Big Pine 1

Main Street Big Pine - circa 1900

Big Pine in the early 1900s

All photo cards on this page courtesy of Rich McCutchan archives unless otherwise noted.
The photographs of the Smith and Tate family, and other early Big Pine residents, are from two personal Big Pine
photo albums in Rich's Archives.

See USE NOTICE on Home Page.

The Smiths and Tates of Big Pine

Big Pine family photograph - 1910

Top row (L to R):	Frank Inman, Bertha Chrysler Inman, Great Aunt Libly Hamilton (Grandma's sister), Grandpa Chrysler, Grandma Chrysler, Aunt Clara Mitchell, Aunt Alice Robinson, Bob Robinson, Ester Tate (Mother), Thomas Tate (father), Mary Smith with Fay Smith on her lap, Bud Smith (with flag)
Bottom row (L to R):	Howard Smith (with hat), Eloa Tate, Dorothy Inman with Clarice Tate in front of her (with curls), Robert Smith with Enid Robinson in front of him, Bessa Robinson, Dot Robinson (Wilson), Gerte (Mitchell) Smith, Alvina Smith (young girl on Aunt Clara's lap), George Mitchell, Bertha Mitchell, Mark Mitchell, Robert Smith (Gertie's son)
Front row (L to R): (Middle of picture)	Frank Mitchell, Bernice Mitchell, Mildred Mitchell

Unknown Big Pine residents	Pauline Douglas	L to R: Fay Smith, Pearl Miles
Faye Smith	Faye Smith	Faye Smith and Russel (the dog)
George Crocker	Unknown Big Pine resident	Unknown Big Pine resident
Unknown Big Pine resident	Unknown Big Pine resident	Aunt Edith and Russell (the dog)
Unknown Big Pine resident	Unknown Big Pine resident	L to R: Mother ?, Linn ?
L to R (back row): Hope, Loretta , Bee, Linn, Bryan L/R (two girls in middle on right side of photo): Elva, Faye Smith L/R (two girls and boy in front): Pearl, Ardys, Don

Faye Smith	Joe Valdez	Joe Valdez
Unknown packer	Joe Valdez	Joe Valdez and family
Pete Garner	Pete Garner packing up [close up]	L/R: Pete Garner and Sarah

L/R: Sarah, Pete Garner, Gweyn	L/R: Mutt and Jeff
L/R: Fay Smith, Sarah, Packer Loyd	The Three Mosquitoes L/R: Faye Smith, Sarah, Gweyn
The Band
L/R: Artanzia and ?	Heading out of Homer's Corrals
Faye Smith, ?, ?, ?

L/R: Sarah and Gweyn	Faye Smith	Artanzia
Sarah	Unknown	Unknown
Unknown	Faye Smith	Unknown

07/21

Three Heroes - An Indian, A White Man and a Negro
by Samuel D. Woods

L/R: Uncle Nick, Aunt Mary, Grandma, Grandpa, Rex (the dog)	Main Street Big Pine Circa 1900
L/R: Uncle Nick, Aunt Mary, Grandma, Grandpa, Rex (the dog)	L/R: Uncle Nick, Aunt Mary, Grandma, Grandpa, Rex (the dog)
Indian sweat lodge	L/R: Clarice Tate, Pearl Tate (back), Faye, Della Baker, Goldie Stone at Whitmore Pool
Ben Tibbits and George Robinson at an Indian sweat lodge near Big Pine (Photo courtesy Inyo County Sesquicentennial)	11/21 Recreation Aide Hubert Amos, Big Pine Creek. Working under general supervision of the District Ranger, he is the direct contact man, and may be the only Forest Officer that the visitor ever sees. He is to them, therefore, "Mr. Forest Service," and thus an important man to both sides. July 1958 (Poto courtesy of Hal Eaton) (U.S. National Archives Photo)
On the ranch in Big Pine	Big Pine - January 1912
In the snow in Big Pine	Silver Bell Mine - circa 1922
L/R: Ardys and Faye Smith	Grandma Elanor's house in Big Pine
Mildred Chance [close up]	Spring 1922 at Grandma Elanor's place in Big Pine
Ardy's 9th birthday party

Leo LeGoy of Reno, Nevada writes

Ray,

What a surprise!

In looking at the presentation "Big Pine in the early 1900s", I found a picture of a large family. It was so
small on your page I really did not look at it too much. I did, however, read the caption. Surprise, among the names listed was that of my mother. The picture was headed with "Some of the residents of Big Pine, circa 1910".

Your notation of circa 1910 must be close to correct as my mother (Enid Robinson) appears to be about 12 years old. She was born in 1898 which would fit closely, I'm sure.

Among she and two of her sisters: Bessa Robinson and Dot (Willson) Robinson are both my grandparents: H. H. Bob Robinson and my great grandparents Joseph Freeman Chrysler and wife Jane. It is the first picture I have ever seen of my great grandparents.

Most of the names of these in the picture I have heard and some I knew but some I cannot make the connection. I know I am related to all of them but I do not know all the abc's.

I am Leo Robert LeGoy and am 79 years old. I live in Reno, Nevada

Do you have any other pictures or stories about the Robinsons, Mitchells, Smiths or Tates?

Thanks for helping me put these people together.

Bob
July 2004

"The First High Horse Trip"
by Anita Day Hubbard

L/R: Jack (the dog), Faye Smith, Josephine Houghton, Addie Akers, Ardys, Jimmie Akers, dog
L/R: Gwen, Grandma Eleanor, ?, ?	Unknown
Unknown	Faye
Unknown	Unknown [close up]
Unknown in camp cooking [close up]	L/R: Cecil, Lautycia, Billy
Unknown	L/R: Cecil, Lautycia, Billy

Bud and May Crowell-Smith -
1880 Wedding Portrait

May Crowell-Smith

Henry Bartels (standing) and Robert Smith

Marnee Durgin writes:

Ray,

I just wanted to thank you for running such an awesome website on Owens Valley History. I am a student at Cal State Long Beach working on my teaching degree and had to give a presentation on the plight of the Valley residents as a result of the Aqueduct being built. The information and pictures you provided were invaluable! Needless to say, I received an A+ on my presentation and everyone was impressed. My husband and I own some property in Cartago and the Owens Valley has always interested me.

On a side note, while searching your website, I believe I found a possible long lost ancestor! May Crowell Smith was featured in your Early Big Pine section and she is the spitting image of my father's side of the family. I showed the picture to my mother and she looked May's name up in our family book. There is a May Crowell in our book who's lifetime fits the time frame given in your site. We are curious as to where you got the picture of her from. If you have that information, would it be possible for you to forward it to us so we can continue our family history research? I know my mother would be eternally grateful to you if you have any information on May or her family that could help us out.

Thank you again for making such a wonderful resource available. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

Marnee Durgin
May 2004

Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
L/R (in the cart): Millard Smith, partial face (?), Faye Smith, Robert Smith L/R (on the burro): Mark Mitchell, Mildred Mitchell, Clarice Tate, Bernie Mitchell

"Paiute Life"
by Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins

Chicken farming in Big Pine.

Big Pine flume iced over in the winter.

Jake Miller in Rossie's butcher shop - circa 1914

"The High Sierra: the Journey Ends"
by Willie Chalfant

Crossing Big Pine Creek - 1925	Pine Creek Pack Station - 1925
Eaton Chicken Ranch in Big Pine, CA (Photo courtesy of Hal Eaton)	Owens River Poultry Company - south of Big Pine, CA - 1910 (Photo courtesy of Hal Eaton)
Harold Eaton's Ranch in Long Valley, CA (Photo courtesy of Hal Eaton)	Welch's Cafe- Big Pine, CA - circa 1950s (Photocard courtesy of Lynn Johsz)
Looking across Owens Valley towards Big Pine, CA (Photo courtesy of Beth Gardner)	L. W. Corwin's Pack Statioin and Concessioner Facilities Corwin packed over Taboose and Sawmill Passes (Photo courtesy of the National Park Service)
Louis and Minnie Joseph's store in Big Pine before it became Rossi's Italian Restaurant - Big Pine, CA (Photo courtesy of Karen Stone)

Photos courtesy of UC Riverside Library Archives
The family of John Black (seated); wife Rose seated; children Rosalind and J. D. behind their parents. Inscription on top of photograph: "The Black Family." Names of persons in photograph inscribed on bottom of photograph by J. D. Black: "Father Rosalind Mother Jack." Title supplied by cataloger. A French-Canadian immigrant from Montreal, Canada, John Black came to Virginia City, Nevada, circa 1880-1885, to work in the mines. Here he met his wife Rose Carroll (1861-1940), whom he married at unknown date. The couple made their home in the California mining town of Bodie, where he had some kind of business partnership, perhaps mining, with a John McAlpin. In 1886 Rose and John Black moved to Bishop, of the Owens Valley. Two years later John Black bought “Jack Barton’s Saloon.” He either renamed the saloon “Black’s,” or else opened a store with that name, while continuing to run the saloon. In 1902, he bought a saloon in Big Pine and would move there in 1908. From the late 1890s until his death in 1923, it is known that he had mining interests in Mono County and the Chrysopolis, California area. Voter registration lists from Big Pine in 1922 record his occupation as miner. John and Rose Black were the parents of Rosalind and J. D. Black. John Black was 58 years of age at his death. Wife Rose is listed as a registered voter in Big Pine in 1922 and 1926; her occupation recorded as housewife. By 1928 Rose Black is absent from voter lists. Their two children were Rosalind and J. D. (John David). Rosalind grew up in Big Pine, although her parents had her attend high school in San Diego. By 1921, Rosalind Black was operating a women’s and children’s clothing store in Big Pine called the “Style Shop.” Inyo County voter registration lists from 1922 record that she was a Republican and that Rosalind’s occupation was indeed merchant. In the mid 1920s, she married Delber Shaw (1887-1972), who worked in the Watterson brothers’ bank in Big Pine. She continued to run her shop. By 1952, Rosalind and her husband had left Big Pine. Rosalind Black Shaw died in Los Angeles County in 1969, perhaps in Lakewood, California, where her only child, Peggy Shaw Zimmerman, resided. J. D. Black (1893-1960), also known as Jack, was a resident of both Big Pine and Bishop, California, during his lifetime. He operated stores in both towns and had some mining interests. He was a leader in the fight of Big Pine for reparations from the City of Los Angeles during the Owens Valley Water Controversy, of the 1920s. His wife was Sophie Louise Black (1895-1989), nee Staudinger; the couple had three daughters. (Loyola Marymount Archives)	Back of building, probably the hotel and bar of Tom Callow, in Big Pine, California. Wooden barrels with discarded tin cans to left of porch. Inscription on back of photograph: "Top Row Mrs. Callow, Tom Callow, Bridget, and the cook. Bottom Row Ed, Peachey, and Austin Ober, Porte Jack and Nettie." Printed on heavy board. Title supplied by cataloger. Tom Callow operated a hotel and bar in Big Pine, California, in the early part of the twentieth century. Voter registration lists from Inyo County record an Edwin H. Ober as a game warden in Big Pine, California, in 1922, and in 1926 his profession is given as "fish culture." A Mrs. Peachey Ober, undoubtedly his wife, is listed as a housewife. She is still cited as living in Big Pine in 1928, but her husband is no longer found on the voter rolls. Austin Ober is recorded as a voting resident in Big Pine in 1922 but disappears after that; his occupation was clerk. He may have died in Orange County in 1957. Biographical information on the other persons in the photograph is lacking, although "the cook" appears to be Chinese, and "Porte Jack" and "Nettie" are undoubtedly Paiutes, the resident Native Americans in the Owens Valley. (Loyola Marymount Archives)
01/23 A portion of the Owens Valley from the Lincoln Highway on the east side of the Owens River looking towards Big Pine - Circa 1917 Photo was taken during an automobile trip taken by J. G. Oliver and W. H. Frick from Los Angeles to the Owens Valley. The 260-mile trip follows the route of the aqueduct and depicts the landscape of Owens Valley, Owens Lake, and the reservoirs, conduits, concrete canals, siphons, and power plants bringing water to Los Angeles. (Courtesy of the Huntington Library digital archives.)
01/23 J. G. Oliver and W. H. Frick from Los Angeles on the road to Owens Valley (Courtesy of the Huntington Library digital archives.)	Trout fishing party in Owens Valley - circa 1900 (Loyola Marymount Archives)

Hotel Tokens Courtesy of Craig Mason
Hotel Butler Token - Big Pine, CA	Hotel Butler Token - Big Pine, CA
Hotel Butler Saloon Token - Big Pine, CA	Hotel Butler Saloon Token - Big Pine, CA

02/21

Big Pine Bakery Token - Big Pine, CA
(Courtesy of Janet Bixby)

Owens River Poultry Company plant south of Big Pine around 1910.
(Photo and text courtesy of Hal Eaton)

Vintage Map Courtesy of Hal Eaton

Forgotten place names along the El Camino Sierra - from 1926 map

Deep snow in Big Pine, CA
(Photograph courtesy Loyola Marymount University, William H. Hannon Library,
J. D. Black Collection)

11/21

U.S. 395 south of Big Pine - circa 1922
(Photo courtesy of Tom Chapman)

08/21

Lon Chaney Sr's Cabin on Big Pine Creek (Photos courtesy of Ray DeLea)
Photo - UNKNOWN	Movie Poster

Lon Chaney's Phantom of the Forest by Leslie Carlson

01/23 Palisade Glacier map courtesy of Yale Digital Archives - Circa 1946 Map created by Weldon F. Heald (1901 - 1967)
01/23 Palisade Glacier map courtesy of Yale Digital Archives - Circa 1946 Map created by Weldon F. Heald (1901 - 1967)

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	Cerro Gordo
	More Big Pine
	Early Bishop Residents
	Mary Austin

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This page was last updated on 23 April 2024