Author Archives: David L Stevens

About David L Stevens

David has been the creator and maintainer of Trona on the Web since 1996. He has been creating websites since the beginning of the World Wide Web. He is not the best person to be the webmaster for a Trona Website but someone needs to do it and Doug Polly isn't with us any longer. David worked in maintenance for the San Bernardino City Schools, retired from Honeywell, worked in IT for a while, as school bus driver until COVID-19 made it too dangerous. David is now retired and spends his time gardening, collecting stamps and learning to cook.

Lewis L. Arnold

Name: Lewis L. Arnold
Email: lparnold@verizon.net

Comment: I was faculty in 1958-59.  I was the football coach and we had an undefeated season, the only team to beat Palmdale High School. I was 1st Lt. ROTC Commander.

Please notify me of reunions of my students and athletes from those years.  I would like to hear from them and invite any to my 80th birthday celebration on April 13th.   Reach me by my email.

Kathleen Hurlocker

Kathleen Hurlocker – Class of 1953

Kathleen Hurlocker Roche, 77, of Redding CA, passed away the morning of March 5th, 2014. Kathleen was born in Bemidji, Minn. on March 19th, 1936, to Harold and Isabel Hurlocker.

Kathleen graduated from High School in Trona, CA in 1953 and went on to receive her degree in English from UC Berkeley in 1957.

She was married to Patrick J. Roche on September 7th, 1957.

Kathleen was the first woman in her family to receive a college degree. Learning and education were an ongoing passion in her life. She continued to lead in education through multiple terms on the Redding Elementary School board including a term as President. She was active with the AAUW including serving two terms as President and in 1987 received the AAUW Woman of Achievement award.

She was also active with the Shasta County Women’s Refuge and served as President of the Board. Kathleen enjoyed helping people through her paralegal business. She loved working on her roses and helping Patrick in the garden as well as going to local museums, art fairs, community concerts and picnics with the “Brandy Creek Gang”.

She was survived by her husband of 57 years, Patrick J. Roche; Her children, Heather Roche-Waldo and husband Raymond; Kelly Roche; Michael Roche; Kevin Roche and husband Andrew Trembley; Grandchild Alexander Waldo; Sisters, Alicia Philpot and husband Charles; Holly Farrah-Elliott and husband Frank; Brother Patrick Hurlocker and wife Valeria as well as her many nieces and nephews and lifelong friends.

Mass and reception will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, March 11th, 2014 at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, 2040 Walnut Ave., Redding, CA. 96001.

In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Kathy can be made to AAUW Local Scholarships.

Please send your donation to P. O. Box 4593, Redding, CA 96099-4593, or to “One Safe Place” (formerly Shasta Women’s Refuge) at 2280 Benton Place, 96001. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/redding/obituary.aspx?n=kathleen-roche-hurlocker&pid=170040569#sthash.Ah3uucdU.dpuf

Published in Redding Record Searchlight from Mar. 7 to Mar. 11, 2014

Pumphouse

Pump House on Searles Lake 1917

The brine from which potash was extracted in 1917 was in the middle of the lake four miles from the plant. The pumping station made of concrete and steel weighed 300 tons rested on the surface of the lake and demonstrates the resistance of the crust to pressure. There were three pumps installed capable of 500 GPM. The brine was drawn from 10 wells.

One of the gravest problems for the engineers was conducting the lukewarm brine from the pumping station four miles across the lake to the plant and to be able to maintain the brine at the same temperature. to prevent crystallization. To accomplish the the ten inch pipe was wrapped in hair and wool felt. This was encased in a steel jacket. This provided a thermal tube that delivered the brine without loss of a degree of temperature. The brine was delivered to two tanks, each with the capacity of 500,000 gallons. From the tanks the brine was pumped to the evaporation house and from there to the crystallization house where the potash was precipitated , dried and made ready for shipment.

Trona High School Basketball 1945

Remember when the Trona High School basketball games were held downtown across from Austin Hall? Well, I suppose that most of you won’t. I don’t remember this particular game. I don’t remember much of what happened when I was two.

I do remember seeing at least one game being played there. I was probably a free spectator looking through the trees and fence. I think the girls who sold tickets would also let us in for free during the fourth quarter. I cannot imagine my mother giving me money to pay for a ticket to watch basketball.  The courts were concrete rather than wood. They were also used as tennis courts and were used for the weekly roller skating and movie event before courts were torn down and replaced by the one on Argus Ave. Later skating was moved to the tennis courts at the high school. Skating was also held at the clubhouse on the ballroom floor for a few years. Metal skates were not allowed there, only wooden wheels. My sister was the only one in the family that right kind of shoes for the clubhouse.  I never did learn to skate.

The one event that sticks out in my mind the most though is a fundraiser auction that one of the organizations conducted after one of the games. My mother kind of set me up. She decided I should do the bidding on one of the items so see sent me up front  but since I had no idea what I was doing I kept running back to ask her what I should bid next. I lost the bid during one of the times that I was running back for instructions. Then I got the blame for not winning the item. Mom, what were thinking? I was probably only six or seven at the time.

Oh, yea and there was the dog fight that broke out during the movie when skating was held at the High School. The Wilson’s dog had a hold on my arm with its teeth and then someone turned on the lights. I could see the surprize in the dogs eyes when he realized that all his biting and tearing were being wasted on me rather than the on other dog. He quickly let go of me and took aim at the other dog’s hind leg. The Wilsons had to keep him tied up until the authorities were sure he didn’t have rabies. It was a good thing for ma and the dog that he had his shots. I still have the scars but I never did blame the dog. He was a good dog.

Argus Cemetery Book

Cholla Sizemore’s booklet on the Argus Cemetery is back from the printers and ready for sale! This is an order form you can save to your computer and print out. These will be available for sale at the Museum. For more information about this book please go to: http://www.news-ridgecrest.com/news/story.pl?id=0000002223 and http://www.ridgecrestca.com/article/20140227/NEWS/140229596

Trona deaths in 2013

California-Obits.com lists the following residents of Trona as having died in 2013:

Don C. Chute, 40 – Dec 17, 2013
Patricia E. Partlow, 75 – Dec 10, 2013
Serena S. Hall, 74 – Sep 24, 2013
Frances E. Fuller, 60 – Jul 15, 2013
David J. Groat, 62 – May 13, 2013
Keith E. Sayre, 56 – Apr 28, 2013
Mary E. Vassar, 85 – Apr 21, 2013
Selma L. Fortner, 89 – Apr 11, 2013
Donald W. Mcnatt, 80 – Mar 1, 2013
Brigitte Henderson, 64 – Feb 5, 2013

This is based on information in the Social Security database as their address at the time of death. If anyone would like to add any additional information about anyone that is listed please contact me.

Grace Rodriguez, 71 – Jan 11, 2014 is listed as having died in 2014.