also.
snlm
John
my family owned the Blair brothers lumber company in Placerville, near where mcdonalds is today, and also many other mill sites and bridges. My great grandfather Matthew Blair was killed when a saw dust pile collapsed on him. he died of suffication. Our family now owns 150+ acres near the Pino Grande Mill site.
My Family is the Turnboo/Carbine/Neilsen,,,well you get the picture. I’m interested in any El Dorado Co family history and County history anyone would like to share……..
Thanks for the help
Well I am the last one to be telling someone about their own family. Those three names are all truck Drivers or Loggers.
Mike Carbine 1927-2006 purchased his first logging truck during WW2 (Or shortly after?) and logged his whole life in El Dorado County.
As for Neilsons: How about an Elmer born 99 years ago. Or a Franklin who was a few years older. George V. 1892-1976 was one of the earlier Log truck drivers. Howard 1916-2007 was involved in a few sawmills and his own logging company. I do not know much about Robert a logger during WW2 and a William who along with his wife Anna owned a sawmill somewhere according to the 1940 Census.
The Turnboo’s Alvin , Carl & Dave had a real nice article in the 15 Sept,2000,Mountain Democrat. I need to go look a friend named George in the town of El Dorado and see how he is related to the bunch.
Hi Roy……
Thank you for all this information. I’m the Granddaughter of Bill Turnboo on my mother’s side (Corky Hamilton)
I’m not familiar with Mike Carbine’s background, but my mother’s best friend, Pasty Carbine can do that for me.
In the meantime, thank you for the information about the Nielsen’s. Great-Grandmaw (Bill’s mother is from that side of the family so I’m thinking Elmer may be her father (?) or an older brother). I’m sure I can find out more information about the Neilson’s from Tommy Lightfoot’s family.
As far as the Turnboo side of logging, Grandpa (Bill) fell, limbed and bucked, was a cat skinner and drove truck during his lifetime.
My step father, Bob Hamilton, worked with Grandpa as a faller.
Uncle Carl drove truck most of the time, but I believe he may have been a faller too.
I know Davey and Shawn are fallers, and are pretty damn good at it.
My sister, Robin, married Donald Vance, Jr. from the Vance Trucking family out of Plymouth CA.
George Turnboo is a cousin, but I’m not sure where he fits in, but would love to talk to him.
Again thanks for the information you provided. And by the way you are Roy Who??
Just a Lumber mill historian, Trying to keep track of the El Dorado County Mills, Mill Workers, loggers, ect. I was once called Lumber Mill Looie at the Museum. (My wifes family was involved in a few mills years ago)
Comment for Tyler Blair Harrison
Yes your family has had more lumber mills in this county than any other. (No One else can I document over 100 years) I have some Issues that I need to clean up before I list the lumber Mills . Possibly Ten Lumber mills. Plus two separate retail lumber yards in Placerville. I have to Include some mills owned by a man named Smith who was just as much a Blair as his partners in the Blair Brothers Lumber Co.
I also need to learn proper ethics on listing others names web sights without their consent.
Years Ago I started a score card because of 5 of your relatives have the same first and Last name. One of which is still living. I am indebted to Mr. Smith’s Wife to help me keep them straight. Since then I have been Keeping track of all people known to have worked in the lumber industry in El Dorado County.
I need to finish a separate project. Then I will list the Blair Mills. I need to confirm something that your Uncle Gordon disagreed with. If Gordon Blair said “No I had never heard that, and I don’t think so” I had better re-think the whole thing. (I will take Gordons word over mine) Your Family has a Heritage and good reputation that no one else can come close to.
Roy,
I really appreciate all the good things you had to say about my family. the smith that you mentioned is my great uncle Clark (i believe) and maybe his wife alice (both of which are still alive) he and my grandfather Lyman “Donald” Smith (clarks brother) passed away 29, august 2002. the last mill they owned was the planing mill in El Dorado (across from reds) and my grandmother(Betty Smith) just passed last year the day after christmas. Donald And Clarks father was Matthew Blair. i dont know a ton of stuff as you do, but i would give anything in the world to learn as much about them as i possibly can.
P.S.
Do you still work at the Museum? id like to talk to you in person sometime.
Sincerely,
Tyler Blair Harrison
For Roy:
H. R. Pollock, “Hime”, and son Claude Earl were involved in land and timber rights throughout the area for the several years. He started a lumber mill near Pacific House and a mill located at Weber Creek east of Sportsman’s Hall until 1932.
My Great-Great-Aunt Anna was married to Hime when they came out here in the early 1900s’. The town of Pollock Pines is named for this family.
I found some of this information ifrom an on line book called; The Polloc Pines Epic.
It may help with some of the informaiton dealing with logging and mills here in El Dorado County.
Colleen & Tyler
Claude Earl & Lorraine Pollock lived in the town of El Dorado in a house overlooking his former saw mill. Claude had a real bear skin in his basement. This Bear was in a special phase of its life because of it’s shade it was called a cinnamon Bear. I remember Claude telling the story of the Bear and why the fruit growers had to have it shot. This Bear skin was at my house until my parents made me clean out my room. (about 30 years)
About 12-15 years ago I met a man at the museum who claimed to be Claude Earl & Lorraine’s son in law. I also met his wife but she was not feeling well. I believe she went out and stayed in a motor home. If I remember correctly they were from Colorado. I told this young gentleman the same thing that you told me. The best info on Mr. Pollock was in the book “the Pollock Pines Epic”. By the Way. This book is no longer in print. Thankfully the author made it available online at thepollockpinesepic.com
If you need any information on this “son In Law” let me know. I probably took his name and I need to get some courage to brave my Filing Cabinet that is out of control.
Your Great Great Aunt Anna was sure generous with the 8 th grade graduates at the Pollock Pines schools.
The great Lymon Don Smith was one of the Owners of El Dorado Sierra Lumber Company and later El Dorado Northern He was also of the early Directors of the El Dorado County Historical Museum. We are very thankful for all the work he did to make that Museum a reality. In the Office of the museum there are some beautiful Cabinet like things just packed with drawers. There is one on the bottom that no one wanted about 3 feet to the right of the back door in the Office of the museum. It is labeled “Roy Lumber Mills”. There is a small packet pf papers there for Tyler Blair Harrison.
One of the hidden artifacts of this Museum is a huge table donated by Two of the Officers at Caldor. (Well it evidently lived from 1960 thru the Early 1970’s in some forest supervisors Office.) Charles Gladstone Price The Superintendent and William Liddicoet the head sawyer (both of Caldor) saved this solid knot-less Sugar pine table top that is 13 1/2 foot long and 4 feet wide by 4 inches thick. This huge table is used several days every week. Boy do I feel guilty when I walk on it to change light bulbs. Moving it would not be considered . It is one of the few tables that would make a good Earthquake shelter.
Roy Van Sant
Roy,
i am going to go to the museum today at lunch to see if i can find that filing cabinet. (if the ladies will let me ???) i am very thankful to have found this website, it has all kinds of the info that i love. its one way that i can remember my grandpa don, sadly i was only able to know him for 17 years . his passing really took a toll on all of us, but i guess that’s a part of life. was that don and my grandma Betty that you were referring to in the posts above? or Clark and Alice?
anyways i’ve gotta get back to work, nice talking to you. hope to learn a ton more…
Thanks,
T.B.H.
Tyler Blair Harrison……On Face Book…There are a Few Pages, you Might Look Up….Camino History ….and You Know You Grew up in Placerville, AKA Hangtown…If…I posted a Picture Doc. of My Trip Home Last Fall, on the Placerville Page….I have Pictures of the Blairs Mill Site and What remains…as well as Pino Grande….There’s also Pics of Us at Blairs Mill…back in the 50’s…
Hello Lee
I also grew up at the Mill north of Pacific House across the American River. Do you remember the de Franchi’s? My Dad, Don, was a truck driver for the Blair brothers.
Gail
Gail,
I grew up in Placerville. We lived on Suncrest Drive across from Bob and Peggy Weaver and next to Ty and Francis Bigelow. I went to high school with Dick de Franchi at Ponderosa High School in Shingle Springs. The class of 1967 will be having a 70’s get together this summer (August, 2019) since most are turning 70 or have turned 70. Would you know Dick’s whereabouts?
Bill jones
Bill Jones….. Check with Gail Defranci Cooper… She is Dicks Sister, The Last time I saw Dick was when they Lived down the Street from Us in Cedar Grove, That had to Be around 1960….Our Parents were Friends and Partied Together…. If You have Face Book, look up Blair’s Saw Mill… The Page has Members of people that lived and grew up there….
Thank you for contacting me. My brother Richard took his life sometime in 1983 (or earlier?) There was a dark aspect to the first years of our lives spent at the mill and at the new home at 155G Cedar Drive, the consequences of which finally caught up with Richard.
The last time I saw him was at the 1967 graduation. (Do you remember that he ran for student council VP in ’66? I made his campaign posters – “The one to pick? Of course it’s Dick!” He didn’t win.)
We lived in the house our stepfather had built on Lydia Lane off Green Valley Rd when we attended Ponderosa High. I was a sophomore during Richard’s senior year and had been elected to be the (rather pretentious sounding) “Commissioner for Publicity” of the student council which meant that I got to write articles (The Bear Facts) about the activities at Ponderosa High for The Mountain Democrat.
1967 was our last year at Ponderosa High. Richard was sent to Sacramento to live with our father and another move forced me to transfer to Placer High. The 1967 graduation was the last time I saw him. I left America two years later after graduating from Placer High and have not returned.
Gail (nee de Franchi) Cooper
Gail,
This is Tom Carnahan. We were neighbors when your family lived on Lydia Lane. I have no idea if you will even see this but I thought it was worth a try. I was looking through old issues of the Mountain Democrat and I noticed your name associated with an article you had written back in High School. A little bit of a search led me to this thread. I was just wondering how you are and if you are willing to share some of the story of your life with me. I don’t know how to reach out or contact you otherwise but would love to hear from you.
Tom
Hi Gail. I’m Patti Bruun McClure, Placer class of 69. We’ve been looking for you. I see you are out of the country, but would like to be able to email you. We just celebrated our 50th reunion, but we have more to come. I’m sure you remember Terrie Oglesbee, Donna Draper, Laurie Cassidy, they were song leaders with you. Please respond we would all love to hear from you. Thank you 🙂
HI Gail, I ‘m Patti Bruun McClure, Placer class of 69. OMG, I am so excited to find you. We just celebrated our 50th reunion and have been trying to locate you. I’m sure you remember Terrie Oglesbee, Laurie Cassidy, Donna Draper, they were song leaders with you. Even though you were out of the country we’d like to be able to connect with you via email. Also are you on facebook? We have a Placer Class of 69 page for you to join. I truly hope you reply. Thanks Gail. Patti
Hi Gail. This is Tom Carnahan. Don’t know if you still get notices from this site but I’m going to take a chance and give you my email. tlcarnahan@gmail.com
Would love to hear from you. Hope you are well and happy.
Lee,
The museum would love to have photos of the Blair Mill, especially the ones of actual people there in the 50’s. As you can see, this Eldorado County part of our web site has gotten a lot of comment. We’d do more if we had more.
Thanks for considering this.
snlm
John
Thanks Lee, I love old pictures of lumber mill towns.
Somehow I need to Inform Tyler Blair Harrison that Today A nice sign was hung on the Inner perimeter wall of the museum. This sign was to honor L. Donald Smith. Upon complementing this sign painter lady, She said that she didn’t know all the other things about him. She just know him from the Lumber Mill.
Roy Van Sant
Hey Roy,
thanks for the heads up about the sign they hung remembering my grandfather. I still would like to meet with you in person one of these days. i’ve been really tied up with work lately. i found what you left for me at the museum, it was a fun treasure hunt…
Lee,
i’m going to check out the Facebook page you recommended. i look forward to seeing those pictures. i went to Pino two days ago, quite muddy and wet right now…
thanks for all the history about my family.
T.B.H.
Gail Cooper….I remember you very well, and Your Dad. I remember Playing at your house, Down the Street in Cedar Grove, when Our Folks would Party and put us All in Your Rumpus Room…After your Folks Split, Your Dad Moved to Sacto. and Lived Close to My Grandmother, I remember visiting him down there…The Folks Drifted apart, But a Frien of your Dad’s….George ? became good friends for years….Please…If you have any Pictures of Blaires Mill or Cedar Grove….I’ld Love to have a Copy…..Dad passed away in Sept. of 06, but Mom is Still Kicking, up here in Winnemucca, Nv….
T.B.H. If your Family has any Pictures of Blair’s Mill….Would Love to See and Share….My Mom said Art, was the Boss, of the Mill when we lived up there…I had seen and Copied some of the History, That USED to Be Posted on the BLAIR HOUSE WEB SITE….But It had Been REMOVED…..I ONL?Y ?HAVE A FEW PICTURES, FROM OUR HOUSE, BEHIND THE TRUCK SHOP….
John…How do I post Pic’s to this Web Site ???
This Box is Messed up….Had to Space out to type read able comments….
Lee, you can’t post them directly, partly for our own protection, and partly because WordPress won’t allow it. Send photos and explanations to snlm@goldrush.com and I will get them on the site if they are acceptable, which I’m sure they will be. Looking forward to seeing them.
snlm
John
My farther-in-law worked for the Blair brothers both in logging and cutting roads and stayed good friends until he passed away. His nick name was big John
Does anyone know the origin of the name of kings meadow? My family owns the property and I’ve been trying to figure out who named it for some time now. I’m sure some of the old boys from Pino would know the answer.
Shirley:
I will have to ask my family if they remember “big john”
Tyler Blair Harrison…..Talked with my Mother the Other Day…..and Art Blair was Running the Mill when we Lived there…..
anyone familiar with the onion valley mine? it’s located near campana.
Hi Tyler,
According to the book “On & Beyond the Georgetown Divide” On page 146 an excerpt from the Georgetown Gazzette of 9 July 1908. “We are glad to hear that Liveo Campana has made a rich find in his mine at Onion Valley”
Now we all know that Liveo Campana had a shingle mill. The Nice lady who was a friend of your Grandpa showed me a receipt from 1939 that was signed by Liveo. His business was called the Onion Valley Shingle Mill. The book is available at the library or the museum.
Another El Dorado County Lumber Icon, Not Mentioned Yet…..Was Harvey West…..A Link to That History: http://www.graeagle.com/history/harvey_west_jr.html
A little different discussion, who owned the houses at Fresh Pond and when were they taken down? I had lived there from approximately 1957 through 1963. My father was a welder and worked for the construction companies on several of the dams before moving to Paradise and working on Oroville Dam. I do remember fishing on a mill pond just to the west of Fresh Pond. Don’t think I was lucky though.
What a great site, I was referred to it by a friend that was the CDF Ranger at Camino. My family moved to the Blair brothers mill across river from the Pacific House in 1947 I remember it well and spent a few magic years of my youth there. I have a vivid mental picture of the whole place and wish I had photographs. Not the case as a camera was a luxury that we could not afford. Art Blair was the mill boss and I played with his son’s Ronnie and Billy. They lived just a few yards from the truck repair shop in the best house in the camp. It was covered by a big ceder tree and had the only fireplace in the area. Their dog’s name was Spook. Fritz Blair built a new house on the hillside above our houses. I spent many hours watching the mechanics in the shop. There was also time spent in the office where the senior Blair held court. The office was part shop and part business office as they also sharpened saws and ax’s there. The walls of the office were covered with pictures of logging in days gone bye that included indications of ox rigs, trucks with solid tires, and drag & skid equipment. There was the pay shed (not part of the office) where the old magneto phone was hanging on the outside wall. This was the phone that the workers could use to receive or place calls. I believe the phone (number) name was “Ice House 1”. So much more but so little time to type here. So many stories to be told.
George Sisemore,
Im interested in anything you can tell me about the mil and the Blair family.
Email me when you have a chance.
Thanks,
Tyler
tharrison@demtech.com
George Sisemore…….We Lived Right Behind the Truck Shop….I was born in 52 and we Lived Below the Mill in our First House, and Moved above the Mill when a House Came Open….I just sent John…The Site Administrator….All Of the Pictures I have of Blair’s Mill….Most taken from our place above the Truck Shop…Hell you might be one of the Kids Playing in the snow…Behind the Houses….i also Sent him, Pictures of the Blairs Area i took Last Year…Truck shop Area, where Our Houses were and The Mill Foundations….The Families i remember, where the De Francies, and The Hoisers…who we were friend with in through the 60’s….With the Big King Fire Burning Now in The Area…..These Maybe the Last Pictures taken of the Area…..It’s ALL….Under Evacuation ORDERS NOW, and Closed Off…..
James, I have not received any photos. Hopefully, they are in transit. What should I be looking for? Mail, e-mail. ??
James Lee Rogers,
can you send me the pictures that where supposed to be posted to this site. that was my families mill. I have only seen a few of the pictures.
tharrison@demtech.com
thanks,
Tyler
Lets Hear them George ……..Time’s a Wasting……..We Won’t Live Forever…We are the Last to Pass On This History…..
We Moved From Blairs, when they Sold out To Michigan Cal…The Hoisers were the Last ones to Move out…Before the Big…Ice House Fire…Burned all the Country up….We Watched it….From the Top of Fresh Pond Grade, at the Big Turn out…When 50 was just 2 lanes…..I have a Family Picture…With the Whole area behind us….Before it Burned……
I sent a WHOLE BUNCH OF PIC’s…..The Email was Returned……
I Exceeded the File Limit….I spent over an Hr putting it Together….Now have to Start Over Again and Make it Multi Part…..
Came through great this time. Thanks.
John
Sent from my iPhone
>
John…I re-sent the old Black and White pictures i Have of Blair’s Mill….These were Part 1….the Ones I took Last Year…will be parts 2 and 3….Looking at the Fire Maps of the King Fire from 9-18-14…..the Fire Has Burnt Through the Whole Area……
Thanks John…For Posting the Pics….Do you Want Pictures i took of Blair’s Mill Remains Last yr ??….This Area just Burnt up…In the King Fire….And Is Known as The White Meadows Area, where All of the Houses Burnt….
These would be the part 2 and 3 i mentioned before…
Lee, Thanks for the offer of more photos, but probably I wont use them at this time. 10 minutes later Well, maybe I should take a look at them before making a final decision. If convenient, send at least a few along and Ill take a careful look at them. snlm John
To Tyler Blair Harrison….In Going through some of my old Mining info. I came across a US Geological Survey, of United States, Placerville Folio…The Map of the Area Shows the Upper Part of Slab Creek above Pino, Listed as Kings Meadows…This Document was Scanned at Texas A&M University Library 1967..Try A Search there…This Document Deals with the Minerals and Geology of this Area of Eldorado County, with most of the focus on Gold…But the Name of Kings Meadows, was probably given by Miners…Prospecting in the area…
Thanks for the info lee, I really appreciate it. That is the location of Kings Meadow.
SNLM…..Visit Face Book: You Know you Grew up in Placerville, AKA Hangtown, and go to the Photo’s Page, Under Albums you’ll Find, My Trip Home Series….You can View the Blairs Mill Site Pictures there and get a Copy to add to the Blairs Page if ya Want….
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202227139541049.1073741839.1266782881&type=3
Morning All….a Friend of Mine, Al Bates, in 1952 was involved in Logging off, what is now Sly Park ( Jenkins Lake). He Camped on Park Creek at the Old Phippins Mill Site, and Hauled Logs to the Hangtown Lumber Co- Gus Winkelman owner, Mill off of Blakley Rd in Camino. The Mill was kind of NW of Camino and Michigan Cal. There are Pictures on the Camino History Page on Face Book of the Mill and Logging at Sly Park.
Also SNLM…..Check out and Join the Camino History Page, for stories and History of This part of El Dorado County….
here is the link to my site on facebook for any one who would like to look at it “Logging Sly Park -51-52 ..The pictures are actually Hangtown Lumber Co logging operation of 1952 …Mike carbine ,catskinner -Johnny Carbine ,jammer operator – Dick Williams ,truck driver – Jerry Buhlert, truck driver -Al Bates ,Truck driver – Harlod Hughes ,side rod – Gus Winkleman ,owner Hangtown Lumber..These are a few names I can remember ….https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204058361213451.1073741854.1656948372&type=1&l=f74c0e3bc9
Roy From Placerville ……..Are You Going to Publish a Book with all the Research You’ve Done ??? Would Love to See The Pictures you have and Hear, Read, Any Stories You have…….Would Love to See them on the Camino History, or You Know you Grew Up in Placerville……… Pages on Face Butt….
Phil Tuma came by the museum the other day. He grew up at Blair’s Mill and later was a forester in a number of our counties. He has a jillion images of the burned over area where Blair’s Mill was located. He left us a display of photos of places and people at Blair’s Mill. This display is on loan and will remain with us until early Fall. His visit was really interesting to me as he knew the folks who ran Pacific House, went to the school east of Pacific House where I almost taught my first year, and had multiple connections with folks involved in running our museum. snlm John
It is good to hear about Phil Tuma & I would ask if his dad’s name is Bud Tuma? If so, they were our neighbors when we lived at the mill. The Bud Tuma I knew was also a gun smith and provided me with my first rifle . I still have that gun. George
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My mother taught school at Blair’s Mill and later at Silver Fork. I lived my first five years at Pacific House. Harvey West had a house there. I remember Floyd and Georgia Poole and Ruth and John Roy. Demitriv Kusev or ‘Dee’ was the proprietor of Pacific House. Sad to see how time has taken it’s toll on Pacific House. I remember it as a small child in the 1950’s, Last time I saw the inside was about January 1974 or so, sitting by the fireplace sipping a whiskey with my buddy Carl, and Dee.
WOW… Just Got the Email’s, This Morning on the Up Dates about Phil Tuma and Blair’s Mill …. In the Picture I Posted of the Women in Front of the Cabin, That is Phyllis Tuma, Wife of Bud Tuma, who Drove Ambulance …. John …. anyway to get any copies of the Pictures of Blairs He Dropped Off??? Living in Winnemucca, Nv…. It’s a Long Strech to Try and See Them… Guess I’m Going to Have to Start a Blair’s Mill Page on Face Book so People Can Freely Share the Pictures, and History …..
G.L. Sisemore …. Which House Did You Live in ?? I Posted a Topo Map that Showed the Houses …. We Lived Right Behind the Truck Shop, 1st, in the little place Next to the Tuma’s… Then … into the Tuma’s Place, till Blairs Sold Out …
James Lee Rogers: I just joined the facebook page and took a look at the pictures that you posted. As for which house that we lived in, If you were standing at the truck shop and looked up the hill toward your house, First there is the house that you lived in and in the back of that just to the left was the Tuma house and up the hill, just a short distance, and slightly to the right was our place. There was an old (small) shed just up hill close to the Tuma house. Our house had a root cellar buried in the hill just outside our back door with an outhouse just beyond that. To the back of our house and a short distance to the right was the first of our two woodsheds. That one we converted into a bunk house for me and my brothers. The other woodshed was about 20 yards uphill and right next to our second outhouse. If you were to go about 50 yards past that, you could come to another house that belonged to Tom Morand or Moran who was a cat skinner that worked in the woods. Most of the men working in the woods claimed that Tom was the one that really ran the logging operation. Tom’s mother lived with him while we were there and was a nice lady to us kids. If you continued up the hill past tom’s place you could come to the water supply for the camp. They had dug a round swimming pool sized hole and cemented it so that it would hold water. Water was piped from three springs that were located some distance further up the hill. One of the workers, Buck Mayfield, was an avid fisherman and put about a dozen or so rainbow trout in the pond to keep the insects from getting our of hand. They had a chain link fence around the whole thing. It was far enough up the hill that gravity was all that was needed to get the water to the houses. Down the hill from Tom Moran’s house toward the White Meadows, Peavine intersection, there were two more cabins just above the Peavine Road. The first one was where Buck Mayfield lived with his wife and young daughter. In the second house, one of our teachers lived while she was teaching. Her name was Mrs. Stenik (sic). Her husband worked at the Freshpond Mill and they had a house in Placerville that they used when the mills closed for the winter. When I lived at the mill, I was called Leon rather than George. I was named after my grandfather George Sisemore and they just called me Leon to stem the confusion.
Phil Tuma’s photos are mounted on a large, stand alone display board. Only feasible way to copy them would be to photograph them in place and that probably would cause considerable loss of quality. Some of the photos are camera copies anyway and don’t need to suffer less quality. I’m sympathetic to the distance, James, but in this case I can’t help you. Perhaps, Phil has scans of some of these.
I Just Created a Face Book Group …. Blair’s Saw Mill ….
Public and Open …. Bring your Pic’s and Stories ….
Thanks John …. I was Thinking …. Using NO Flash, and a Macro Setting on the Pictures …. There Just Are Not Many Photo’s or People Left from that Mill and Area …. Tyler Blair Harrison, sent me a Photo he has of a Panoramic 40 in Photo of the Mill and Crew… I suggested it take it to a Printer, in Placerville to get it Scanned, and Digitized …. Do you Have an Email for Phil Tuma ?? PM Me if ya Could….. Thanks John …. My Mother was kind of excited and gave me Phyllis Tuma’s Name, Bud Tuma’s Wife…..
I don’t have Phil’s e-mail address, was negligent about getting that from him. I couldn’t have given it to you directly anyway, but we’d have worked it out. Phil accesses these pages, so maybe he will see your request and give you, and me, his e-mail address.
James, Phil has a recent post on the Blair Mill at Pacific House site. If you replied to that post, he’d likely see it. snlm John
George Leon Sisemore …. Please come to the, ” Blair’s Saw Mill ” Group on Face Book and Share Your Stories and Photo’s ….
Or PM Me here ….. Thanks
John …. If You Do Face Book …. Come to The Blair’s Saw Mill Page and I’ll Add You …. Will Make Communicating a Lot Easier ….
Can’t seem to find your new group, Lee.
G.L.Sisemore ….. You’re In ….. You Mentioned the Stinicks …. She Taught School at Union Ridge School, on Union Ridge, till they Combined with El Camino Union School, in Camino …. My Grand Parents Had a House, just down the Hill from The Stinick’s, and the New House they Built, 2 Lots up Union Ridge Road, That Driveway Ended Right across the Road from their House… He Had a Little Vineyard and Gardens he Kept, and She was a Substitute Teacher for Years…. The Hoiser ? Family Moved in to Blair’s After Pino was Closed down, and Lived in one of the 3 cabins you Mentioned, over by Peavine and White Meadows Rd … They Were the Last Family to Move Out of Blair’s Mill …. Right Before the Ice House Fire Burned Everything up… Their Oldest Boy was named Steve, then Paul, Barbra … The Father’s Name was Paul.. But Everyone Called Him Hoot … When Bud and Phyllis Tuma, Moved out of Blair’s, We Move INTO Their OLD HOUSE…. So the Defrancis’s, and Hoiser’s .. where Close friend of my Folks …. I think My Mother is the Only One Left Alive….
Lee: It looks like most of the things you experienced at Blair’s mill happened after we moved out. As I have said, we were a large family of hill people and most of the teachers and some of the other kind people at the mill Wanted to bring us into the modern times by exposing us to their way of life. When you mentioned Mrs. Stinick and her husband it brought up a flashback. Mrs. Stinick asked my folks if she could take me and my two sisters to her house in Placerville for a weekend. For us it was a big deal. That is when I first met Mr. Stenick and was surprised to find that he was shorter than his wife. It was the first time that I had seen that. I do not know what his nationality was but he had a large black mu-stash and was very quiet during our visit. You mentioned that they later bought a house and planted a vineyard. That would be as I expected as, during our visit, he took us down into his cellar and introduced us to his 3 barrels of red wine that he was aging. Lots of gnats and a smell that I never forgot. During the weekend, Mrs. Stinick worked hard at teaching us some of the manners and skills attached to the more genteel life. How to use the napkin, knife, fork & spoon. She showed the girls how to set a proper table and serve. She really tried but not much of it stuck. Those skills would be a challenge when we moved into the civilized world. Our family moved from the mill to Vallejo, California where my dad got a job working in the shipyard.
John …. Try this Link ……… https://www.facebook.com/groups/1586477494962163/
Well…. That didn’t seem to Work ….. The Page is ” Blair’s Saw Mill ”
Hope that Helps Don’t remember if i go by James Lee Rogers … or Just Lee Rogers …… lol …..
Thank you so much Phillip for taking the time and your caring effort to put together this wonderful display of the sawmill and areas around it.
Coleman,
My husband was hired by Art Blair in 1947, worked the green chain, lived in the shanty 4 or so miles from mill, had picnics at White Meadows, lived by the Crippins, Howells, Mayfields, lived finally by the mill in a house with a white fence.Many happy days spent there and moved out in 1948.Ine room school teacher was still in Placerville several years ago. Remember Seisemores, Heustons.etc. Good times.
Betty
Betty Coleman,
If you Do Face Book i have a Page, Blair’s Saw Mill. For People who Lived and Worked at Blair’s Mill, Pacific House… Request to Join and I’ll add You.. there are Many long Lost Photo’s…
Lee Rogers
I didn’t grow up in this area but have friends that did. I’d love to be able to share some info/pics/copies of old news clippings about their family with them. Does anyone have any info/pics of the mill in or near Camino that was owned/operated by the Pimental family? I believe it was started in the 1920s by Henry Sylvester Pimental? Later his son Henry Lincoln Pimental joined him. I think the son went by Dave or Babe? Thanks,
Anyone know if it was the Flick or Frick Brother’s that owned the lumber mill that Wetsel Oviatt purchased from them in 1939. Also, I read a reference to the Tarr Brother’s owning it before Flick or Frick. Does anyone know anything about the Tarr Brother’s, dates, etc? Thanks.. Rusty Vardy
Hi Rusty
The best i have is a Clarence Webster Flick (1897-1987) and his older brother George John Flick (1888-1981) they were not El Dorado County Boys. (well except for a few years)
There is a photo on page 32 of the “Shenandoah Valley & Amador Wine Country” book. Clarence is wearing proper Logging Boots. I believe they were at the D’Agostini’s “store room” . The Sheriff is a real nice guy. He is the only D’Agostini I actually know. I think there are a whole bunch of D’Agostini’s in your neighborhood. I’ll bet that you knew that JR logging was owned by D’Agostini’s.
I believe Early on that someone named Pierce was Wetzel’s partner before Glenn Oviatt & Wetzel together purchased Omo Lumber Co. from the Flick Brothers.
there was also a W. M. Lessard & a guy named Priest that were before Wetzel & Pierce?
We need to get together sometime to compare notes.
Roy Van Sant