Visitors step back in time at
Mount Laguna Living History event

By Lori Bledsoe
The Alpine Sun
 

     MT. LAGUNA — The Laguna Mountain Volunteer Association Living History presented weekend mountaineers with a first hand view of what it was like to live in the 1800’s, traveling through the Laguna Mountains to hunt, trap, trek and live in the wilderness.
     The LMVA presents this activity every year and is pleased with the success that is growing each year. This year’s event was dedicated to Herb Arklan who is remembered as the “Old Gold Prospector” that gave one of the six historical presentations in this event. Arklan, who was a font of information, was a geologist for the U.S. forestry service, and was very excited about his occupation. He was always smiling and offering advice to anyone who was interested in rocks, and he knew where to go to find them. This year in honor of Arklan, the “Old Gold Prospector” was not present on the tour.
     Jan Tubiolo, who showed the tools of the Kumeyaay people and their way of life, presented the Native American tour. She told of how these native people lived off the land, twining natural fibers to make ropes, weaving natural grasses to make baskets, and using the resources of the land to survive.
     George Cole, also a returning volunteer was one of three to operate the Mountain Man presentation. Cole’s presentation, and his expansive of how a mountain man survived in the wildness is impressive and draws you into a time when men would trap in the mountains and trek down to San Diego to sell their wares. This year, Peter Bennett and Bob Stevens joined Cole to make this vignette in time clearer to all who visited.
     Bob Callen was manning his post, presenting a perfect view of the historical cowboy. Callen fulfills this duty today as well as he often rides his horse in the Laguna Mountains, when a scout is needed to check for hikers, people in need or even forgotten campfires.
     Phyllis Goddard was in costume serving bread and jams, portraying part of the Farming Family from Imperial Valley, joined by Linda Adsett, Joe Sullivan and Bailee DeMink. The Farming Family from Imperial Valley lived a nomadic life, traveling back and forth season, to season, from Imperial Valley to the Laguna Mountains. When the cooler temperatures descended, the family would travel by horse drawn wagon, and foot, down to the Valley. When the heat of summer began to loom, the family would travel to the mountains for relief from the high temperatures.
     Joe Zechman returned to his role of playing the first Laguna Mountain Ranger, Carl Brenner. At Zechman’s station, one found a simple camp, with a small campfire ring made of stones. There were supplies such as coffee, flour and grain, along with a bedroll, a frying pan and a cast iron pot. Zechman played his roll telling how Brenner surveyed and supervised the mountain areas, bringing into being the first forestry service.

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